Gender reveal: One of the Big Bear bald eaglets is a girl, experts say
The world has watched bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo grow up at their nest at Big Bear Lake for the past 12 weeks, but their genders have remained a mystery, until now.
It is notoriously difficult to identity the sexes of bald eaglet chicks when young, but the avian experts who operate the world-famous, 24-hour live video feed of the nest have announced they are confident that one of the chicks is female.
"At this point, from the size compared to Shadow, the ankle size and general behavior, we are pretty sure that Gizmo is a girl," Friends of Big Bear Valley Executive Director Sandy Steers wrote in an update posted to social media.
"Her obsession with food is also a sign," Steers added.
More: Fledge watch: Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo prepare to take first flights
Sunny's sex remains unknown for the time being. The sibling is four days older than Gizmo.
"For Sunny, the jury is still out," Steers said. "With more observation and hopefully some vocalization that can be heard... we hope to be more positive about Sunny's gender in the next few days."
"Fledge watch" at the Big Bear bald eagle nest is officially underway.
The young apex predators have been seen exercising their wings and getting a feel for the wind in recent weeks in preparation for their first excursions out of their nest.
More: When will the Big Bear bald eaglets get their iconic white heads, leave the nest?
Even after they take to the sky, Sunny and Gizmo are expected to remain close to home for a month or two as they continue honing the skills they will need to survive on their own, according to experts.
After that, they will head off to establish new homes of their own, potentially hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
Admirers of Jackie, Shadow and the chicks are invited to join FOBBV for a "fan party" next month in Big Bear Lake.
The gathering of eagle-eyed fans will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, at Pine Knot Road and Village Drive, organizers said.
It will be part of a two-day event dubbed "Adventure Days" on June 21 and 22, which invites guests to join in a host of free outdoor activities ranging from bird watching and flower hikes to boating and Jeep tours, according to FOBBV.
All planned activities are free, however, registration for them each day is required and spots may fill up, the group said in a statement.
"Our aim is to promote synchronicity between our unique Big Bear Valley natural mountain forest environment and our local business community in ways that allow both to thrive," FOBBV added.
More information is available on the FOBBV website at friendsofbigbearvalley.org.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Gender reveal: One of the Big Bear bald eaglets is a girl, experts say
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