Latest news with #eaglets
Washington Post
14-06-2025
- General
- Washington Post
No eaglets this time for D.C.'s most famous bald eagle couple
D.C.'s most famous winged couple — two bald eagles — were left with an empty nest this spring, disappointing those who had hoped to see them produce eaglets. Mr. President and Lotus — short for Lady of the United States — previously had several years of successful egg laying and hatching at a nest about 70 feet up in a white oak tree on the sprawling grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum in Northeast Washington. This spring, experts thought Mama Lotus had laid at least one egg, and maybe two, and eaglets were expected to hatch in early April. But recently, after observing the eagle pair for weeks, the city's wildlife biologist, Dan Rauch, declared they had produced no offspring this season. He couldn't say definitively what happened to the eggs or possible eaglets that hatched. 'It's all unknown,' said Rauch. 'Everything seemed to be working fine. They seemed to be good, just as they had in the past. It is just a big mystery.' Some possibilities: A raccoon could have gotten into the nest and eaten the eaglets. An owl or a hawk may have swooped in and gotten a chick when the parents were out of the nest gathering food. Or the egg (or eggs) simply didn't hatch. Typically, experts do an annual 'eagle flyover' in a helicopter for a bird's-eye view of the nest, which overlooks the Langston Golf Course, to try to learn more. But after the fatal midair collision of a commercial airplane and a helicopter in January at Reagan National Airport, there have been restrictions on helicopters in the area, and experts weren't able to do the flyover. Plus, there's no longer a 24-hour live feed from a web camera in a tree near the nest to give wildlife lovers and experts a close-up view. Rauch has done his observations and analysis from the ground using a lens scope and binoculars. He's found the best position to see the eagle pair is along the tee box of the golf course's 15th hole. Earlier this spring, there were signs the pair appeared to be tending to a nest. Bald eagles have a 34- to 36-day gestation period. At one point, Rauch said, he noticed Lotus was 'sitting up higher in the nest,' presumably covering chicks that had possibly hatched. A few times, he saw Mr. President, also known as Mr. P, and Lotus flying together — a good sign they were tending to the nest and possible eaglets. But a few weeks later, there were no signs of the parents at the nest. Eventually, he noticed a new eagle, possibly a 4-year-old female, that should not have been in the nest pop its head up. 'At that point,' Rauch said, 'all signs were that the nest had failed.' The 4-year-old, Rauch said, was probably passing through the area and stopped at the nest. Rauch said he saw Mr. President in mid-May at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, not far from the nest at the arboretum. He was trying to steal fish from ospreys. 'He'd harass them in hopes of a dropped catch,' Rauch said. As for Lotus, he hasn't seen her in weeks. Bald eagles have made a hugely successful comeback across the country and in the D.C. region due to several factors: bans on pesticides, the passage of the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s, improvements to their habitats, and clean air and water efforts. Nationally, there were 71,000 breeding pairs of bald eagles in the Lower 48 based on data from 2018 to 2019 — a major comeback from the 1960s, when there were fewer than 500 breeding pairs, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 2007, but they remain protected under several federal laws. The bald eagle officially became the national bird last December when President Joe Biden signed a bill. In the D.C. region, Rauch said this spring there were 23 other active bald eagle nests. One nest, located at the northern end of Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Alexandria, Virginia, had three eaglets hatch this year, Rauch said, making it the third year in a row there were triplets at the nest. At the arboretum, Mr. President has quite a legacy. He and his original partner — First Lady — met in December 2013 and built a nest that winter near the arboretum's azalea garden. It marked the first time a bald eagle pair had set up a nest at the arboretum in more than 60 years. Experts said bald eagles have adapted to downtown areas like D.C. and become more equipped to handle noise and air traffic. Mr. President and First Lady had their first eaglet in 2014 and went on to have a total of eight hatch. They had their last chick in 2018, and it later died of West Nile virus. Bald eagles typically mate for life as long as they're successful having eaglets together. But if there's a problem, they're known to switch up and find new partners. Mr. President's relationship with First Lady became rough after they failed to produce more offspring. First Lady would take off in warmer months and come back in the fall. During one of her trips away, Mr. President had other female suitors in the nest. At times, First Lady would chase off her mate's suitors with her 'talons out,' flying toward the nest at 50 to 60 mph, Rauch said. The two reconciled, but she laid no more eggs. Then on Valentine's Day 2022, she flew the coop for good. The next day, Lotus moved in. About two years ago, the pair moved to a new nest overlooking the golf course, about a mile as the eagle flies from their old nest. Experts decided not to install another camera at their new abode, which is in a more secluded, wooded area of the arboretum. Lotus is now 8 years old, and Mr. P is believed to be 16 or 17 — a bit on the older side for bald eagles, which typically live to be about 20, Rauch said. 'I'll be looking to see if I can find them together again,' he said. 'Hopefully, they try again next year.'
Fast Company
10-06-2025
- General
- Fast Company
Bald eagle live cam update: What's next now that eaglets Sunny and Gizmo are leaving the nest?
There comes a time in every person's life when they have to say goodbye to a situation that they have outgrown. The same concept applies to eaglets who fledge or leave the nest—typically, when they reach 10 to 14 weeks of age. Millions of people have been watching this happen in real time thanks to a viral nest camera operated by the nonprofit Friends of the Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), located in California. Since the beginning of 2025, the live-stream of this family of bald eagles—headed by Jackie and Shadow— has emerged as a bonafide phenomenon of internet culture, providing an escape for Americans burned out on news and politics. Now Jackie and Shadow's offspring, Sunny and Gizmo, have officially flown away from home for the first time, meaning the end is near for their time at home. Here's what to expect next: Gender reveal (or something close) Although the only way to know definitively is through a blood test, at the end of May, FOBBV announced that it believes both Sunny and Gizmo are females. This is because of the sisters' size and vocalizations. Another indication is their love of food. Speaking of eating, the best way to tell the sisters apart is their mouths. The corner of Gizmo's is thicker and more of an orange color. Sunny's is not as curved. Timeline: When did the eaglets first leave the nest? Sunny is the oldest by four days, so it makes sense that she decided to take off first. At 90 days old, she left the nest's Y branch on Monday, June 2, at 10:46 a.m. local time. Gizmo looked on in awe as Sunny made her way to the nearby Roost Tree. Parents Jackie and Shadow spent the night with her perched below. FOBBV warned viewers that Sunny might not return to the nest right away because a flight of that height would require some major wing power. Sunny said challenge accepted and returned to check in on her sister the very next day. She continued to drop in especially during mealtimes. Gizmo's turn On Saturday, June 7, it was Gizmo's turn to fledge. Her first flight was not as graceful as her sister's. At around 8:27 a.m. local time, it almost appeared as if she fell, misstepped, and was forced into flight. Regardless of whether this was accidental or not, she made the best of it and landed on the nearby Simba Tree. This happened at the same time that Shadow was bringing breakfast to the empty nest. The caring dad found his daughter on the Simba Tree and kept an eye on her as she recovered from her big moment. What's next for the eagles? Sunny and Gizmo returned to the nest on Monday for dinner. Fans were happy for this reunion because they know these days are numbered. The eaglets will hang around the area for a couple of months, learning important survival skills—such as hunting—from their parents. After that, they may disperse and find a new territory of their own. Bald eagles can be found in most of Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. They like to live near a body of water, which acts as a food supply. Their iconic white heads will come in at 4 to 5 years of age, around the time of sexual maturity. Then the cycle will repeat itself all over again, proving that goodbyes are often just the beginning of new adventures. Be sure to watch the web camera embedded below for these last precious moments. (At last check it had more than 15,000 concurrent viewers in the early-morning hours of Tuesday.)
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Taking to the sky: Big Bear Valley eaglets Gizmo and Sunny take first flights
BIG BEAR VALLEY, California (ABC4) — Both eaglets from Big Bear Valley in California have officially taken to the skies! In a Facebook post from Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), eaglets Sunny and Gizmo officially took their first flights, with Sunny officially leaving the nest on Monday, followed by her sister Gizmo early this morning. Gizmo did have a little bit of trouble on her first flight, according to FOBBV. After attempting to take off, Gizmo quickly grabbed a branch for balance then successfully flew off a moments later, as he was seen on camera located in a different tree Friends of Big Bear Valley says in their post that at the eaglets' flight feathers are still coming in and are a bit heavier than an adult eagle's feathers. The post says that both Sunny and Gizmo have a little way to go before they're a little more graceful like their parents Jackie and Shadow. Latest Headlines: Salt Lake City International Airport announces open house event Taking to the sky: Big Bear Valley eaglets Gizmo and Sunny take first flights West Haven park closed after fire burns five acres Man arrested after holding three people hostage inside Price home Motorhome fire causes major delays on I-15 in Kaysville Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Sister act: Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo are both female
After nearly three months of speculation, the experts have weighed in: Both eaglets at the Big Bear bald eagle nest are female. Sunny and Gizmo are sisters, according to the organizations that operates the world-famous 24-hour camera feed of the nest near Big Bear Lake. "Peaceful, loving sisters," added Friends of Big Bear Valley Executive Director Sandy Steers. The naturalists announced last week that Gizmo was believed to be female, but Sunny's sex remained unclear until Saturday. "After much observation and some fairly definitive vocal frequency analysis, we believe that even though Sunny, as the older one, is now smaller than Gizmo, she is also female," Steers said in an update posted to social media. Despite being four days younger, Gizmo has outgrown Sunny in size. Although now the smaller of the siblings, Sunny has led the way when it comes to exploring the branches surrounding the nest and experimenting with flight. More: Fledge watch: Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo prepare to take first flights She was seen taking to the air for a 3-second-long hover above the nest for the first time on Thursday. Her flight testing grew bolder and Friday, when she was again spotted hovering above the nest and spreading her wings into the wind. Bald eaglets generally leave the nest, or fledge, at 10 to 14 weeks of age, experts said. At 12 weeks old, Sunny and Gizmo could each be ready to make their first flights away from the nest any time now. But they won't immediately become strangers. Eaglets tend to remain close to their nests for a month or two as they develop the skills they will need to survive on their own. They young predators will then head out to establish their own homes, potentially hundreds or thousands of miles away from Big Bear. They still have a long journey ahead of them, as bald eagles mature at a slow rate. Sunny and Gizmo aren't expected to develop their iconic white heads, like their parents Jackie and Shadow, until they reach 4 or 5 years old. More information on the Big Bear bald eagles and the Friends of Big Bear Valley is available on the organizations website at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Sister act: Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo are both female
CBS News
31-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Big Bear eaglets Sunny and Gizmo believed to be sisters, says wildlife organization
After revealing the gender of one of the eaglets last week, wildlife organization Friends of Big Bear Valley announced that Sunny and Gizmo are sisters. Big News…after much observation and some fairly definitive vocal frequency analysis, we believe that even though Sunny, as the older one, is now smaller than Gizmo, she is also female," wrote Sandy Steers, a biologist and the Executive Director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. "So, Sunny and Gizmo are sisters! Peaceful, loving sisters." After being born in March, the two birds have captured the eyes of thousands across the nation as they prepare for their first flight. "They've been practicing bouncing up and down with their little wings," Steers said. "They're big wings now." Sonny and Gizmo, the eaglets of beloved Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow. Friends of Big Bear Valley/YouTube Sunny had her first hover experience on Friday, clearing the surface of their nest for 3.3 seconds. Once they embark on their maiden flight, Sunny and Gizmo will continue to live with their parents, Jackie and Shadow. The full-grown eagles will follow their children around for at least three months before becoming empty nesters. "Once they get, I guess full of knowing, think they know what they're doing, they take off," she said. "They usually travel around to meet other eagles." The Big Bear bald eagle family can be observed 24/7 via a webcam hosted by the Friends of Big Bear Valley on YouTube. Steers also documents the eagles on live cameras on the Friends of Big Bear Valley website.
