Big Bear’s beloved bald eagle chicks have been officially named Sunny and Gizmo. The announcement was made by Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the nonprofit that manages the popular YouTube livestream of the eagle nest, on Tuesday (April 1). The names were selected after a week-long fundraiser that collected 54,000 name suggestions. The final decision was made by Big Bear Valley elementary school students, who voted from a list of 30 finalists on official ballots provided by the nonprofit.
According to LAist, Sandy Steers, executive director of FOBBV, expressed excitement about the community’s involvement, saying, “We’re thrilled by how excited people were for the chance to name these two adorable chicks, and the Big Bear elementary students had tons of fun voting for their favorite names.”
The eaglets, initially called Chick 2 and Chick 3, were temporarily renamed Bigger Chick and Smaller Chick after Chick 1 died in a snowstorm. Now known as Sunny and Gizmo, the eaglets are growing rapidly. Sunny is four weeks old, with Gizmo just a few days younger. They have grown significantly, now weighing between five to seven pounds. As they continue to mature, they will begin exploring their nest more and developing their distinctive features.
The eaglets reside in a tall Jeffrey pine tree overlooking Big Bear Lake. As they grow, FOBBV will look for signs to determine their sex, though a DNA test would be needed for confirmation, which is unlikely to occur.
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