Jackie and Shadow’s chicks getting new feathers
Get the Popular Science daily newsletterđź’ˇ Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. The newest residents of the internet’s favorite eagle nest are rapidly growing right before our eyes. Nearly one month after hatching, Jackie and Shadow’s two to-be-named chicks are beginning to put more on thermal fur. This extra warmth was certainly helpful, after a snowstorm covered their nest in snow over the weekend. What a difference three weeks makes. Image: Friends of Big Bear Valley. According to nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the chicks are also growing their first juvenile pin feathers. These spiky feathers on the wing’s tips are essential for flight. They will continue to grow until the chicks fledge about 10 to 14 weeks after birth. The eaglets’ pin feathers are starting to appear. Image: FOBBV In another important step towards their independence, FOBBV says they may have “tucked” for the first time. Tucking is a significant developmental shift and helps the birds stay warm by themselves, without relying on their parents for brooding. As …
