Jackie and Shadow have been nesting together since 2018. Image: FOBBV

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week.

The two new eaglets eating, chirping, and “bopping” in their nest high above Southern California’s Big Bear Lake are arguably the stars of the popular wildlife livestream . But it’s devoted eagle parents Jackie and Shadow doing the really hard work behind the scenes—grabbing fish, protecting their babies from hungry ravens, and keeping them warm as their feathers grow in.

However, it can be challenging to tell Jackie and Shadow apart and know who is sitting on the nest or feeding the eaglets. Fortunately, the team at Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) is here to help.

Yes, Jackie is bigger

It’s a common misconception that males are always bigger than females. Jackie is actually a bit bigger than Shadow, so if both of them are on the nest tending to their chicks, she is the larger bird.…