Watch ‘daring’ creature use sleeping bald eagle mom as ‘trampoline’ in California nest
A “daring” critter used a sleeping bald eagle mom’s back as a “trampoline” to bounce across a nest in Southern California, a video shows.
Bald eagle Jackie wasn’t delighted when she was woken up by a flying a squirrel at 4:55 a.m. Feb. 20, Friends of Big Bear Valley executive director Sandy Steers said in a Facebook post.
Jackie and Shadow have been tending to three eggs since the last egg was laid Feb. 1 in Big Bear, McClatchy News reported. They’ve managed to keep the eggs safe from predators and through winter storms.
So when the flying squirrel bravely dashed across the nest, Jackie was ready to protect her eggs.
She slapped her wings immediately, likely to fend off the small intruder, a video shows. But the squirrel was gone.
“She literally bounced on Jackie’s back (to) get over the top of her and across the nest…then disappeared as quickly as she had arrived,” Steers wrote.
The nonprofit has named the female flying squirrel Fiona. She lives below the nest along with Fast Freddie, a male squirrel.
“These San Bernardino flying squirrels, Fiona and Fast Freddie, are only about 9 inches long, including tail, compared to Jackie’s body length of over 3 feet,” Steers said in the post.
The squirrel didn’t appear to cause any harm to Jackie.
“Aww that daring Fiona! Tenacious isn’t she!!! Jackie will have her eagle eyes out for her now!!!” one person commented.
“That’s a good way to end up as a morning snack Fiona!!!” another person wrote.
This story was originally published February 21, 2024 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Watch ‘daring’ creature use sleeping bald eagle mom as ‘trampoline’ in California nest."
