Jackie and Shadow, a pair of bald eagles nesting in Big Bear Valley, Southern California, have welcomed two eaglets that hatched earlier this month. The chicks emerged on consecutive nights—April 4 at 9:33 p.m. and April 5 at 8:30 a.m.—and are now navigating their early days in the nest.

Observers monitoring the nest have noted that the siblings have begun to engage in what is known as “bonking,” a form of sibling rivalry where the eaglets peck and push each other during feeding times. While this behavior may appear concerning at first glance, experts emphasize that it is a normal part of eaglet development.

The nonprofit group Friends of Big Bear Valley, which tracks the eagle family, explained that this rivalry helps establish a pecking order between the chicks. The stronger eaglet typically eats first, while the smaller one waits or attempts alternative strategies to obtain food, such as maneuvering around the sibling or waiting until the dominant chick finishes feeding and becomes less active.

This period of bonking generally lasts only a few days to about a week, subsiding once the eaglets have settled into a clear hierarchy. Since the eagles have access to ample food in their natural habitat, the nonprofit expects the competition to diminish, eventually giving way to more cooperative interactions between the siblings.

During bonking episodes, the less dominant chick may adopt a submissive posture, lowering its head and body in a gesture that could be mistaken for injury or unconsciousness. However, caretakers clarified that this behavior is a natural signal of surrender rather than a sign of harm.

Experts also suggest that the early displays of aggression may benefit the eaglets as they mature, potentially aiding their survival and success once they leave the nest.

As of April 8, the eaglets, measuring approximately four to five inches tall, have been fed frequently, with 17 feeding sessions recorded in a single day. The eagle family resides in a nest located within the 15-mile-long Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino National Forest. A live stream of the nest remains available to the public through the Friends of Big Bear Valley’s online platform.