PHILADELPHIA, PA — In the annals of history, humans aren't the only animals known for prognostication. Great faith is placed each year, for example, in the foreknowledge possessed by Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day. There was apparently a late German octopus named Paul who predicted numerous world athletic competitions with 80 percent certainty.

Now joining the ranks of these stalwart soothsayers is Fiona the Hippo. And she has good news for Eagles fans. At her home in the Cincinnati Zoo, two boxes of treats and toys were set before Fiona: one green box with an Eagles logo, and one white box with a Patriots logo.

After what appeared to be very minimal deliberation, Fiona selected the green box, knocking it on its side and chomping on the lettuce that emerged from the top. Fiona and the Birds have something pretty fundamental in common, too: they're both known as underdogs. When Fiona was born, she was six weeks premature, weighing a paltry 29 pounds. That's about half as much as the normal birth weight for a healthy Nile hippo, according to the Zoo.

However, despite the odds, Fiona persevered. Officials say she is the smallest hippo ever to survive. Like her team of choice, Fiona was an underdog. The Eagles have been shortchanged by oddsmakers and analysts throughout the playoffs, predicted first to lose to the Atlanta Falcons, and then predicted to lose to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship. The Eagles, of course, won both games, the second in convincing fashion, and fans and players took on the dog mask mascot along the way.

Heading into Thursday afternoon, the Patriots remain 4.5 favorites over the Eagles, according to OddsShark. Those odds did not daunt Fiona.

And this isn't the last you'll see of Fiona, either. According to the Zoo, Fiona will star in a Super Bowl commercial this Sunday during the game. Perhaps to make another prediction.

Watch Fiona make her choice below:

