BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — Jackie, the bald eagle whose nesting seasons were followed by thousands online and who came to represent the recovery of bald eagles in California, died Monday after receiving veterinary care for an illness, caretakers announced.
High-profile nest watched for more than a decade
The nest, perched in trees near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, was fitted with a live camera in 2015 by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley. The feed chronicled the pair known as Jackie and Shadow, documenting annual courtship, egg-laying and the fragile outcomes of each breeding season.
Observers recalled dramatic scenes captured on the stream, including a 2024 winter storm that left the nest blanketed in snow while Jackie reportedly sat on eggs for more than two and a half days without leaving. The camera allowed residents and nature enthusiasts worldwide to follow the couple’s efforts and setbacks in real time.
Found injured after reported eagle fight
Jackie was located by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team on July 17 after reports that the bird had been involved in a fight with two other eagles. Rescuers determined the bird was ill and arranged transport for veterinary care.
She received three weeks of treatment at the Ojai Raptor Center, where staff treated her for a variety of problems including anemia. Care included a blood transfusion and oxygen therapy as staff worked to stabilize her condition.
“We know this news will be deeply felt by the many thousands of people around the world who have followed her journey, hoped alongside us, prayed for her, and supported the people caring for her,” the Ojai Raptor Center said in a statement. “Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her.”
Despite those interventions, the raptor’s condition deteriorated and the center announced her death Monday. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is now caring for Jackie’s remains.
Local and statewide significance
Biologists and wildlife advocates pointed to Jackie’s public presence as part of a larger narrative: the recovery of the American bald eagle after decades of decline tied to the pesticide DDT and other threats. Protections enacted after the 1970s helped eagles rebound, and the species has been removed from the federal endangered species list.
Kelly Sorenson, executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society in central California — whose group was not involved with the Big Bear pair — described the birds’ breeding success as emblematic of conservation progress in the state.
What happens next and how people can follow updates
Friends of Big Bear Valley and the Ojai Raptor Center have been the primary sources of updates about Jackie’s condition. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will handle remains and any further necropsy or investigation that could clarify the underlying causes of illness, agency officials said in notifications tied to the case.
- Where Jackie was treated: Ojai Raptor Center
- Rescue response: San Dimas Raptor Rescue team, LA County Parks
- Agency oversight of remains: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Local wildlife organizations have used the nest feed to promote public education about habitat protection, lead poisoning avoidance, and reducing human disturbances near nesting sites. The loss of a camera-famous bird often triggers renewed attention to those issues among viewers who formed an emotional connection through the live footage.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Friends of Big Bear Valley install nest camera |
| 2024 | Jackie sits on eggs for more than 2.5 days during a snowstorm |
| July 17, 2026 | San Dimas Raptor Rescue locates Jackie after a reported fight; bird taken to Ojai Raptor Center |
| Three weeks following July 17, 2026 | Jackie treated for anemia and other issues; receives transfusion and oxygen therapy |
| Monday, Aug. 10/11, 2026 | Ojai Raptor Center announces Jackie’s death |
Officials have not released details of any planned necropsy results or public memorials. For residents and remote viewers who followed the couple’s seasons, the loss underscores both the vulnerability of individual animals and the broader conservation gains that allowed bald eagles to return to California skies.
The nest camera and the organizations that stewarded the birds’ story provided an uncommon window into wild behavior and the daily realities of raptor life. In death, Jackie’s role as an ambassador for the species’ comeback remains a focal point for educators, volunteers and wildlife managers across the state.
Kevin Nakamura, State Correspondent
