The internet-famous bald eagle known as Jackie died while under care at a raptor rehabilitation center following a period of illness and injury, officials said. She was rescued after being found injured after an altercation with other eagles and taken to the Ojai Raptor Center for treatment, where her condition worsened despite intensive veterinary efforts, Friends of Big Bear Valley and the rescue team said.
Veterinary teams treating Jackie reported severe anemia and signs of kidney inflammation, and observers had noted abnormal behavior before the territorial fights, prompting concerns she had been ill and vulnerable, Friends of Big Bear Valley said. The raptor center described the loss as deeply felt by the many thousands who followed Jackie on the live nest cam, according to a statement reported by media outlets.
Shadow, the male who paired with Jackie for nearly a decade at the Big Bear Valley nest, has been seen on the nest camera with another visiting adult identified as KD1, Friends of Big Bear Valley said. KD1 visited the pair's nest several times and Shadow joined KD1 in the nest on at least one occasion, observers reported. The group cautioned that only time will show whether a new bond forms before the next breeding season.
Fans and volunteers continued to watch the livestream as volunteers and spokespeople emphasized that nature will take its course and life will continue in the wild, Friends of Big Bear Valley spokeswoman Jenny Voisard said. The rescue and rehabilitation teams said they had provided intensive care and consulted specialists, but Jackie’s health declined despite those efforts.
Background And Conservation Context
The Big Bear Valley nest has drawn global attention because volunteers have streamed the pair’s nesting seasons for years, attracting tens of thousands of viewers who followed eggs, hatchlings, storms and fledging events. Jackie and Shadow raised multiple clutches and several eaglets were named and tracked by the volunteer group, which documents nesting chronology and outcomes on its livestream and reference guides.
Conservation work around the nest advanced alongside Jackie’s health crisis. Friends of Big Bear Valley and partners moved to protect nearby shoreline land known as Moon Camp, securing funds and a purchase option to keep development from threatening eagle habitat. The land trust and a major donation helped the campaign reach its goal, officials said, and the group reported a surge in support following Jackie’s hospitalization.
The nest site sits within a national forest area that is periodically closed to protect breeding activity and fledging eaglets. Volunteers recalled how the nest cam first went live and how local advocates, including the volunteer leader who inspired an eaglet’s name, helped build the nest’s audience and fundraising capacity. Observers said the focus now is on monitoring Shadow, the two juveniles that recently fledged, and keeping protections in place for the Big Bear Valley birds and their habitat.
