Jackie, the bald eagle who captured hearts around the world through livestreamed footage of her nest in California's Big Bear Valley, has died at an estimated 14 years old. The Ojai Raptor Center, which had been caring for her for more than three weeks, announced her death early Monday morning, August 10.
"It is with profound sadness that we share that [Jackie] passed away in the early hours of this morning, following more than three weeks of intensive medical care," the center said in a statement, thanking the many people who followed her journey and supported her care team throughout her illness.
How Jackie Became Sick
Jackie was brought to the raptor center on July 18 after being found unable to fly along the shores of Big Bear Lake, following an altercation with two younger bald eagles. While she didn't sustain significant physical injuries from the fight, veterinarians discovered she had life-threatening anemia, with her packed cell volume dropping well below normal levels. Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the nonprofit that runs the eagle nest cameras, noted Jackie hadn't been seen much around the nest since Fourth of July fireworks, suggesting she may have been unwell for some time before the fight left her grounded.
Despite receiving a blood transfusion, oxygen therapy, and around-the-clock monitoring in intensive care, Jackie's condition continued to worsen. The center said that over her final days, her health deteriorated despite intensive treatment and the combined efforts of its veterinary team and consulting specialists.
A Beloved Matriarch, Watched for Over a Decade
Jackie is believed to be the first bald eagle chick hatched in Big Bear Valley in recent history, born in 2012 to parents Ricky and Lucy. She took over the nest where FOBBV's livestream camera was installed during the 2016-2017 nesting season, becoming the matriarch of what would become one of the most-watched wildlife livestreams in the world. Her longtime mate, Shadow, arrived at the nest in the summer of 2018 and simply never left.
Together, Jackie and Shadow successfully raised six eaglets to fledging over the years, including Stormy, Big Bear Baby, Sunny, Gizmo, and their two most recent chicks, Luna and Sandy, who hatched this year. Following FOBBV tradition, the eaglets' names were chosen by third-grade students at Big Bear Elementary School. Sandy was named in honor of the late Sandy Steers, FOBBV's longtime executive director who helped launch the eagle cameras and passed away earlier this year.
A Global Community of Fans
Since the Big Bear eagle cam was installed in 2015, viewers around the world have tuned in around the clock to watch Jackie and Shadow build and defend their nest, hunt for fish, and raise their young — turning the pair into unlikely internet celebrities and giving millions of people a rare, intimate window into wild eagle life.
"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. FOBBV echoed the sentiment in a statement of its own, asking the community to "be kind to yourself, to others, to the FOBBV team and to those at the Ojai Raptor Center" during this time.
What's Next for the Nest
With Jackie's passing, attention now turns to Shadow and the future of the Big Bear nest that has drawn a devoted global audience for the better part of a decade. For continuing updates on the Big Bear eagle nest, see the Friends of Big Bear Valley website.
Jackie's decade-plus at the Big Bear nest leaves behind not just six fledged eaglets, but a global community that found comfort, connection, and wonder in watching one wild eagle's life unfold, one livestream at a time.