Jackie, Beloved Big Bear Bald Eagle, Dies After Weeks of Illness
Jackie, the beloved bald eagle who became a worldwide phenomenon through a live nest camera above California's Big Bear Lake, has died following a three-week battle with severe anemia and illness.
The Ojai Raptor Center announced her death in the early morning hours of Aug. 10, following more than three weeks of intensive medical care. "It is with profound sadness that we share that Patient 26-519 passed away in the early hours of this morning, following more than three weeks of intensive medical care," the center said. In a statement acknowledging her global following, the organization added, "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."
How the Ordeal Began
Jackie was rescued on July 18 after being found unable to fly along the shores of Big Bear Lake, following what wildlife experts described as a repeated attack by two juvenile bald eagles near Dana Point Park on the lake's north shore. She had first been spotted grounded on July 16. Experts said she suffered no broken bones or other major physical injuries in the altercation, but testing at the Ojai Raptor Center revealed she was battling severe anemia and kidney inflammation from an unknown underlying illness, one that veterinarians believe may have already been weakening her at the time of the attack.
Jackie's care over the following weeks involved a team that grew to include nine veterinarians, along with representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. She received a life-saving blood transfusion early on, made possible by a donation from Spirit, a bald eagle housed at the California Living Museum in Bakersfield. Her condition fluctuated throughout her treatment, including a brief "encouraging milestone" when she was moved out of intensive care, before a setback in early August when her bloodwork showed her anemia had worsened significantly.
A Beloved Nest, Watched by Millions
Jackie and her longtime mate, Shadow, became internationally famous through a live webcam operated by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, which has documented the pair's lives in the pine trees above Big Bear Lake for roughly seven years. Fans around the world tuned in as the couple laid and hatched eggs, raised eaglets, weathered storms, and endured setbacks, including the loss of an eaglet during a 2025 storm and two eggs stolen by ravens earlier this year.
This season, Jackie and Shadow were raising two eaglets, Sandy and Luna, who appear to have already fledged and left the nest for their own independent journeys, last seen on the live camera July 23. In an emotional twist, that meant Jackie spent her final weeks separated from her offspring during their milestone departure from the nest.
Jackie was estimated to be about 14 years old. Bald eagles typically live 15 to 28 years in the wild.
Shadow's Future Uncertain
In the weeks following Jackie's hospitalization, observers noted a young female eagle, later identified by the Orange County Water District as KD1, a bird born in the Prado Basin in 2022, spending time near Shadow at Big Bear. It remains to be seen how Shadow, now on what Friends of Big Bear Valley described as his "summer vacation" following the eaglets' departure, will navigate the future of the nest that captivated so many.
The rescue and treatment effort prompted an outpouring of public support for the Ojai Raptor Center, which has continued caring for injured and orphaned wildlife throughout the region even as Jackie's case drew international attention.
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