Like clockwork, Big Bear’s beloved bald eagle pair, Jackie and Shadow, are back at work. The duo has started nest renovations and early preparations for what could be a fresh clutch of eggs this January.
Live footage from the Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam shows the pair engaging in classic pre-laying rituals—rearranging sticks, pancaking (flattening the nest to form a bowl), and even adding soft fluff for insulation. These behaviors signal rising hormones and a strong likelihood of eggs soon, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV).
“Pull up a perch,” FOBBV teased on social media. “There is so much more excitement to come.”
A Look Back: Jackie and Shadow’s journey
Jackie and Shadow have been a bonded pair since 2018, when Shadow replaced Jackie’s previous mate. Jackie herself is a local legend—believed to be the first bald eagle chick hatched in Big Bear back in 2012. Originally named Jack, she was corrected to her correct gender when she matured into a woman.
Shadow hatched in Big Bear in 2015, and together the pair has faced triumphs and heartbreak. Their first documented clutches in 2020 and 2021 were unsuccessful, but in March 2022, they celebrated their first chick, Spirit.
The 2023 and 2024 seasons brought disappointment, but 2025 was a banner year: Jackie laid three eggs in late January, and hatchlings arrived in early March. Sadly, one chick died during a severe storm, but two—Gizmo and Sunny—survived and fledged successfully.
Where are Gizmo and Sunny now?
Since leaving the nest, Gizmo and Sunny have been spotted exploring beyond Big Bear. FOBBV last reported a possible sighting of Gizmo in late August 2025, though the presence of eagles in the area makes it hard to confirm.
As for Jackie and Shadow, their focus is squarely on the future. With fresh sticks, fluff, and plenty of bonding time, Big Bear’s most-watched couple seems ready to welcome new life once again.
How old are Jackie and Shadow?
Jackie is 13 and Shadow is 11, based on their “gauged age upon first sighting,” according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley. Their birthdays are celebrated in February.
Where is Jackie and Shadow’s nest?
The eagles’ nest is in Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains, about 145 feet up in a Jeffrey Pine tree, according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley.
Where to find the Jackie and Shadow live stream
The Friends of Big Bear Valley operate two live feeds that capture different angles of the nest that Jackie and Shadow call home. The livestreams can be watched on YouTube at FOBBV Cam.
You can also stay up to date with Friends of Big Bear Valley’s Facebook page, which makes frequent updates on the beloved eagle family.
Bald eagle officially named national bird of U.S.
Despite long being recognized as a symbol of the United States and even adorning the country’s Great Seal, the bald eagle was only formally recognized as the national bird this week.
The official designation came through a bill signed into law by former President Joe Biden on Christmas Eve 2024.
Bald eagle population on the rise, scientists say
The bald eagle population, as a whole, has flourished in recent years.
According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — or FWS — report, scientists estimate 316,700 bald eagles are living in the lower 48 states, a total that has quadrupled since 2009.
The FWS credited decades of protection and conservation with the prohibition of DDT. The once widely used pesticide was banned in the U.S. in 1972 after its adverse environmental and health effects were discovered, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
For bald eagles, the chemical caused eggs to have “shells so thin that they often broke during incubation or otherwise failed to hatch,” the FWS said. “By 1963, with only 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles known to exist, the species was in danger of extinction.”
In 1978, the eagles were listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Bald and golden eagles are also protected under a separate federal statute prohibiting killing, possessing or selling the birds.
By 2007, the FWS said bald eagles had “recovered to the point that they no longer needed the protection of the Endangered Species Act,” and the species was removed that year.
Eaglets still face several obstacles to survival, including disease, lack of food, bad weather, and human interference. The FWS said studies show that about 30% don’t live past their first year.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Big Bear eagles Jackie and Shadow ready nest for new January eggs
Reporting by McKenna Mobley and James Ward, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
