Jackie and Shadow
Jackie, believed to be the first bald eagle hatched in Big Bear Valley, came to public attention in 2017 when she and her mate, Mr. B, took over an abandoned nest with cameras installed. This nest, monitored by the Friends of Big Bear Valley, became a focal point for eagle enthusiasts. In the summer of 2018, an adult male intruder, later named Shadow, appeared at the nest. Despite efforts by Jackie, Mr. B, and their chick Stormy to chase him away, Shadow persisted. Eventually, Mr. B left, and Jackie accepted Shadow as her new mate, marking the beginning of their partnership in the nest.
Their story is one of resilience, adaptation, and community fascination, with their nesting activities drawing thousands of viewers annually. This note provides a comprehensive overview of how they started in the Big Bear Valley eagle nest, based on historical records and observations.
Following Mr. B’s departure, Jackie and Shadow began their first season together in the fall of 2018. Their first clutch as a pair was laid in March 2019, with eggs hatching on April 14 and 15, resulting in chicks named Simba and Cookie (Big Bear Eagle History). This season demonstrated their ability to work together, though Cookie did not survive a subsequent rain and snowstorm. Their partnership has since continued, with another successful hatch of an eaglet named Spirit on March 3rd, 2022. However, Jackie & Shadow struggled to hatch any eggs during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
In early 2025, Jackie laid 3 eggs, with the 3rd egg laid during a snowstorm. Both Jackie and Shadow took turns incubating and protecting the eggs. Jackie in particular stayed protecting the nest for nearly 46 hours straight during a 2-day snowstorm.
She was covered in snow and rain, but she did not falter and remained on the eggs until Shadow came to relief her with a fresh fish.
See the touching moment when Shadow arrived to bring Jackie a fresh fish captured on live cam.
Their perseverance paid off! Eaglet 1 hatched on 3/3, Eaglet 2 hatched on 3/4, and Eaglet 3 hatched on 3/8. Going from two seasons without hatching any eggs, to hatching 3 beautiful eaglets despite the harsh weathers of Big Bear Valley. This is nothing short of a miracle.
Eaglet 1 later passed away during a heavy snowstorm on 3/13/25. FOBBV later named the Eaglet 1, Misty. Eaglet 2 and 3 survived and thrived thanks to the persistence and hard work of Jackie and Shadow.
You can watch Jackie and Shadow’s bald eagle nest LIVE, on FOBBV’s Youtube channel below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who operates the live camera feed?
Friends of Big Bear Valley operates and owns all the rights to the live feeds. They are a non-profit organization, please support them by donating directly on the FOBBV website. You can also shop for merch here on their website.
How long does it take for eaglets to fledge?
American bald eaglets take about 10-12 weeks to fledge, which is the process of developing the feathers and muscle strength needed to fly and leave the nest. For example, in the Big Bear Valley nest, eaglets like Spirit in 2022 fledged around this timeline—Spirit took her first flight at about 89 days (roughly 12.7 weeks).
How do I know who’s on the nest, or which eaglets have been fed?
FOBBV operates a live recap of all the happenings with this bald eagle nest. You can see who’s on the nest, who’s bringing home food, and all the timestamps on when the eaglets are being fed.
Who names the Big Bear Valley eaglets?
Big Bear eaglets are named via a naming contest involving global & local communities. The previous eaglet names were voted by local third-graders from Big Bear Valley schools.
How old is Jackie and Shadow?
Jackie is 13 years old, Shadow is 11 years old.
What kind of tree is the nest sitting on?
Jackie and Shadow’s nest is perched 145 feet up on a strong Jeffrey pine tree, overlooking Big Bear Lake.
Who is Fiona?
Fiona & Fast Freddie are San Bernardino Flying Squirrels (SBFS) that live nearby. They are nocturnal scavengers and pose no threat to the eaglets.
How big is the nest?
FOBBV bald eagle nest is approximately 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter. This is a view of the nest on the tree from cam 2.
Is it normal for siblings to fight?
Sibling rivalry in bald eagles is a fascinating and often intense phenomenon that occurs primarily among eaglets in the nest. It’s driven by competition for food and survival instincts, and it can significantly influence which chicks thrive or even survive to fledge (leave the nest).
Eagle parents don’t typically intervene in this rivalry. They feed whichever chick is most assertive or closest, reinforcing the dominance of the stronger eaglet. This hands-off approach aligns with a natural selection strategy: ensuring that the fittest offspring survive in a world where raising even one eaglet to adulthood is resource-intensive.
Due to the abundance of food in Big Bear Valley, both eaglets are getting fed very well.
What are the 2025 eaglets named?
FOBBV has announced that the bigger chick is named Sunny, and the smaller chick is named Gizmo. There were over 54,000 names submitted. The local school students played a part in choosing the names. Welcome to the world Sunny and Gizmo!
Do we know if Sunny and Gizmo are male or female?
FOBBV has announced that both Sunny and Gizmo are females! Through observation and vocal frequencies analysis, they were able to determine that these lovely eagles are sisters.
When did Gizmo fledge?
Gizmo officially took her first leap off the nest on 6/7/25 at 8:27am! She flew straight to the Simba Tree (ST), where she was joined by Jackie shortly after. Good luck Gizmo, enjoy life as an American bald eagle! She was 91 days old when she fledged.
How do I tell them apart?
Jackie has a more fierce look, with a thicker beak. She also currently has a smudge above her eye, making her easily identifiable. Picture here shows Jackie standing and Shadow laying on the nest. Jackie is also physically bigger than Shadow.
What is a poop shot?
One of the funniest things to observe is to watch the eaglets trying to balance themselves while they raise their butt to excrete feces. This is called a “poop shot”, a natural behavior for them to expel waste. Below is the smaller chick (SC) doing a poop shot for the camera.
What are pin feathers?
Pin feathers are early stages of feather development in eaglets. They’re called “pin feathers” because they look like small, pointed pins or quills sticking out of the eaglet’s skin. These feathers are still growing and are encased in a waxy, keratin sheath that protects the feather as it develops. Over time, the eaglet preens, and the sheath breaks apart, allowing the feather to unfurl into its full form.
In bald eaglets, this process starts a few weeks after hatching. Initially, they’re covered in downy fluff, but around 2-3 weeks of age, pin feathers begin to emerge on their wings, back, and head. These feathers are critical for insulation, flight, and waterproofing as the eaglet matures. The transition from down to pin feathers, and eventually to juvenile plumage, takes several weeks—typically by 10-12 weeks, they’re mostly feathered and ready to fledge.
When did Sunny fledge?
Sunny officially took her first step off the nest on 6/2/25 at 10:46am. She flew out from the nest then circled back flying past the nest while Gizmo watched with interest. She is now a free flying American bald eagle, soaring the skies! Sunny was exactly 90 days old when she fledged.
New Updates 2026
Read about Jackie and Shadow updates today
Save Moon Camp Fundraising
Help save Jackie & Shadow’s habitat so they can raise their young and continue to allow the world to enjoy watching them! Moon Camp is a proposed development that is in Jackie and Shadow’s foraging area and is less than a mile from their nest. This luxury residential housing project along with marina slips, assures “significant detrimental impact” to Bald Eagles and endangered plant life, according to wildlife experts.
The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust (SBMLT) has entered into a limited Purchase Option Agreement to buy the land and to save the eagles’ foraging area on the undisturbed North Shore for $10 million. The funds need to be raised before July 31. After the sale, the Moon Camp land will be in permanent conservatorship next to United States Forest Service (USFS) land.
Jackie & Shadow may relocate their nest if we don’t save their habitat. Help donate to the official Save Moon Camp project here. Over $1.6mil raised so far, every little helps and we don’t have much time!
4/8/26 – Shadow continues to be a great dad, delivering big fish for the pantry. The eaglets have been feeding well, and the sibling rivalry is heating up. Both are seen bonking each other, which is a normal behavior for young eaglets.
4/7/26 – Jackie giving the eaglets their evening feed before it gets dark. Both eaglets ate lots, they will go into the night with full crops.
4/7/26 – The eaglets are both doing very well and are stuffed with food! You can see their crops bulging. Shadow is seen here feeding both eaglets, and both got good bites.
4/6/26 – During a feeding session by Jackie, Shadow flies in with a BIG fish and lands right next to Jackie. Shadow has now delivered 2 fish today, restocking the pantry to ensure the eaglets have plenty to eat.
4/6/26 – Eaglet 1 is seen standing tall, with great neck strength and control. Eaglet 2 still falls over often as it builds neck strength.
4/6/26 – Here’s a good look at the full family, Jackie looking over the eaglets, and Shadow standing watch.
4/6/26 – We’re seeing possibly our first poopshot from eaglet 1. Poopshot is how eagles excrete waste. They stick their butt up high in the air, and shoot the poop out. If you missed it, worry not. There will be plenty more of poopshots to be captured on camera in the future.
4/6/26 – Here are some cute pics of the eaglets with dad. Shadow also gave them some food when he took over the shift, allowing Jackie to take a break.
4/6/26 – Both eaglets are up this morning and both got good bites! Our Queen Jackie made sure both got plenty to eat during the early morning feeding.
4/5/26 – During a feeding session at noon, we got eaglet 2’s face reveal! Eaglet 2 is still laying down and resting, because it spent most of the night and early morning unzipping the egg. We will for sure see eaglet 2 up wanting to eat soon.
4/5/26 – Get ready for more cute pics! Eaglet 1 is getting very well fed, look at those big bites! This is how you know the eaglet will be ok, because they must eat every day, multiple times a day. Jackie is a great mom, she’s making sure the eaglet is well fed. Eaglet 2 is still resting, it’s an exhausting process to unzip the egg. But we will see both bobbleheads up and feeding together soon!
4/5/26 – More eaglet feeding, this time you can see the second egg has broken in half and the second eaglet has hatched! Congratulations Jackie & Shadow on two successful hatchlings!
4/5/26 – What a lovely Easter Sunday to wake up to see the eaglet fully hatched and looking extremely cute! Here you can see Jackie feeding the eaglet. You can also see the progress of the 2nd pip, the 2nd eaglet is making good progress unzipping the egg!
4/4/26 – The lil eaglet has broken free out of the egg shells! This night time closeup shows the egg has broken completely in half, and the eaglet is tumbling around on the left side as Jackie rolls the eggs lol! We get to see eaglet’s first feeding Sunday morning, on Easter! Happy Easter all!
4/4/26 – More pipping progress from the first eaglet, almost making it out of the egg shells. The pip from the second egg is also clearly visible.
4/4/26 – Jackie stood up to stretch, both Jackie and Shadow can be seen watching and listening for the eaglets. Here’s a better look at the second pip, the hole is already getting larger.
4/4/26 – Just when you thought it couldn’t get more exciting, a second pip has now been confirmed! At 11:56am Saturday morning, while Jackie was rolling the eggs, we got a glimpse of the pip on the second egg. Congratulations Jackie & Shadow!!!
4/4/26 – Here’s another closeup view of the eaglet with its head sticking nearly all the way out of the egg shells. The eaglet is seeing a bit of sunlight as Shadow takes over incubation.
4/4/26 – The eaglet has made such progress, you can see its beak & head poking out of the egg. A cute moment captured this morning when the eaglet looked up at Shadow, this is likely the first time eaglet sees dad!
4/3/26 – What a treat, Shadow flies in with a second fish delivery of the day at 4:47pm, this time an even bigger fish! Jackie finally stands up to eat the fish, which allowed Shadow to get some egg incubation time.
4/3/26 – Here’s a better look at the pip in the egg, the hole is getting much bigger! This eaglet really wants to get out! Jackie was rolling the eggs this afternoon and cam operator was able to zoom in just in time for us to see this wonderful development.
4/3/26 – A quick sneak peek of the pip progress when Jackie stood up for the fish. The camera was a bit out of focus at the time, but you can clearly see a bigger hole forming on the egg. The eaglet should be coming out of the egg shells in about 24-48 hours. All eyes are now focused on the second egg, as we watch and hope for another pip.
4/3/26 – Shadow knows, with the eaglets hatching, he has to start delivering food to the nest. Today Shadow delivered a BIG fish, Jackie claimed it right away. However she didn’t eat much of the fish before getting back on the eggs. The Queen knows the little ones are more important.
4/3/26 – Just 6 minutes after the shift change, Jackie comes back and nudges Shadow off. It’s like she knows and she wants to spend extra time with the eggs! Again this is so exciting especially after the heartbreaking loss of their first clutch of eggs.
4/3/26 – We have a pip!!! At 10:03am on this fine Friday morning, Shadow comes in for a shift change and we were able to see the eaglet pushing on the broken egg shell. Shadow saw this, and thanks to the cam operators, we were all able to watch it up close too! Congratulations Jackie & Shadow!
4/2/26 – This is something we don’t see very often, Jackie and Shadow nesting together. They usually take turns, one comes the other leaves. But today we see Shadow standing watch while Jackie incubates the eggs. This went on for about 10 minutes before Jackie gets up and Shadow takes over. Maybe they know something.
4/2/26 – Shadow comes in early for a shift change, allowing Jackie to take a break. The world continues to watch for pips.
4/1/26 – This evening at 6:41pm, we got another good look at the eggs! The same spot from earlier was visible from another angle, and it still looks like a potential pip. Then Shadow rolled the egg and it would appear there might be another pip spot on the other side of the same egg (zoom in on the spot). Still no confirmed pip yet from FOBBV, so we keep waiting and watching!
4/1/26 – On this fine April fools day, Shadow comes in for a shift change, and we got a closeup look at the eggs! There appears to be a potential pip on the egg visible, but as of this moment this is not confirmed. The world watches and awaits for confirmation!
3/31/26 – Jackie brings fluff for a shift change with Shadow. The Queen takes over incubating the eggs as 26k concurrent viewers watch the livestream, looking for the pip.
3/31/26 – Here’s our first closeup look at the eggs, thanks cam operators! No pips yet!
3/31/26 – Pip watch is here! Today is egg 1’s 35th day of incubation, the world watches with anticipation. Egg 2 was laid 3 days after egg 1, so it will be ready in a few days. Shadow is here seen rolling the eggs while he continues his egg duty. The eggs at Big Bear Valley usually hatches after 35-40 days, so we will be watching closely this week for pips on the eggs!
3/30/26 – A smooth shift change as Shadow flies in and takes over egg incubation duties while Jackie takes a break.
3/30/26 – We are now 1 day away from pip watch! Jackie is seen spending extra time with the eggs lately, as the eggs enter pip watch season. American bald eagle eggs take roughly 35 days to hatch. Tomorrow, Tuesday March 31st, will be egg 1’s 35th day. Be sure to tune in and see if you can spot the pip!
3/28/26 – It’s windy today, Jackie stays low and hunkers down to protect the eggs. We are now only 4 days away from pip watch!!!
3/25/26 – Beautiful closeup of Shadow, thank you cam operator. We are now 6 days away from pip watch!
3/23/26 – Jackie flying in with her impressive wings for a shift change. She will most likely settle in for the night. Shadow did great with the egg duty today.
3/23/26 – Afterwards, Jackie settles in for nest duty. We are now 1 week away from pip watch!
3/23/26 – Shadow was on egg duty when Jackie brings home fluff. As an interior decorator specialist, Shadow immediately gets up and grabs the fluff to rearrange the nest.
3/17/26 – Caught a scary moment Tuesday afternoon when Shadow left the nest, and a bird flew right to the eggs. You could hear a collective *gasp* from all the viewers. The bird flew away and Jackie returned, everything was fine. Phew, glad it wasn’t a raven.
3/16/26 – Shadow comes in for a shift change and vocalize to keep intruders away. We are now 2 weeks away from pip watch! Exciting times!
3/12/26 – A bold raven showed up on the front porch today while Jackie was nesting. Jackie hunkered down to protect the eggs. Shortly after, Shadow arrived and both vocalized to show the world who’s the boss.
3/10/26 – Caught a wonderful moment when Jackie stood up and Shadow immediately flies in for a shift change. We are about 3 weeks away from pip watch!
3/10/26 – Today the cam operator lets us see Shadow up close! What a handsome eagle.
3/9/26 – Cam operators gifted us some closeup shots of Jackie. She is a beauty!
3/7/26 – Jackie is back!!! On Saturday morning Shadow leaves the nest and Jackie flies in to care for her eggs! We’re so happy to see her again!
3/7/26 – Shadow spent a rare night in the nest watching over the egg as Jackie was seen flying off in the late afternoon on 3/6. She never came back for her night duty. The world watches and prays for Jackie’s safe return.
3/6/26 – Both Jackie and Shadow are on alert as pesky ravens flew circles around the nest.
2/28/26 – Shadow arrives with a stick as he continues nestoration, meanwhile taking over incubation shift from Jackie. Jackie and Shadow are making perfect shift changes, alternating their turns at incubating the new clutch of eggs.
2/27/26 – She did it again! Jackie lays the second egg of this second clutch just 3 days after! What an amazing bald eagle, she is the Queen!
2/24/26 – Our Queen, Jackie stands proudly over her new egg.
2/24/26 – BREAKING NEWS! We have a new egg! Jackie laid a new egg on 2/24 at 2:35pm pst. After the devastating loss of the previous clutch, this brings new hope!
2/24/26 – Jackie is seen laboring, making wheezing sounds as she pancakes, could an egg be coming?
2/21/26 – Hope is not lost! Jackie and Shadow seen mating and doing nestoration. Perhaps they are working on another clutch? There is still time.
1/30/26 – Devastating news, a raven was seen breaking into both eggs today. Jackie arrived shortly after and sees the broken eggs. She is still incubating the broken egg in the nest, however both eggs were seen broken by the raven.
1/29/26 – A good look at Jackie with both of her eggs as she rotates them in the morning.
1/27/26 – Jackie and Shadow have been exercising delayed incubation with the first egg. Delayed incubation ensures both eaglets will hatch close to each other, so one does not get too large and bully the younger one. Now that both eggs have been laid, full incubation is on!
1/26/26 – Breaking news! Jackie laid her second egg of the season today at around 5:10pm pst.
1/26/26 – Jackie and Shadow changing shifts, they are such good parents.
1/23/26 – Jackie lays her first egg of the season on January 23rd, around 4:32pm pst. Shadow arrives to see the egg!
1/20/26 – Jackie checking out her nest and pancaking! Are the eggs almost ready to be laid?
12/22/25 – America’s favorite bald eagles are back! Jackie and Shadow seen doing nestoration prepping for the upcoming 2026 breeding season. They are looking healthy and majestic as usual. Here’s to hope for a successful 2026 breeding season for Jackie and Shadow!