Jackie the bald eagle feeds three eaglets in March in Big Bear Valley in California.
Friends of Big Bear Valley video screenshot
It’s the middle of March and wind is buffeting an eagle nest high up in a pine tree in Big Bear Valley in California. Snow is tumbling from the sky and Jackie the bald eagle is weathering the storm, her babies warm underneath her. Meanwhile, 62,000 people are watching her feathers flap in the breeze as the tree sways live on YouTube. This is just the latest chapter in a riveting family saga.
It’s a full nest for Jackie and Shadow, a bald eagle couple with hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide. Nonprofit group Friends of Big Bear Valley operates a livecam trained on the nest. The stream beckons the attention of nearly 530,000 YouTube subscribers while nearly a million Facebook followers stay caught up through daily recaps and updates.
The trio of chicks is a triumph after years of the eagles’ eggs failing to hatch. “It is somewhat rare for eagles to have three eggs and to have all three hatching out,” says FOBBV executive director Sandy Steers. Jackie and Shadow have been together since 2018 and last successfully raised a baby in 2022. Their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024, leaving many internet followers sad.
This year’s chicks have appeared healthy, but nature can be fickle. As of Friday morning after a major storm, only two chicks were visible during a feeding session. The status of the third remained unknown, but snow obstructed a full view of the nest.
Peter Gros Talks Bald Eagles
Wild Kingdom co-host Peter Gros holds a harpy eagle.
Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild
Wildlife expert Peter Gros is the co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild on NBC. Gros started co-hosting Wild Kingdom in 1985 when the bald eagle was an endangered species. The national bird was removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007. “Their numbers are rebounding so well that there are over 300,000 now,” Gros says. “This is a species that was almost wiped off the face of the earth.”
Jackie and Shadow are symbols of the bald eagle conservation success story. Gros has been following the raptor couple and how the birds’ fans react to them with such fervor. “We’re on a first-name basis with them,” he says. “We’ve all become very attached to them in their lives.”
The eaglets are growing rapidly, so nature lovers should enjoy it while they can. “It’s going to be kind of bittersweet for people who are watching them so carefully,” says Gros. He says to watch for them to grow their waterproof feathers, eat on their own and reach full size — a process that takes around 12 weeks. “And then you really get to know them. I may be anthropomorphizing, but I think that they do develop personalities,” he says.
Bald Eagles Are Made For Bad Weather
Viewers of the livestream will see the camera zoom in at opportune times, like during feedings. That up close and personal view is courtesy of three volunteer camera operators, including one in Greece who handles the night shift.
It can get snowy in Big Bear Valley where Jackie and Shadow are raising their eaglets.
Friends of Big Bear Valley video screenshot
Whether you’re an experienced eagle livecam viewer or if you’re new to the spectacle, don’t be too alarmed by rough winter weather and piles of snow. Jackie’s body temperature is 105 degrees Fahrenheit and she has a “brood patch” of skin on her underside that helps her transfer that warmth to the babies.
Hatching eggs and raising a family is a two-eagle job. Jackie is taking on most of the nest-warming duties right now when the eaglets are small. “It makes sense because her body is bigger. She can cover them better,” says Steers. Female bald eagles are typically larger than the males. Shadow will either hang out on a tree nearby or go fishing to bring food back to the nest.
Beyond The Bald Eagle Nest
The eagles have a wide appeal. Facebook comments are full of people talking about how they share the livestream in classrooms, in assisted living facilities, in their homes and at work. Steers and the FOBBV volunteers have been amazed by the response and engagement with Jackie and Shadow’s lives. “I want people to know how much we appreciate them falling in love with nature and learning about it and being curious about it,” says Steers.
Nature fans can translate their love for the eagles into action closer to home. Gros says we need to keep a close eye on the health of all species of birds of prey. Climate change, pesticides and loss of habitat are continuing threats to bird populations.
Gros hopes the FOBBV livestream will encourage viewers to spend time in nature and spot the birds that live near them, whether eagles, hawks or owls. “Then find out what you can do to preserve the habitat in which they live,” he says. Gros suggests checking for volunteer opportunities with local science centers or wildlife rehabilitation facilities.
The quick eaglet growth process means Jackie and Shadow’s fans will be saying goodbye to the charismatic youngsters sooner than they may want. Gros says we should cheer them on and look forward to Jackie and Shadow’s future adventures together. “This probably will not be the last group of eggs that are laid,” he says. “There will be a whole new cycle of science and nature and life that we’ll get to see up and close and personal again.”
