Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow lay third egg after raven attack; global viewers tune in on Big Bear Lake eagle cam
Big Bear Lake’s celebrity bald eagles Jackie and Shadow laid their third egg of the 2026 season on Feb. 24, following a raven attack that destroyed earlier eggs; global viewers are watching the live FOBBV nest cam as the pair incubates.
- Third egg confirmed: The new egg appeared on the FOBBV Big Bear Lake eagle cam about 2:30 p.m. Feb. 24, and Jackie immediately began arranging nest material and incubating.
- Earlier losses: Jackie’s Jan. 23 and Jan. 26 eggs were breached by ravens on Jan. 30 while adults were away — coverage and analysis followed on ABC7 and CBS Los Angeles.
- Watch and support: The live cam streams 24/7 on the FOBBV YouTube channel, drawing thousands worldwide and serving as a hub for updates and stewardship.
New egg and nest activity
The Friends of Big Bear Valley live nest cam captured the moment the new egg appeared in the nest overlooking Big Bear Lake. Jackie stood, inspected the egg briefly, arranged nest material around it and settled atop it. Minutes later, Shadow returned to share incubation duties as skies cleared and temperatures hovered in the mid-50s.
“Jackie did a great job and she is now resting,” the Friends of Big Bear Valley stated as viewers shared relief and excitement on the stream.
The raven attack and earlier losses
The season began with promise: Jackie laid eggs on Jan. 23 and Jan. 26, but both were breached and destroyed by ravens on Jan. 30 while the adults were away for several hours. Cam logs showed Shadow left the nest around noon that day; opportunistic ravens exploited the gap and damaged the eggs.
Community response: The losses prompted widespread sympathy from the cam’s global community and renewed discussion about nest security during peak nesting months. Reporting and video analysis were published by ABC7 and CBS Los Angeles.
Background on Jackie and Shadow
Jackie (female) is believed to have hatched in 2012 and has been a Big Bear Valley resident since September 2016. Shadow (male) likely hatched in 2014 and has been in the area since May 2018. Neither bird is banded; longtime viewers and researchers use field marks — Jackie’s faint forehead spot and a grayish patch on Shadow’s left tail — to identify them. Video archives and stream recordings document the pair’s history and personalities.
FOBBV video archives and channel posts capture detailed behavior; see the archive clip and other recordings on the FOBBV YouTube channel.
Nesting history and survival rates
Big Bear Valley recorded its first known bald eagle chick in 2012. Since then the pair has laid roughly a dozen eggs; only a fraction hatched and reached maturity. Successful fledges occurred in 2019, 2022 and 2025 (including eaglets nicknamed Sunny and Gizmo). Across the species, about half of eaglets survive to adulthood — underscoring how fragile local reproduction can be and why nest protection and habitat stewardship are important.
Behaviors before the new egg
In the weeks before Feb. 24, viewers documented increased courtship and nest work: vocalizations, preening, deliveries of sticks, rearranging nest material and territorial fly-bys. A recent snow blanket had melted from the nest area by the time the new egg appeared, and the pair’s activity indicated focus on producing and protecting a viable clutch. See related video posts on the FOBBV channel.
The role of the Big Bear Lake eagle cam and local stewardship
The FOBBV-run live nest cam is a public resource and community focal point. Two camera angles stream 24/7 on YouTube and are supported by volunteers and donors. The channel shares updates, field observations and tributes (including one honoring Sandy Steers, a late activist who helped launch the cam). Public interest has translated into volunteer hours, donations and broader conversations about wildlife stewardship and habitat protection.
Investigative questions and community concerns
Predation risk: The raven breach raises questions about nest vulnerability, timing and mitigation. Ravens are intelligent and opportunistic; extended absences by adult eagles increase risk. Managers and citizens must weigh intervention risks — including legal protections for raptors — against the cost of inaction.
Noninvasive measures: The live cam helps document predation timing and frequency, informing noninvasive strategies such as community education, enforcing viewing distances and strengthening habitat to reduce adult stress.
Implications for California
Economic: The Big Bear Lake eagle cam and Jackie and Shadow are tourism assets. Thousands tune in worldwide, and in-person visits benefit lodging, restaurants and guides. Continued successful nesting and engagement can support year-round tourism beyond summer months.
Political and social: The volunteer-driven FOBBV model demonstrates local stewardship and nonprofit partnership potential. The story also fosters cross-partisan civic pride, wildlife education for families and schools, and public willingness to support protective measures.
Practical applications for residents
- Respect buffers: Observe posted distances around nesting trees and report disturbances to wildlife authorities.
- Support local groups: Volunteer or donate to Friends of Big Bear Valley and other stewardship efforts.
- Use the cam: Watch the nest on the live stream to follow activity without intruding on nesting adults.
Where to watch and follow updates
Friends of Big Bear Valley maintains the Big Bear Lake eagle cam and posts updates on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Viewers can watch live and find clips documenting key moments on the FOBBV channel and linked archive clips: archive clip 1, archive clip 2.
Sources
- ABC7 Los Angeles: “Beloved Big Bear bald eagles Jackie, Shadow lay another egg after nest was invaded last month”
- CBS Los Angeles: “Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow lay a new egg after ravens destroyed their earlier eggs”
- Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) YouTube and cam archives — archive clip; archive clip
