Jackie and Shadow

Bald eagles from points farther north, such as Idaho or Canada, migrate to Big Bear Valley, but most do not stay year-round. San Bernardino National Forest rangers discovered in 2012 that this area had become nesting territory for eagles. Jackie and Shadow are the only bald eagle current year-round residents at Big Bear Lake.

Jackie, believed to be the first eaglet hatched in Big Bear Valley, came to the public’s attention in 2017, when she and her mate took over an abandoned nest beside a live-stream camera installed by Friends of Big Bear Valley. Shadow came to the public’s attention one year later, when he replaced Jackie’s mate at that nest. The nest itself is 145 feet (44 m) above ground in a Jeffrey pine in the National Forest near Fawnskin. As the tree is near a parking lot, picnic area, and campsite, the Forest Service closes these facilities during nesting season each year, only reopening the area once the offspring have fledged.

The live-stream gained significant attention in 2023, when Jackie and Shadow attempted to hatch eggs despite multiple atmospheric rivers that brought 45 inches (1.1 m) of snow to the area. As of February 2024, Jackie and Shadow have laid 14+ eggs together, five of which have hatched, with two or three of the eaglets surviving into adulthood.

In 2025, the pair successfully hatched three eggs.