Big Bear Eagles Welcome Second Egg
The famous Big Bear bald eagle pair, Jackie and Shadow, have laid a second egg in their new clutch, following a dramatic incident with a raven earlier in the season. The event is being closely followed on the Big Bear live cam and has brought renewed excitement to wildlife watchers and conservationists.
This new clutch represents a second chance for the eagle pair this season. Their first two eggs, laid in late January, were consumed by ravens after the nest was left unattended. The loss of the first clutch was witnessed by roughly 20,000 viewers on the live feed. The live camera feed is operated by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley and has followed Jackie and Shadow for years, turning them into internet celebrities with a massive following. The feed allows viewers to observe the eagles' behavior 24/7, from tending the nest to fending off intruders. The U.S. Forest Service closes the area around the nest annually to protect the eagles from human disturbances during their nesting season. Jackie, estimated to have been born in 2012, and Shadow, born around 2014, have been a pair for several years. Their nesting attempts have had mixed results; they successfully raised an eaglet named Spirit in 2022, and two more named Sunny and Gizmo in 2025. Other years have seen eggs fail to hatch or be lost to predators. Bald eagle eggs typically incubate for about 35 days. The female does the majority of the incubation, but the male will take turns on the nest. If the eggs hatch successfully, the eaglets will remain in the nest for about 10-12 weeks before they are ready to fledge.
