Jackie, the 14-year-old bald eagle who became a household name through a 24/7 livestream from Big Bear Valley, California, has died after more than three weeks of intensive care. The Ojai Raptor Center announced that Patient 26-519 passed away in the early hours of August 10, 2026.
Millions of people knew Jackie through the Friends of Big Bear Valley nest cameras. Viewers watched her and her mate Shadow court, nest, and raise eaglets for years. Jackie, hatched around 2012 as the first documented bald eagle chick in the valley, paired with Shadow around 2018. Their daily lives, storms, and parenting drew a global audience, especially during the pandemic. In 2026 they successfully raised eaglets Sandy and Luna.
Around July 17, Jackie was involved in a ground altercation with two younger eagles near Big Bear Lake. She defended herself by rolling onto her back and using her talons. She was later found grounded, weak, underweight, and unable to fly. Rescuers from the Los Angeles County Parks San Dimas Raptor Rescue team secured her and transferred her to the Ojai Raptor Center, about 170 miles away. She was admitted as Patient 26-519 on July 18.
It soon became clear that the eagle had become ill before the fight. Early diagnosis found that she was underweight and dehydrated, suffering from anemia, low blood protein content, and abnormal kidneys and lungs. Careful consideration has gone into pointing out that the battle itself did not seem to inflict any serious trauma or symptoms on the bird.
Treatment involved oxygen treatment, fluid treatment, food, and round-the-clock surveillance. On July 22, she received a transfusion from Spirit, an ambassador bird at the California Living Museum Zoo in Bakersfield. She appeared to improve somewhat but then returned to intensive care because of her critically low packed cell volume.
Advanced testing followed: a contrast CT scan, bone marrow biopsy, and checks for heavy metals. Specialists ruled out lead poisoning, foreign objects, and other common causes as primary factors. In her final days Jackie developed blood clots in her wing and near a kidney. She struggled to keep food down. The center said veterinarians never identified one definitive cause for her condition.
“Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her,”
The Ojai Raptor Center stated. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials confirmed the death and noted that a necropsy was performed by pathologists at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Her remains will go to the National Eagle Repository for cultural and ceremonial use by enrolled members of federally recognized tribes.
Governor Gavin Newsom said California mourns
“the Big Bear bald eagle who reminded us of the beauty and wonder of California’s wildlife.”
Shadow continues in the territory. Sandy and Luna had fledged and left the area. The Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream remains active. Jackie’s story helped millions connect with wild bald eagles and the work of protecting their habitat. Her life, watched in real time, leaves a lasting mark on American wildlife conservation.
