Thousands of people around the world are once again following the lives of bald eagles Jackie and Shadow through live nest cameras in California’s Big Bear Valley. This year, the focus is on the pair’s two young eagles, who were born over the Easter weekend and are now growing rapidly under the care of their parents.The heart-touching scenes inside the nest have attracted audiences around the world. The cameras give people an up-close look at the birds’ daily lives, from feeding and caring for the chicks to watching them grow stronger every day. But while the nest appears peaceful, conservationists say there is a bigger challenge beyond that.Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the nonprofit that operates the live cameras, hopes the growing interest in Jackie and Shadow will also draw attention to a larger conservation effort. The organization is trying to raise $10 million to protect the forest habitat around the famous nest before it is developed.Live cameras have been operating since 2015 and have allowed people to watch bald eagles at every stage of nesting, including laying eggs, incubation and raising chicks. Over the years, Jackie and Shadow have become well known among wildlife lovers, with many viewers checking the livestream every day during nesting season.
july deadline
According to a Newsweek report, Jackie and Shadow lost two children after they were attacked by crows earlier this year. The loss saddened many viewers who had watched the nest closely.The pair got another chance when Jackie laid two more eggs in late February. Both eggs hatched successfully over the Easter weekend, bringing new hope to the eagle family and excitement to those watching online.Additionally, conservationists are working to protect the area around the nest. Friends of Big Bear Valley have partnered with the San Bernardino Mountain Land Trust to purchase a nearby area known as Moon Camp. According to KESQ, organizations have time till July 31 to complete the purchase. If a deal doesn’t go through, a developer plans to build housing and marina slips on the 63-acre site.Protecting habitat is important because wildlife depend on much more than a nest. Bald eagles require large natural areas around their nesting sites where they can hunt, rest, and raise their young safely. Changes in nearby forests or lakes may affect their reproduction and survival, even if the nest remains untouched.FOBBV hopes that the popularity of Jackie and Shadow’s livestream will encourage more people to support the fundraising campaign and help protect the surrounding landscape.
The live camera has been operating since 2015 and has allowed people to see bald eagles.
increasing every day
The eagles are still very young and much smaller than their parents. They are only 4 to 5 inches long. By comparison, Jackie and Shadow’s claws alone measure around 1 to 2 inches.Before giving food to the chicks, the parents carefully cut it into very small pieces with their beaks and feed them. The eagles were fed 17 times a day, according to details from an April 7 video shared by Friends of Big Bear Valley.“Eaglets have 10-14 weeks to grow up and learn how to get out of the nest, so we don’t have a lot of time with them,” Jenny Voisard of Friends of Big Bear Valley told Newsweek. “They will change every day,” he said.Like many young birds of prey, chicks sometimes peck at each other. Some viewers found this behavior difficult to watch, but the organization says it is completely normal.This behavior, known as ‘bonding’ by spectators, helps the chicks establish a temporary pecking order, meaning the eagles are deciding who gets fed first. Conservationists say this is a natural part of their evolution and helps them develop survival instincts. “Jackie and Shadow are wonderful parents and will feed and keep them safe,” Voisard said.Over the coming weeks, the eagles will continue to grow rapidly and eventually learn to fly and leave the nest.
how it started
The story of Jackie and Shadow is tied to the history of the bald eagle in Big Bear Valley. More than 30 years ago, the U.S. Forest Service began counting bald eagles visiting the valley during the winter. At that time, officials usually recorded 25 to 30 birds each season.According to the Friends of Big Bear Valley, their numbers have declined in recent years, with only six to eight bald eagles typically visiting the valley during the winter.A significant change occurred around 2009, when a young tagged bald eagle from Catalina Island remained in Big Bear Valley all summer instead of leaving after the winter. Conservationists saw this as an early sign that bald eagles were beginning to return as year-round residents.This change became even more significant during the 2011–2012 nesting season, when the first documented bald eagle chick was born in the valley.That girl was Jackie. As she grew, Jackie eventually paired up with Shadow and together they created a nest that has become one of the world’s most famous wildlife livestreams.