Beloved Big Bear bald eagle Jackie dies after weeks of illness at rehabilitation center

Jackie, a 14-year-old bald eagle that attracted millions of viewers through a continuous livestream of her nest above Big Bear Lake, died on Monday at the Ojai Raptor Center following a weeks-long struggle with a mysterious illness. The bird had been found weakened and unable to fly in mid-July after a confrontation with younger eagles and was transferred to the rehabilitation facility for treatment.

The center said Jackie suffered severe anemia, requiring a blood transfusion from another eagle, and that extensive testing—including CT scans and a bone-marrow biopsy—failed to identify the underlying cause. Her packed cell volume fluctuated during care, and despite intensive therapy, oxygen support, and specialist consultation, her condition worsened, leading to her death on August 3.

"We know this news will be deeply felt by the many thousands of people around the world who have followed her journey, hoped alongside us, prayed for her and supported the people caring for her," the center wrote in an Instagram post.

"Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her," the statement added.

"What we are seeing suggests that she has been unwell for some time before she was found," executive director Chris Eksteen said in a separate Instagram message.

Jackie's remains have been transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, with the center coordinating further investigation alongside state and federal wildlife agencies. The livestream, originally installed by Friends of Big Bear Valley in 2015, continued to document Jackie and her mate Shadow's nesting activities until her death, leaving fans to wonder about Shadow's future.

The nonprofit group that manages the nest also announced that a fundraising campaign to protect nearby land had surpassed its $10 million goal, thanks in part to a $5.5 million donation from OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife.