Beloved Big Bear bald eagle Jackie dies after month-long treatment

Jackie, a bald eagle that became a popular figure through the Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam, died in the early hours of Aug. 10 while receiving care at the Ojai Raptor Center in California. The center said the bird, identified as Patient 26-519, had been under intensive medical treatment for over three weeks before her condition became fatal. Her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The eagle was rescued on July 17 after an encounter with two subadult eagles near Dana Point Park and was taken to the Ojai Raptor Center, about 170 miles from her home in Big Bear Valley. Initial tests revealed severe anemia and kidney inflammation. Over the following weeks, veterinarians conducted extensive diagnostics, administered a blood transfusion from another eagle on July 20, and provided oxygen therapy. Tests ruled out lead poisoning, cancer, and metal ingestion, though rodenticide exposure was also treated.

Jackie's packed cell volume, a measure of blood health, fell below 6% on Aug. 8 before rising slightly to 9% on Aug. 9, but her condition remained “extremely serious,” according to the center. A collaborative team of nine veterinarians, along with officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, monitored her care.

Friends of Big Bear Valley, the group that operates the nest cam, posted a statement expressing condolences and urging supporters to be kind to themselves and the rescue team. The organization also noted that Jackie’s partner, Shadow, and their previous eaglets have not been seen on the cam since late July.

Jackie was the first eaglet hatched in Big Bear Valley in 2012 and gained a large online following after the nest cam was installed in 2014. Her death marks the end of a decade-long presence that attracted thousands of viewers worldwide.