Jackie, Famous Big Bear Bald Eagle and Livestream Star, Dies at 14 After Mystery Illness

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Jackie, the 14-year-old bald eagle whose daily life in a Big Bear Lake nest captivated a global audience of millions through a nonstop livestream, died Monday morning at an Ojai rehabilitation center following a weeks-long battle with a mysterious illness, according to the Ojai Raptor Center.

Rescue and Medical Treatment at the Ojai Raptor Center

According to the Ojai Raptor Center, Jackie was found weak, disheveled, and unable to fly on the north shore of Big Bear Lake in mid-July after a scuffle with two younger eagles. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team responded to the Dana Point Park area near the lake and transferred her to the Ojai facility on July 17. Chris Eksteen, the center’s executive director, stated in an Instagram post that the fighting likely left Jackie grounded but did not cause her underlying symptoms. Tests administered by the veterinary team revealed severe anemia, prompting a blood transfusion from another eagle.

Despite a battery of tests that included a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy, medical experts were unable to determine the exact cause of her critical illness. According to the raptor center, Jackie’s health journey was uneven, with her packed cell volume—measuring the percentage of red blood cells in her bloodstream—fluctuating throughout her care. About a week and a half into her treatment, she was moved out of the intensive care unit, but her condition worsened on August 3 when her packed cell volume dropped to 13%. By Saturday, that figure dipped below 6% before rebounding slightly to 9% the following day. She received oxygen therapy, supportive treatment, and around-the-clock monitoring in the ICU before dying in the early hours of Monday morning, according to the center.

Global Stardom and the Big Bear Nest

According to the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit wildlife organization, Jackie’s rise to reality stardom began after the group installed a webcam in 2015 to monitor a nest perched high in a Jeffrey pine overlooking Big Bear Lake. Since forming a pair with her mate, Shadow, in 2018, the eagles weathered freezing winter storms, incubated eggs, and raised multiple eaglets to fledging, including Simba, Spirit, Sunny, Gizmo, and the most recently hatched pair, Luna and Sandy. The names of the eaglets were chosen by students at nearby Big Bear Elementary School, with Sandy named after the late Sandy Steers, the longtime Friends of Big Bear Valley executive director who helped launch the livestream cameras.

News of Jackie’s death prompted mourning and tributes from her widespread fan base across social media platforms. Following the announcement, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife took possession of Jackie’s remains. The Ojai Raptor Center stated that it is working with the state department as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and intends to release a subsequent statement providing further information regarding her treatment and test results.