Jackie, a California bald eagle made famous by a global live stream, died after weeks in intensive care. Found weak in mid‑July after a nest altercation, she was diagnosed with severe, unexplained anemia. Despite extensive testing—including a CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy—and three weeks of treatment, veterinarians were unable to identify the cause. Her death was confirmed by the Ojai Raptor Center and Friends of Big Bear Valley.
Beloved Bald Eagle Jackie Dies After Weeks in Intensive Care; Cause of Illness Remains Unknown
A bald eagle flies during an event in 2017 in Philadelphia. Jackie, perhaps the United States' most famous bald eagle and the subject of livestream cameras in California's Big Bear Valley, died Monday after an illness, Ojai Raptor Center said. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Jackie, a California bald eagle whose live-streamed nest captivated millions worldwide, died early Monday after several weeks in intensive veterinary care, the Ojai Raptor Center announced.
The raptor center said Jackie was discovered in mid‑July weak and unable to fly after an altercation with two younger eagles at her Big Bear Lake nest. Rescuers from the L.A. County Parks & Recreation San Dimas Raptor Rescue located her and transferred her to Ojai for treatment and evaluation.
Veterinary staff diagnosed Jackie with severe, unexplained anemia that likely preceded the scuffle. Despite three weeks of intensive care and a series of diagnostic tests—including a CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy—specialists were unable to determine the underlying cause.
"Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her," the Ojai Raptor Center wrote on social media.
During her final days Jackie remained critically ill, receiving oxygen therapy, supportive care and around‑the‑clock monitoring in the center's intensive care unit. Friends of Big Bear Valley, the group that installed the nest livestream cameras, also confirmed her death and asked followers to be kind to the teams who cared for Jackie.
Hatched in 2012, Jackie was believed to be the first documented bald eaglet born in Big Bear Valley and became a symbol of local conservation success as bald eagle populations recovered from past threats such as habitat loss and pesticides. The livestream cameras, installed by Friends of Big Bear Valley in 2015, brought global attention to Jackie, her mate Shadow and successive broods raised in the same nest that belonged to Jackie’s parents, Ricky and Lucy.
Shadow remains at the nest caring for the most recent young, Luna and Sandy, who hatched in April and have since fledged. The Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie’s remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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