Famous eagles Jackie and Shadow welcome 2 chicks months after heartbreaking loss

A famous pair of eagles in California has hatched 2 chicks and has fans glued to the Big Bear eagle cams again as the 2026 nesting season unfolds.

Friends of Big Bear Valley confirmed that Jackie, one of its famous eagles, welcomed two chicks over the weekend after laying new eggs in late February, following the loss of the pair’s previous eggs to ravens on Jan. 30.

"It is official we now have two chicks on the nest. Chick 2 has rested the day away after such a fast hatch. Both chicks continue to strengthen their neck muscles while Jackie and Shadow provide them food," Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote on Sunday.

The nonprofit streams live feeds of bald eagles in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California.

The weather in Big Bear is expected to be mostly sunny and warmer than usual this week, with low temperatures in the 30s and highs in the 60s.

The history of Jackie the eagle

"Jackie is believed to be the first Bald eagle that hatched and fledged in Big Bear," the organization says on their website.

"Her parents were named Ricky and Lucy. Jackie and Shadow have successfully fledged four chicks together: Simba, Spirit, Sunny and Gizmo. In their exploratory years, Bald eagles can travel thousands of miles," the nonprofit explained.

In 2025, the internet watched closely as Jackie laid three eggs, all of which hatched, though one of the eaglets did not survive a snowstorm. The other two, named Sunny and Gizmo, took flight in early June, marking the first year that Friends of Big Bear Valley had two fledges in the same year.

The eagle nest is threatened by nearby housing development and is raising money to purchase the land where the eagles forage for food.

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