Big Bear’s Famous Eagles Have Finally Hatched Eggs. Here’s How to Watch.
All three eggs have hatched, much to the delight of hundreds of thousands of viewers.
Friends of Big Bear Valley
Big Bear’s most-watched bald eagles, Jackie and Shadow, are celebrating new additions to their nest as two of their three eggs have successfully hatched. The well-known pair, whose home in the San Bernardino National Forest is livestreamed by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, had been incubating the eggs for more than a month with fans and viewers eagerly watching for the “pip,” a crack in the eggs that indicates the beginning of hatching.
This successful hatching season comes after two years of disappointment for the pair. In 2023, Jackie laid three eggs, but none hatched. But on March 2 of this year, eagle cam viewers spotted the first signs of hatching. Hatching is a slow process, sometimes taking more than 24 hours. By the next morning, a tiny, fluffy eaglet had fully emerged. Soon after, a second chick hatched, bringing the nest and Jackie and Shadow’s new brood to life. A third egg remains unhatched, but a tiny beak can be seen creating a slowly growing hole in the shell, so there’s hope it may open soon.
“The third egg is still only on Day 34. Normal hatchings are 35-42 days, so still plenty of time to wait and watch what happens with it,” said Sandy Steers, biologist and executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley said on their popular Facebook page.
Jackie and Shadow, both experienced parents, have already begun feeding the eaglets, who have yet to be named, providing a steady diet of fish. Over the next several weeks, they will be responsible for keeping their young warm and well-fed.
While the hatchings are a positive sign, survival is not guaranteed. The eaglets will remain vulnerable until they develop their waterproof feathers, which typically take about six weeks to grow in. Until then, Jackie and Shadow must protect them from cold temperatures and potential storms.
Jackie and Shadow have successfully raised chicks before, in both 2019 and 2022. If all goes well, these eaglets will grow rapidly, reaching over three feet tall in just 10 to 14 weeks.
For now, viewers from around the world continue to watch the nest’s livestream, hoping to see the final egg hatch and witness the eaglets’ journey to fledging. You can donate to their non-profit here.
