California Bald Eagles Waiting For Egg Hatch: 25K+ Watching Livestream

BIG BEAR, CA — The famed California bald eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, are awaiting the hatching of three eggs laid during the last week of January.

On Friday morning, sunrise over Big Bear Lake was viewed by over 24,500 people as webcams across the country aimed at SoCal's bald eagle celebrity mother. Jackie made minor adjustments, her feathers blowing in the wind as she worked to keep her eggs covered in the well-made nest.

There is no sign yet of the eggs hatching, or "pip" as the first shell break is called, though the world is watching.

"The nest is located in Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California," a spokesperson for Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote in a statement. "It is about 145 feet up in a Jeffrey Pine tree, and the nest is the current home for Jackie and Shadow, a local bald eagle pair."

If you're watching, Jackie is the mother bald eagle and is 12 years old. Shadow, the father, is ten years old and has a smaller size and beak than his mate. They have been bonded since 2018, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. Eggs have been laid every season since, though not all have hatched. Their last surviving chick was born in 2022—Spirit, as she was named, fledged successfully on May 31 that year.

Don't worry if they get snowed in during the weekend storm.

"Bald Eagles are well-equipped to handle harsh weather conditions," a spokesperson for the webcam wrote. "They have down feathers against their skin that can hold in the heat their bodies generate. On top of the down, they have approximately 7000 waterproof feathers that zip together to keep the wet and cold out and the heat inside."

During nesting season, Jackie will sleep in the nest, and Shadow typically sleeps perched in a tree nearby in case he is needed, they said.

Cam viewers can watch and learn on the live webcam run by the nonprofit environmental education and advocacy group, committed to maintaining Big Bear Valley's unspoiled beauty and unique environment.

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