Watch Live As Big Bear’s Famous Bald Eagle Couple Prepares For Their Eggs To Hatch Soon

Thousands of people are watching in anticipation of three bald eaglets emerging from their eggs in Big Bear now that they've reached the roughly 35-day incubation mark.

Jackie and Shadow, Big Bear’s beloved bald eagles, have been taking turns keeping the eggs warm for about a month. That means the public might soon see the first of three potential eaglets once they develop a pip, or the first crack in an eggshell that signals a chick is ready to come into the world.

How do the first cracks appear?

After the chick has grown in size, it begins to run out of oxygen within the shell. It then uses its egg tooth, a temporary structure on its beak used specifically to break through the shell’s inner membrane. It can take up to three days for the chick to fully emerge from its shell.

It's a strenuous process for the little eaglet and it’ll need a day to rest, during which time his egg tooth will dry and fall off.

The waiting game

While Jackie and Shadow have been diligent about keeping their eggs warm, leaving them exposed for no more than two minutes to switch nesting duties, there’s still a chance their eggs may not fully hatch. Sandy Steers with the Friends of Big Bear Valley said that in the past the couple has sensed that “something wasn’t quite right” and abandoned their eggs.

Like thousands of others, we’re watching the livestream and hoping for a better outcome this year.