One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Does Shadow know Jackie is alive?
Bald eagle Jackie is seen laying an egg as captured by the Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam
(
Screenshot of footage captured by Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Next Cam
)
Topline:
An eagle believed to be Jackie, one of the beloved Big Bear eagles who've stolen hearts nationwide, is in critical condition and receiving care at the Ojai Raptor Center. With Jackie missing from the nest for over a week, what does it mean for her longtime partner, Shadow?
Is it Jackie? While the eagle receiving care shows signs of being the famed Jackie, we can't be 100% certain it's her just yet. The last time Jackie was seen in the nest was July 12.
Jackie's condition: A pair of subadult eagles in Big Bear Lake attacked her, and in a Thursday afternoon post, the Ojai Raptor Center said they were providing “around the clock” care for the eagle. They provided her with a blood transfusion, and ruled out lead poisoning as a cause for her continuing critical condition.
Does Shadow now have a side piece? Shadow was seen on a Friend of Big Bear Valley stream on Wednesday socializing with a different subadult female eagle. Friends of Big Bear Valley say that the subadult eagle Shadow was spotted hanging out with could potentially be one of two that fought with Jackie.
Is Shadow moving on? Lori Arent, assistant director at the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, said during an interview on LAist's daily news show, AirTalk, that it's unlikely Shadow's thinking about his dating prospects right now. "It's not really that time of year where the hormones are going to be stimulating these birds to pair bond."
Single dad Shadow: He's been seen defending the nest from other subadult eagles, and taking care of this year's eaglets, Sandy and Luna, who recently took their first flights. The new independence of the kiddos may mean that Shadow is less territorial and simply tolerating the female seen hanging around his nest, Arnet said.
Sponsored message
Does Shadow know Jackie is alive? Arnet said eagles don't have a reflective mindset to ponder this kind of question, and that he's likely not thinking about where Jackie is or isn't, but instead focusing on what the immediate needs of him and his children are. "And so right now there's this other bird, and maybe if the fledglings are not around and he's not providing care, it's OK that this other bird is in his space."
What's next: It's unclear when or if Jackie will be healthy enough to be released back into the wild or how Shadow and his potential new "friend" will react upon her return.
Go Deeper: Listen to the full AirTalk conversation to hear about how Jackie dumped her last "life" partner for Shadow.
Listen
16:25
AirTalk: The latest with beloved Big Bear eagles Jackie and Shadow
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
