Jackie, Big Bear’s Famous Bald Eagle, Has Given Up On Her Failed Nest But Her Partner Isn’t Ready To Move On

Jackie, the bald eagle who’s been an internet sensation since laying three eggs in Big Bear, appears to have officially given up weeks after they became unviable.

The failed nest wasn’t due to a lack of effort.

While Jackie and her partner, Shadow, took turns leaving the nest during the day, the task of keeping the eggs warm at night was strictly hers. She could be seen on the Friends Of Big Bear Valley live cam tending to the nest for up to 20 hours a day, unmoved by pouring rain, bitter cold, and heavy snow.

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But it’s been four nights since Jackie last kept night duty at the nest perched high above Big Bear Lake — an acknowledgment that her batch of eggs, for a second year in a row, will not hatch.

How are the bald eagles reacting?

For now, Jackie’s attention has turned to Shadow, who remains committed to incubating the nonviable eggs.

On the facebook page for Friends Of Big Bear Valley, Sandy Steers has been chronicling the journey of Jackie, Shadow, and their eggs, providing hundreds of thousands of watchers an almost daily update of not just the nest, but the couple’s love story.

Jackie is now trying her best to coax Shadow off the nest, tempting him with sticks and even a fish to eat, in a bid to move on. But, as Speers writes, “this is her adoring partner and she is working every way she knows how to take care of him and his tender heart.”

What will happen to the eggs?

Last year, the couple’s unhatched eggs eventually became food for ravens, which could very well happen again once Shadow relents.

Last year, Jackie and Shadow began leaving their eggs unattended after 47 days of keeping them warm. They are now 75 days into incubation.

Calling it quits as a couple?

Though Jackie has lost interest in this year’s eggs, she doesn’t seem to have given up on Shadow.

“She's staying nearby, keeping an eye on him and on the nest,” Steers said.

Wildlife biologist Peter Sharpe previously told LAist eagle couples sometimes look for another partner if they have had two to four years of nonviable eggs. So despite Jackie’s current attachment to Shadow, there’s no telling how long her patience will last.