Will Shadow stay in Big Bear without Jackie? What’s next for the famous nest

As fans of Big Bear’s famous bald eagles emotionally recover from Jackie’s death, many are now wondering what’s next for the nest and her long-time mate Shadow.

Will he stay in the same spot with a new eagle mate and continue the livestream legacy? Will he build a new nest in a tree without cameras?

Jenny Voisard, spokesperson for Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that launched the popular eagle livestream, said they want to see Shadow thrive and “live his best life,” no matter where that may be.

“It could be that he chooses to go some place else and move on,” Voisard told LAist. “In which case, we would imagine someone else would take over the nest, but we don't know for sure. All we can do is watch.”

Next steps for Shadow

Shadow may start to look for a mate once his hormones kick in, usually around December or January. In years past, Jackie and Shadow would return to the nest and start delivering sticks at the end of fall into early winter. Jackie’s hormones typically kicked in sooner than Shadow’s, Voisard said.

Shadow has been seen with another, younger eagle lately called KD1. KD1 is believed to be a more than 4-year-old female bald eagle from the Prado Basin, according to Jenna Carpenter, a wildlife biologist with the Orange County Water District.

KD1 was banded in 2022, along with its sibling from their parental pair known as Ricky and Lucy, Carpenter said. (Jackie’s parents were also named Ricky and Lucy, but district officials said it's not the same eagles.) KD1 wears two identifying bands on its legs. One is lavender-colored and easier to see from a distance, like on the livestream cameras.

KD1 can be identified by the bands on its legs, including a lavender-colored one that makes the eagle easier to spot on the livestream cameras.

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Friends of Big Bear Valley

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YouTube

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“It's possible that KD1 stays in Big Bear, but it's also possible that KD1 moves on,” Carpenter said in a video. “In the first five years of a bald eagle's life, they're pretty nomadic. They fly around looking for good habitat, good places to find food, not necessarily looking for a territory quite yet.”

That may change once KD1 gets closer to 5 years old, which she added is the breeding age for eagles and when females can start laying eggs.

Carpenter said it’s a “gift” to come across KD1 in the wild, but she also cautioned that people need to recognize that the eagles are wild animals.

“They don't follow the same social norms as we as humans do,” she said “So it's a good idea to put on the science-colored glasses and remember that wildlife is wildlife.”

Voisard said if Shadow does find a new mate, whether it's KD1 or another eagle, “we will love whoever that is and we will cheer her on.”

Will Jackie be honored in some way?

Travis Scott, CEO of Visit Big Bear, told LAist that several community groups and organizations — including Friends of Big Bear Valley — are working together on a celebration to honor Jackie.

They’ve come up with multiple early ideas, including an event centered around wildlife, conservation and education with opportunities that recognize the “extraordinary connection Jackie created between Big Bear and people around the world,” Scott said.

“The goal is to create something that feels meaningful, appropriate, and true to Jackie’s legacy — not simply a memorial, but a celebration of the wonder, awareness, conservation, and environmental stewardship she inspired,” he said in an email.

The partners will be meeting Monday to narrow down more detailed plans, according to Scott.