Jackie’s heartbreaking death has stunned fans of the famed Big Bear bald eagle and while they navigate the loss of the beloved bird, they’re also wondering – what’s next for her mate, Shadow? Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the nonprofit behind the livestream of the eagles’ nest, provided some insight.
Jackie the eagle died Monday after spending three weeks at a raptor rehabilitation center that took her in after she was in a territorial fight with two younger eagles. The scuffle left Jackie grounded and after examining her, the Ojai Raptor Center discovered that their new patient had anemia.
Despite the veterinary team’s best efforts, Jackie’s health deteriorated and she ultimately died in the early hours of Monday.
“Our team is heartbroken. It’s a very sad and hard day for us,” said Jenny Voisard, Media Manager for FOBBV. “We’ll get through it like we always do. We will be resilient like the eagles have taught us. But right now, we’re just taking a moment to pause and think about how much Jackie has meant to us and all of the things that we have learned from watching her.”
A 24/7 livestream of the bird couple’s nest garnered them fans around the world as nature enthusiasts cheered for the eagles during each egg hatching, had them anxiously watching as the birds did everything they could to protect their younglings from the elements and cried for them for every loss the eagles endured. With that in mind, FOBBV acknowledged that fans of the eagle couple are also grieving Jackie’s death, but some are also curious what this could mean for Shadow.
As of late, the bird couple’s nest has been empty. Jackie and Shadow’s most recent eaglets, Sandy and Luna, have fledged. Shadow is about 12 years old and bald eagles have a lifespan of 15 to 25 years, so he does have time to seek a new mate.
“The chances are high that he would find a new mate,” Voisard said. “We don’t know what he’s going to do exactly; We can’t predict those outcomes, but there’s a good chance that he would want to stay in the territory.”
Jackie and Shadow have become international celebrities as the world followed them their eaglets via Nest Cam. Christian Casarez reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026.,
Voisard said “visiting eagles” have been spotted near the nest’s territory.
“We’ll see if one is around at the right time, at the right age to potentially form a bond, but we don’t want Shadow to be alone,” she said. “I don’t think his instincts would let him. So, nature has a way of keeping going and keep moving so we’ll just watch and see what happens.”
Jackie and Shadow’s love story began in 2018 after Shadow successfully kicked out Jackie’s then-mate, Mr. B, from the nest. From then on, Jackie accepted Shadow as her new mate and the pair were together until her fight with the two younger eagles.
While animal lovers continue pondering what life has in store for Shadow, Voisard had the following message for fans on behalf of FOBBV:
“Thank you for being here. It’s a little space for all of us to come together over a shared love and form a community around, and there is something so precious in that and powerful in that, and important for us as human beings.”