As far as reality TV goes, a live stream of Internet-famous bald eagles is probably not what first comes to mind. But Jackie and Shadow, a mated bald eagle pair living in Big Bear Valley, California, have amassed quite a following on YouTube over the years. And as hatching season comes around for the couple–who have laid three eggs this year– fans are tuning in more than ever.
The live stream is run by nonprofit conservation group Friends of Big Bear Valley, whose mission is to protect the 15 miles of the valley in Southern California. Their first camera was installed in October 2015, and since then they have captured the surprisingly everyday lives of many eagle pairs.
It’s this quotidian activity that usually draws audiences to Jackie and Shadow’s live stream. Sandy Steers, Friends of Big Bear Valley’s executive director, notes that people “find themselves doing a lot of things that Jackie and Shadow do, which is getting along, working together and taking care of each other.”
12-year-old female Jackie and 10-year-old-male Shadow’s story begins in the summer of 2018, when they first became mates. They’re currently nesting 145 feet above ground, in a tall Jeffrey pine tree in Big Bear Valley.
Being together as long as they have, the bald eagle pair have had a few offspring hatch and survive, but the odds are by nature stacked against them. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, only roughly 50% of bald eagle eggs will hatch on average, and of those 50%, only about ¾ of them make it past their first year of life.
This is Jackie and Shadow’s second year in a row that they’ve laid three eggs. Last year’s would-be clutch unfortunately didn’t make it, despite the pair’s best efforts. During one period of incubation, which coincided with severe weather and the El Niño winter storms, Jackie sat on their nest for almost 62 hours straight. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what causes broods not to hatch, but weather and altitude may have significant impacts, according to Steers.
The mood for this upcoming “pipping season,” or the period when chicks begin to start breaking out of their shells, is one of cautious optimism. Pipping usually begins 35 days after incubation, and Jackie laid her eggs on January 22, 25 and 28. This means that the chicks should be due any day now. Jackie and Shadow have been dutifully taking turns incubating their eggs, with one particularly sweet moment of the live stream capturing Shadow bringing food for his mate and taking over sitting duty only after she ate.
The bald eagle population has been considered a. U.S. conservation success story, bouncing back from a dismally small 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to upwards of 71,400 pairs in 2019. Hopefully, Jackie and Shadow’s 2025 clutch will become part of those numbers in a few years, too.
To tune in to Jackie and Shadow's livestream, visit the Friends of Big Bear Valley YouTube channel.
Bald eagle pair Jackie and Shadow are internet sensations, with a 24-hour YouTube live stream that has thousands of followers.
Jackie and Shadow have been incubating their three eggs for a little over a month, with the “pipping” or hatching season beginning soon in March.
This is the second year in a row that Jackie has laid three eggs, but due to a combination of factors none of them made it in 2024. Fans are hopeful that this year's clutch will not just hatch, but also thrive.
The live stream is organized by Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit wildlife conservation group dedicated to preserving the 15 miles of valley in Southern California.
Watch the livestream here:
Friends of Big Bear Valley: Website | Facebook | YouTube
Sources: A second chance at triplets for Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow; Bald Eagle: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
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