Jackie, the Big Bear bald eagle, is in critical condition at the Ojai Raptor Center

If you have ever watched a bald eagle sit motionless on a nest through a Big Bear snowstorm, refusing to leave her eggs, you already know Jackie. She and her mate, Shadow, are the resident pair whose nest sits in a Jeffrey pine above Big Bear Lake, in California's San Bernardino National Forest, and whose every day is streamed to hundreds of thousands of people on an ad-free, round-the-clock nest camera. This week that audience has been holding its breath for a different reason: an adult eagle believed to be Jackie is in critical condition at a wildlife hospital.

Here is the careful version of what is known — sober, sourced, and without getting ahead of the facts. She is alive. She is very sick. And as of July 23, the people treating her say it is too early to say how it ends.

What has actually happened

On July 17, an adult bald eagle believed to be Jackie was seen on the ground near the north shore of Big Bear Lake, in a short altercation with two younger "subadult" eagles. Cellphone video shows her rolling onto her back and fending them off with her talons — but she could not fly far. Local firefighters watched over her overnight, and on July 18 she was safely captured, evaluated by San Dimas Raptor Rescue, and transferred to the Ojai Raptor Center for specialized care, as ABC7 Los Angeles reported. The center logs her as patient "Bald Eagle 26-519."

The important twist is that the fight is probably not the real problem. Initial bloodwork showed severe anemia and inflammation affecting the kidneys, and the center's veterinarians say they believe she was likely already ill before the confrontation — an eagle that was already weak, not a healthy bird hurt in a brawl. There were no broken bones or major trauma from the fight. The cause of the illness is still unknown, and vets are testing for lead, zinc, and rodenticide (rat poison), per the Ojai Raptor Center via NBC Los Angeles.

"Critical" is the raptor center's own word

It is worth being precise about the language, because sensational framing spreads fast with a beloved animal. "Critical" is the Ojai Raptor Center's own characterization, not a media flourish — and so is the encouraging half of the update. To treat the severe anemia, the center performed a successful blood transfusion on the night of July 20, using donor blood from Spirit, a resident bald eagle at the California Living Museum (CALM Zoo) in Bakersfield, according to Victor Valley News.

By the July 23 update, the picture had improved but not cleared. A CT scan found no cancer and no metal in her body — no fishing hooks or sinkers — kidney values had improved, and she was alert, perching, and eating, with improving energy. The center's honest summary: she is making progress, but it is "too early to predict the outcome." That is the whole truth of it right now — genuinely hopeful signs, and a bird still in danger.

Who Jackie and Shadow are, and why so many people care

Jackie has been the nest's resident female since about 2018, when Shadow joined her. The nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) runs the 24/7 YouTube livestream — deliberately free of advertising and monetization — which has drawn a following in the hundreds of thousands. The appeal is not spectacle; it is patience. Viewers have watched Jackie incubate eggs through blizzards, guard against ravens, lose clutches, and, in good years, raise eaglets. It is one of the most intimate long-running wildlife stories on the internet, and the people watching feel like they know her.

This year has already carried more weight than most. FOBBV's executive director and the familiar narrating "voice of the eagle cam," Sandy Steers, died on February 11, 2026. The pair's first 2026 clutch was destroyed by ravens in late January. Then the season turned: a second clutch hatched in early April, producing two eaglets — Sandy and Luna — who fledged in late June and are now flying and thriving near the nest.

Where is Shadow, and what about the eaglets?

The nest itself is doing fine. Shadow is at the nest, guarding Sandy and Luna, still helping feed them as they learn to hunt. He was seen near a subadult female eagle on July 22, which set off some worried speculation, but FOBBV has cautioned against reading a single sighting as Shadow "moving on" — experts think that is unlikely given the pair's long bond, and one visitor to a territory is not a new mate. If Jackie recovers and returns, she comes back to an active, occupied nest.

What raptor anemia and rodenticide actually mean

Part of why this case is frightening — and why it is a genuinely useful thing to understand — is that the symptoms point at a common, preventable killer of birds of prey. Severe anemia in a raptor means the blood is not carrying enough oxygen; it leaves a bird weak, and a weak eagle is exactly the kind that loses a territorial scuffle and ends up grounded. One frequent cause is secondary rodenticide poisoning: a hawk, owl, or eagle eats rodents that have consumed anticoagulant rat poison, and the toxin accumulates. Lead (from ingested fragments) and zinc are other well-known metal toxicities in raptors, which is why the center is screening for all three. None of these has been confirmed in this bird — the cause is still unknown — but they are the reason the workup looks the way it does, and the reason wildlife groups push so hard against poison bait and lead ammunition.

How to watch the nest cam

You can still watch, and what you will mostly see right now is the nest with Shadow and the two fledgling eaglets nearby — not Jackie, who is at the raptor hospital. The livestream is free and runs 24/7:

• Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream: friendsofbigbearvalley.org/livestream
• The same feed runs on the FOBBV YouTube channel, linked from that page.

FOBBV is the authoritative source for anything about the pair's identity and the nest; the Ojai Raptor Center is the source for Jackie's medical status, and posts updates through its email list and social channels.

The timeline below puts the two stories side by side — the July rescue, step by step, against the longer arc of the nest — with each row linked to its source.

Jackie & Shadow: the timeline

Jackie and Shadow: the July 2026 rescue and the nesting saga, in a timeline

A sourced chronology of Big Bear's famous bald eagle pair — the July 2026 episode in which an adult believed to be Jackie was found grounded, rescued, and taken to the Ojai Raptor Center in critical condition, set against the years-long nest saga Friends of Big Bear Valley has streamed to the world.

1. Around 2018

   Jackie and Shadow become Big Bear's resident pair

   Jackie has been the resident female of the nest above Big Bear Lake, in the San Bernardino National Forest, since about 2018, when Shadow joined her. Friends of Big Bear Valley's ad-free, 24/7 YouTube nest cam turns the pair into a global following.

   Source ↗

2. 2019–2024 seasons

   Years of snowstorm incubations, raven attacks, and mixed clutches

   Across these seasons the pair becomes known for incubating eggs through Big Bear snowstorms and fending off ravens, with clutches that sometimes fail and sometimes hatch. Year-by-year details vary across outlets; Friends of Big Bear Valley's own eagle history is the authoritative record.

   Source ↗

3. Late January 2026

   First 2026 clutch is lost to ravens

   The pair's first clutch of the 2026 season is destroyed by ravens, per Friends of Big Bear Valley — a familiar heartbreak for cam viewers before the season turns around.

   Source ↗

4. February 11, 2026

   Sandy Steers, the 'voice of the eagle cam,' dies

   Sandy Steers, executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley and the familiar narrating voice of the nest cam, dies. Her death casts a shadow over a season the community was already watching closely.

   Source ↗

5. Early April 2026

   Second clutch hatches: eaglets Sandy and Luna

   A second 2026 clutch hatches in early April, producing two eaglets, later known as Sandy and Luna — a rare successful hatch for a nest that has lost many clutches over the years.

   Source ↗

6. Late June 2026

   Sandy and Luna fledge

   Both eaglets fledge in late June — Sandy after an early, 'accidental' tumble from the tree, then Luna. Both are flying and thriving near the nest, still relying on the adults for food while they learn to hunt.

   Source ↗

7. July 17, 2026 (Friday)

   An adult believed to be Jackie is found grounded

   An adult bald eagle believed to be Jackie is seen on the ground near Big Bear Lake's north shore, in a brief altercation with two younger, 'subadult' eagles. Video shows her fending them off with her talons, but she cannot fly far. Local firefighters monitor her overnight.

   Source ↗

8. July 18, 2026 (Saturday)

   Rescued and taken to the Ojai Raptor Center (patient 26-519)

   The weakened eagle is safely captured on July 18, evaluated by San Dimas Raptor Rescue, and transferred to the Ojai Raptor Center for specialized care. The center logs her as 'Bald Eagle 26-519.' Reporting notes no broken bones or major trauma from the fight.

   Source ↗

9. July 18–20, 2026

   Diagnosed with severe anemia and kidney inflammation

   Initial bloodwork shows severe anemia and inflammation affecting the kidneys, per the Ojai Raptor Center. Vets say they believe the eagle was likely already ill before the fight, rather than injured by it. The cause is unknown; they begin testing for lead, zinc, and rodenticide (rat poison).

   Source ↗

10. July 20, 2026 (late Monday)

    Successful blood transfusion from donor eagle 'Spirit'

    The center performs a successful blood transfusion using blood from Spirit, a resident bald eagle at the California Living Museum (CALM Zoo) in Bakersfield, to treat the severe anemia while the underlying cause is investigated.

    Source ↗

11. July 22, 2026

    Shadow seen near a subadult female at the nest

    Shadow, guarding the eaglets at the nest, is seen near a subadult female eagle. Friends of Big Bear Valley says experts think it is unlikely he moves on given the pair's long bond, and cautions viewers not to read too much into a single sighting.

    Source ↗

12. July 23, 2026 (Thursday)

    Ojai Raptor Center update: critical, but encouraging signs

    The center says the eagle remains in critical condition but is not deteriorating: kidney values have improved, a CT scan found no cancer and no metal objects (no fishing hooks or sinkers), and she is alert, perching, and eating with improving energy. The cause of the anemia is still unknown, and the center says it is 'too early to predict the outcome.'

    Source ↗

How this is calculated

A hand-checked chronology. Medical and rescue rows are compiled from the Ojai Raptor Center's public updates and reporting by ABC7 Los Angeles, NBC Los Angeles, KTLA, and Victor Valley News; identity and nest-history rows are compiled from Friends of Big Bear Valley. Events confirmed to the day carry an exact date label; where only a month, season, or span is public, the label is shown at that granularity and the ISO date is a representative day within that period used only for ordering. Older-season rows are deliberately kept general because year-by-year details vary across outlets — Friends of Big Bear Valley's own eagle history is the authoritative record for those.

Data as of July 22, 2026 · verified July 22, 2026 · v1

Assumptions, limitations & sources

Assumptions

• · The grounded adult is treated as Jackie following Friends of Big Bear Valley, which says identifying features and location indicate it is her; the raptor center logs the patient as 'Bald Eagle 26-519' and there is no leg-band or DNA confirmation.
• · Where a source gives only a month, season, or span, the ISO date is a representative day within that period and drives ordering only, not the displayed label.

Limitations

• · This is not a medical prognosis. As of July 23, 2026 the eagle is alive and in critical condition, and the Ojai Raptor Center says it is 'too early to predict the outcome.'
• · The cause of the anemia is still unknown; vets are testing for lead, zinc, and rodenticide, and results were pending at publication.
• · Older nesting-season rows are intentionally general; for precise year-by-year clutch and hatch history, Friends of Big Bear Valley's own eagle pages are authoritative.
• · Row dates for the rescue week reflect the day-of-week anchoring in reporting (grounded Friday July 17, rescued/transferred Saturday July 18, transfusion late Monday July 20); some outlets describe the rescue window slightly differently.

Sources

• Ojai Raptor Center — patient updates on the rescued Big Bear bald eagle (26-519) — Ojai Raptor Center, checked July 22, 2026
• Friends of Big Bear Valley — Jackie & Shadow, the nest, and the livestream — Friends of Big Bear Valley, checked July 22, 2026
• Victor Valley News — Jackie undergoes life-saving blood transfusion, remains in critical care — Victor Valley News, checked July 22, 2026
• Victor Valley News — Ojai Raptor Center says Jackie's condition remains critical as vets search for cause — Victor Valley News, checked July 22, 2026
• ABC7 Los Angeles — vet teams believe Jackie was already sick before the fight near the Big Bear nest — ABC7 Los Angeles, checked July 22, 2026
• NBC Los Angeles — Big Bear bald eagle Jackie is in critical condition, wildlife rehab says — NBC Los Angeles, checked July 22, 2026
• KTLA — Jackie the bald eagle in critical condition following attack, rescue — KTLA, checked July 22, 2026

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Questions people are asking

Is Jackie okay? Is she still alive? She is alive as of the July 23 update, but she is not okay yet — she is in critical condition. The encouraging part is real: she is alert, perching, and eating, and her kidney values have improved after a blood transfusion. The Ojai Raptor Center describes progress while stressing it is "too early to predict the outcome."

What happened to her? An adult believed to be Jackie was found grounded near Big Bear Lake on July 17 after a brief fight with two younger eagles and could not fly. She was rescued on July 18 and taken to the Ojai Raptor Center, where bloodwork showed severe anemia and kidney inflammation. Crucially, vets believe she was likely already sick before the fight, not injured by it.

Is "critical" official, or is that just a dramatic headline? It is official. "Critical condition" is the Ojai Raptor Center's own characterization of her status, not a media exaggeration. (Some outlets have used more dramatic phrases like "fighting for life"; that framing is theirs, not the center's.)

Did she really get a blood transfusion? Will she recover? Yes — the center performed a successful blood transfusion on July 20 using donor blood from Spirit, a bald eagle at the CALM Zoo in Bakersfield. Recovery is not guaranteed. The transfusion and improving kidney values are good signs, but the underlying cause of the anemia is still unknown, and the outcome is officially undetermined.

What caused it — was it poison? Unknown as of publication. Vets are testing for lead, zinc, and rodenticide (rat poison), which are common causes of illness in raptors, but no cause has been confirmed. A CT scan found no cancer and no metal objects.

Can I still watch the cam, and what will I see? Yes. The Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream runs 24/7 at friendsofbigbearvalley.org/livestream and on their YouTube channel. Right now you will mostly see Shadow and the two 2026 eaglets near the nest — not Jackie, who is at the raptor center.

Where is Shadow — will he move on to another mate? Shadow is at the nest guarding the eaglets. He was seen near a subadult female on July 22, but FOBBV says it is unlikely he moves on given the pair's bond, and warns against reading too much into one sighting.

Are there eggs or eaglets right now? No eggs — it is not nesting season. The pair's two 2026 eaglets, Sandy and Luna, hatched in early April and fledged in late June, and are flying and thriving near the nest.

Is it definitely Jackie? Friends of Big Bear Valley says her identifying features and the location indicate it is Jackie, and some reports describe it as confirmed. But there is no leg band or DNA test, so the raptor center treats her as an unidentified patient, "Bald Eagle 26-519." The honest phrasing is "believed to be Jackie."

The bottom line

As of July 23, 2026, a bald eagle believed to be Jackie is alive and in critical condition at the Ojai Raptor Center, with severe anemia of unknown cause, encouraging signs after a successful transfusion, and an outcome the people treating her will not yet predict. This is a developing story; the honest thing is to watch, hope, and let the center's updates — not speculation — set the pace. Meanwhile the nest goes on: Shadow and two young eagles, on a camera that has taught a lot of people to care about one wild bird.