Big Bear bald eagles star Jackie leaves ICU in milestone
Big Bear bald eagles fans got encouraging news as Jackie, the nest-cam star recovering at the Ojai Raptor Center, has been moved from intensive care—where she needed oxygen—into a regular hospital unit. Veterinarians say the step is hopeful but stress she remains very sick and is not out of danger yet.
Key Takeaways
- Jackie left the ICU for a regular hospital care unit at the Ojai Raptor Center after needing oxygen therapy.
- Vet teams still call her a very sick patient and say she is not out of danger.
- She received a life-saving blood transfusion from Spirit, a resident eagle at CALM Zoo in Bakersfield.
- Partner Shadow continues watching the Big Bear habitat while eaglets Sandy and Luna appear to have left the area.
- When released, Jackie is expected to return near her Big Bear nest.
Why was Jackie moved out of intensive care?
According to ABC7 Los Angeles, the Ojai Raptor Center said Wednesday that Jackie had been shifted from intensive care into one of its regular hospital care units.
In a social media update, vet teams called the transfer an encouraging milestone while warning that she continues to need intensive treatment and monitoring. The center publicly refers to her as patient 26-519 under California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rehab rules.
Earlier this week, center video showed Jackie progressing from restrained feedings to eating on her own with more energy and alertness. Staff also said she has grown much more feisty at mealtimes—another sign her body is fighting.
What put Jackie in the hospital?
Jackie was found on the ground near Big Bear Lake after a fight with two younger eagles. Experts said she was anemic, with inflammation affecting her kidneys, and received a blood transfusion from Spirit at CALM Zoo in Bakersfield.
Friends of Big Bear Valley, which streams the famous nest cameras that drew global attention to the pair since 2015, had noticed Jackie acting off after July 4. Media manager Jenny Voisard told Fast Company the eagle visited the nest rarely after fireworks, appeared starving, and later fought visiting sub-adults.
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What is Shadow doing while Jackie recovers?
FOBBV said Shadow kept feeding and watching over this season’s eaglets, Sandy and Luna, after Jackie’s rescue. The youngsters have fledged and have not been seen on the cameras since July 23; the nonprofit believes they may have left the area.
Shadow still appears around the habitat daily, though FOBBV said he has less reason to linger at the nest if the eaglets have moved on—calling this stretch his “summer vacation.” Fans worried a subadult near the nest might displace him, but bald eagle expert Dr. Peter Sharpe told FOBBV he does not believe the roughly 3.5-year-old bird is seeking a mate yet.
FOBBV added that Shadow remains loyal to his nest, territory, and Jackie, while acknowledging outcomes could still change.
What’s next for Jackie’s recovery?
Veterinarians are still working to identify the underlying cause of Jackie’s illness and have no definite diagnosis yet. Fundraising to preserve the Big Bear habitat has been secured even as she fights on, Fast Company reported, with Jackie previously described as critical but stable.
FOBBV says that when rehab ends, Jackie will be returned home to Big Bear near the nest. Until then, the milestone out of ICU is hope—not a finish line—for one of America’s most watched wild birds.