Brutal fights between bald eagles are not uncommon and can even sometimes lead to face injury or death, Alaska Raptor Center Jennifer Cedarleaf said.
Video shows Jackie in fight with other bald eagles
New video is shedding light on what happened before Big Bear’s beloved bald eagle, Jackie, was discovered in need of rescue.
Fox – LA
A new Big Bear Valley Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam video of Jackie, who is currently in critical condition after being rescued, shows the beloved bald eagle engaged in an “altercation” with two subadult eagles.
The video shows the three eagles violently brawling on the water bank near Dana Point Park, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), which manages the eagle nest camp, confirmed one of the eagles to be Jackie on July 20, and said she was involved in an “altercation” with two subadult eagles.
“Cell phone video confirmed that the adult was able to fend off the other eagles by turning over and using its talons, but was unable to fly far away,” the nonprofit said in a July 19 Facebook post.
Brutal fights between bald eagles are not uncommon and can even sometimes lead to injury or death, avian director at the Alaska Raptor Center Jennifer Cedarleaf told USA TODAY.
Jackie, while able to defend herself, did not get far and was later spotted on the ground near Dana Point Park, which is where she was rescued. Video posted to Facebook by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation shows the eagle moving through a body of water.
The nonprofit said the public tried “contacting several agencies for help with no response,” until one individual reported the situation to the local San Bernardino County fire station in Fawnskin, where Capt. Dennis Jones and a team responded. The captain and his team eventually got in touch with San Dimas Raptor Rescue of the Los Angeles County Parks Department.
After LA County Parks’ San Dimas Raptor Rescue Team helped stabilize Jackie, the eagle was transferred to a “specialized rehabilitation facility.”
Though critical, Jackie is now recuperating
Jackie is now rehabilitating and being further assessed at Ojai Raptor Center, 170 miles from her home, while her family continues to protect the nest she built with her partner, Shadow.
The center, in a July 21 Facebook post, said that while the results of some “important tests” are awaited, “initial bloodwork indicates that the eagle is experiencing severe anemia and inflammation affecting the kidneys.”
“We are still working to determine the underlying cause, and additional bloodwork and diagnostic test results are pending,” the center said, adding that “it is still too early to predict the outcome.”
While Jackie’s “condition remains critical, and this is still a very serious case,” she is “alert and is eating,” the center said.
The center added that its veterinary team has begun “supportive treatment based on the information available,” and with guidance from wildlife professionals across the world.
Jackie has not lost her spirit
Despite the setback, Jackie continues to be fierce and “is mad and fighting the staff,” FOBBV said July 21.
“That’s our Jackie, a strong and mighty eagle,” the nonprofit said. “She is eating well with assistance and is even picking up food on her own. She is still standing up and perching.”
FOBBV said veterinarians conducted X-rays on Jackie, and no fishing hooks, sinkers or other metal objects were detected.
Jackie had not been spotted for several days before rescue
Before her rescue, Jackie had not been spotted for several days in her nest, which is livestreamed online, according to the nonprofit. She and her partner, Shadow, have garnered fans over several years as they have watched the bald eagle couple raise their young in Big Bear Valley, a 15-mile-long valley in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California.
The livestream began in 2016, according to USA TODAY’s previous reporting. Fans have supported the eagle parents for years and watched as they continue to return to Big Bear Valley to create their nests and welcome eaglets.
The two became empty nesters after their eaglets, Sandy and Luna, left the nest in June. Sandy left after she had an accidental fledge when she fell from the nest, and Luna fledged the nest the day after.
Fans of the animals can tune in to see if the eaglets return on the Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam Facebook page, or watch live on the Organization’s website or YouTube channel.
Contributing: Michelle Del Rey, Amanda Lee Myers / USA TODAY
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected].
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
