Houston, we have an egg!
In major news for followers of Southern California’s most famous feathered power couple, bald eagles Jackie and Shadow have welcomed their first egg of the 2026 season in their Big Bear nest.
Jackie began to show signs of labor at 4:22 p.m. Friday and the egg arrived just 10 minutes later, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, which runs the popular online livestream of the couple’s nest.
“She did a great job and is now resting,” the nonprofit wrote in a Friday evening update. “Shadow came in briefly at 16:41:30 and saw the egg! Thank you for being a part of this amazing event!”
Jackie and Shadow will now take turns carefully incubating the egg for the next 35 days or so, ensuring it is kept warm and safe. And, with any luck, another egg or two may arrive in the coming days.
Although the laying of the egg was met with an online outpouring of joy, there is a long road to go before the couple have a healthy eaglet.
Bald eagle eggs typically have a 50-50 chance of hatching, according to Sandy Steers, biologist and executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. Then, once hatched, fewer than 50% of eaglets survive their first year due to challenges from severe weather, food shortages, falls from the nest and predators, according to the American Eagle Foundation.
Jackie and Shadow’s prior mating seasons have been marked by cycles of celebration and heartbreak.
They first mated in 2018 and had their first eaglet Simba the following year. But their next successful mating season wasn’t until 2022, when their second eaglet Spirit flew the nest.
The following year was marked by devastation when the couple’s eggs were eaten by ravens. Fans were dealt another devastating blow in 2024, when the couple’s eggs failed to hatch after a severe winter storm.
Finally, in 2025, hope returned with the hatching of three eaglets. Tragically, one hatchling died during heavy snowfall, but two — dubbed Sunny and Gizmo — survived the harsh season, spread their wings and flew away.
Throughout these ups and downs, thousands of people have tuned into the nest livestream, which has become a powerful tool to educate the public about the precarious life of bald eagles, which are endangered in California.
Some of Jackie and Shadow’s supporters are currently fighting to prevent San Bernardino County from allowing a 50-home gated community to be built within a mile of the couple’s nest. Advocates say the project poses risks to the eagles, including noise, traffic and habitat destruction.
