Bald Eagle Hatchlings Capture Hearts in Southern California

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — Live camera footage of a bald eagle nest in the San Bernardino Mountains has gone viral, attracting hundreds of thousands of views this past week. Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit organization, has been broadcasting the nest of bald eagles Jackie and Shadow, which gained global fame after a previous nesting attempt in 2023.

The pair initially captured viewers’ attention when they were seen tending to two eggs that ultimately failed to hatch. Fast forward three years, Jackie and Shadow have returned to the same nest with three new eggs. On Monday morning, sharp-eyed eagle enthusiasts noticed cracks forming in two of the eggs.

By Monday evening, an eaglet hatched from one of the eggs. The following day, the second eaglet began the hatching process. “Chick #2 has joined [the] party!” the Friends of Big Bear Valley announced. They shared updates in real-time, detailing the first chick’s transformation into a “fluffy fuzz ball” as its downy covering dried.

According to the organization, “zippering” occurs during the final stage of hatching, as the eaglet uses its egg tooth to break open the shell. “This evening is only now Day 35 for egg #3, which is the beginning of its pip watch,” the group noted on Facebook. “We will be eagerly watching for signs of pipping in that egg as we enjoy the glimpses of Jackie and Shadow’s newly arrived bundles of joy.”

Despite their prior endangered status, bald eagles have not been classified as such since 2007. They remain a protected species under federal law, which prohibits harming, killing, or selling bald eagles, their nests, or eggs.