Species facts, Big Bear specifics, and answers to the most-asked nest cam questions
Females are larger — up to 14 lbs with wingspans of 6–7.5 feet. Males are smaller (8–10 lbs). This size difference is called sexual dimorphism and is how observers determined Jackie is female.
Typically 1–3 eggs per clutch. Incubation takes about 34–36 days (per Cornell Lab of Ornithology), though Big Bear lay-to-hatch spans have ranged from 37–40 days due to delayed incubation start. Both parents share duties. Eggs are dull white, ~3 inches long. Eagles are compulsive incubators — Jackie once sat for 62 hours straight during an El Niño storm.
Eagles are compulsive nest builders. They use the same nest year after year, adding material each season. Nests can grow to 8+ feet wide and weigh over a ton. Big Bear's nest sits in a Jeffrey pine, roughly 145 feet high in a tree that's 160+ feet tall. Jackie and Shadow's nest is about 5×4 feet and estimated to be ~20 years old.
Primarily fish, but Big Bear eagles also eat rabbits, squirrels, waterfowl, and carrion. They hunt by soaring high and diving, grabbing prey with talons that can exert 400+ psi of gripping force.
Wild bald eagles live 20–30 years. The oldest known wild eagle was 38 years old. First-year survival rate is approximately 70% — the most dangerous period is the first year after fledging.
Eagle eyesight is 4–5 times sharper than human vision. They can spot a rabbit from over a mile away. Their eyes have two foveal points, allowing them to see both forward and to the side simultaneously.
Bald eagles don't get their iconic white head and tail until age 4–5. Juveniles are mottled brown and often confused with golden eagles. The word "bald" comes from the Old English balde, meaning white.
Bald eagle calls are surprisingly weak-sounding — high-pitched whistles and piping notes. The powerful screech heard in movies? That's actually a red-tailed hawk. Hollywood has dubbed the hawk's call over eagle footage for decades, creating one of nature's most persistent myths.
Cruising speed of 30–35 mph. Dive speed can reach 100 mph. They can soar for hours using thermals, barely flapping. Eagles have been documented flying at altitudes above 10,000 feet.
Big Bear Lake sits at 6,752 feet elevation in the San Bernardino Mountains — making it one of the highest-altitude bald eagle nesting sites in Southern California. This creates unique challenges:
🌨️ Extreme Weather: Spring storms can dump snow and bring freezing temps to the nest when chicks are most vulnerable. Multiple chicks have been lost to storms over the years.
🐟 Food Supply: Big Bear Lake provides excellent fishing year-round, and the surrounding forest is full of rabbits and squirrels. The lake's stocked trout population is a major draw for the eagles.
🏔️ Year-Round Residency: Unlike many bald eagle populations that migrate, Jackie and Shadow are year-round Big Bear residents. This is unusual — most Southern California bald eagles are winter visitors only.
📹 The Camera: First installed in October 2015 under Forest Service permits, with a wide-view second camera added in 2021. The Axis Communications camera features 10× optical zoom, infrared night vision, and a sensitive microphone. It runs entirely on solar + battery power — no external power lines. Camera maintenance requires a specialized biological tree climber due to the 145-foot height.
The bald eagle's recovery is one of America's greatest conservation success stories — from the brink of extinction back to a thriving population.