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In is disheartening update, internet-famous bald eagle Jackie is in “unstable” condition. The Ojai Raptor Center, where Jackie is currently undergoing treatment for anemia, shared on Sunday that she “remains critically ill, and her condition is currently unstable.”
“Yesterday, her packed cell volume (PCV) fell below 6%,” the rehabilitation shared on Facebook. “Today it has risen to 9%. While this is a small improvement, her PCV remains critically low and her overall condition remains extremely serious.”
Along with millions of fans online, her status is also being monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and a veterinarian team. Last week, Jackie underwent a contrast CT scan and bone marrow biopsy, the results of which are still pending.
“At this time, there is no further medical update we can provide,” Ojai Raptor Center wrote. “Our entire focus remains on Patient 26-519 [Jackie]’s welfare and providing the care she needs. Every decision continues to be guided by her medical condition and what is in her best interest.”
The Ojai Raptor Center admitted Jackie almost three weeks ago after she was found injured near Dana Point Park in San Bernardino Country, California, on July 17. Cell phone video captured by a witness confirmed that she endured an altercation with two other subadult eagles. She successfully fended off the other eagles by flipping over and using her talons in defense, but could not fly far away. She has since been diagnosed with anemia of unknown origin, and been under the Ojai Raptor Center.
It’s been another roller coaster nesting season for Jackie and Shadow, a pair of internet-famous bald eagle parents living in San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. After two of their eggs were destroyed by ravens in January, Jackie and Shadow laid two new eggs that have successfully hatched.
Chick 1 hatched on April 4 at 9:33 p.m. PDT, while Chick 2 followed on April 5 at 8:30 a.m. Their large nest in Big Bear Valley east of Los Angeles is livestreamed 24 hours a day by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) and has captivated millions.
On May 1, FOBBV announced the chicks’ names: Sandy and Luna.
Chicks usually stay in the nest until 10 to 14 weeks of age. Sandy and Luna were last spotted at the nest on July 23 and have likely left the area on what FOBBV calls their “grand journey.”
Before leaving the nest, the chicks face threats from other birds of prey, including hawks, ravens, other eagles, and owls. Inclement weather can also present challenges for the chicks. In 2025, a March snowstorm resulted in the death of one of Jackie and Shadow’s three chicks.
During fledging, only 70 percent of eaglets survive. One of the greatest threats is from cars that can injure or kill the birds while they scavenge for food on roadkill.
The pair first got together in 2018 and successfully raised chicks in 2019 and 2022. However, their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. Only 50 percent of eagle eggs successfully hatch, so this pair has already beaten the odds.
In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. On March 13, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong winds. Only two of the chicks were visible on the live cam when the storm passed by the next morning. FOBBV later confirmed the passing of one of the chicks. The two surviving chicks were later named Sunny and Gizmo after 54,000 names were submitted by fans.