Help name Jackie and Shadow’s new eaglets
It’s that time of year again! Internet famous eagle couple Jackie and Shadow have two new chicks that need names. For a small donation, you can submit your name suggestion on the Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) website.
“We are a nonprofit organization and your generosity helps us provide live streaming for free, for the public benefit of all. Our website is THE ONLY PLACE to submit girls’ names for consideration,” the organization wrote in a social media post.
Name suggestions will be accepted until Sunday, April 26 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. FOBBV will then take a random sample and provide a list of finalist names to a group of Big Bear Valley third graders. This group of intrepid young people will have the last laugh.
Last year, FOBBV received more than 54,000 name suggestions. The students then chose from 31 names, including Skye, Crackle, Talon, Blaze and Bell. In the end, the kids settled on Sunny and Gizmo. In 2022, Jackie and Shadow’s chick was named Spirit among 10,000 names submitted. The tradition of these young people choosing the name dates back to Jackie’s parents, Ricky and Lucy.
It’s been another roller coaster nesting season for Jackie and Shadow, a pair of internet-famous bald eagle parents living in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. After two of their eggs were destroyed by crows in January, Jackie and Shadow laid two new eggs which hatched successfully.
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 broadcast live 24 hours a day by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) and has captivated millions.
How long will the chicks stay in the nest?
Chicks usually stay in the nest until they are 10 to 14 weeks old.
What challenges do eaglets face?
Before leaving the nest, chicks are threatened by other birds of prey, including hawks, ravens, other eagles and owls. Bad weather can also present challenges for chicks. In 2025, a March snowstorm resulted in the death of one of Jackie and Shadow’s three chicks.
During flight, only 70 percent of eaglets survive. One of the biggest threats comes from cars which can injure or kill birds as they search for food on the road.
Who are Jackie and Shadow?
The couple first came together in 2018 and successfully raised chicks in 2019 and 2022. However, their eggs did not hatch in 2023 and 2024. Only 50% of eagle eggs hatched successfully, so this couple has already defied all odds.
What happened to Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets in 2025?
In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs which all hatched in early March. On March 13, a heavy snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and slammed the nest with high winds. Only two of the chicks were visible on the live camera when the storm passed the next morning. FOBBV later confirmed the death of one of the chicks. The two surviving chicks were later named Sunny and Gizmo.
What happens after the chicks fledge?
Young eagles usually fledge – or leave the nest and fly – when they can flatten their wings and have flight-capable feathers. This usually happens when the birds reach 10 to 14 weeks of age. Males also tend to take their first flight a little earlier than females.
According to FOBBV, Southern California nestlings have been spotted as far south as Baja California, as far north as British Columbia, and as far east as Yellowstone National Park. About 70% of bald eagles survive the fledgling stage. FOBBV does not mark their eagles, so it is not possible to track the chicks’ travels after they have fled the nest.
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