BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a well-known bird associated with a livestreamed nest in California’s Big Bear Valley, died Aug. 10 after her health continued to worsen during more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the Ojai Raptor Center said.
The center identified the eagle as Patient 26-519. Jackie was receiving oxygen therapy, other supportive care and continuous monitoring in the facility’s intensive care unit. The center said its veterinary staff and consulting specialists continued treatment, but her condition deteriorated.
The cause of her illness and death had not been announced. The center said it planned to provide more information about her treatment and test results while working with state and federal wildlife agencies.
What happened to Jackie?
A Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation rescue team found Jackie near Big Bear Lake on July 17. She was weak and unable to fly after what officials described as an apparent fight with two subadult eagles near the Dana Point Park area.
The Ojai Raptor Center’s executive director, Chris Eksteen, told the Los Angeles Times that the fight likely left Jackie grounded but did not explain the symptoms that followed. He said the eagle appeared to have been sick for some time before she was found.
Jackie was transferred to the Ojai facility for medical care. Initial bloodwork showed severe anemia — a dangerously low level of red blood cells — and inflammation affecting the kidneys, according to a July 21 update from the center.
She received a blood transfusion and underwent additional diagnostic procedures, including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy, according to updates reported by USA Today and the Los Angeles Times. The available updates did not include the results of those tests.
Why were her blood levels important?
Veterinarians tracked Jackie’s packed cell volume, or PCV. This test measures the percentage of blood made up of red blood cells. A low PCV can limit the amount of oxygen carried through the body.
The Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie’s PCV fell to 13% on Aug. 3. It dropped below 6% on Aug. 8 and rose to 9% the next day. The center said a desired level was above 30%, but described the increase as only a small improvement. Jackie remained critically ill and unstable.
The center said her care involved nine veterinarians, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. After Jackie died, her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The supplied updates do not say whether a necropsy or toxicology testing will be conducted, or when wildlife officials might release further findings.
Why was Jackie widely known?
Jackie was associated with a Big Bear Valley nest monitored through livestream cameras operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley. Viewers watched her with her longtime partner, Shadow, and followed activity at the nest over several years.
Her death is the loss of one individual bald eagle. The information released so far does not establish a broader environmental or population trend, and officials have not identified an environmental cause for her illness. Further medical and wildlife-agency findings may clarify what happened.
