(This story has been updated to include additional information.)
On Friday, January 30, more than three hours after leaving the nest, Jackie and Shadow’s eagle eggs were damaged by invasive birds near Big Bear Lake.
At about 11:54 a.m., one of the condor parents stood up from two eggs and left the nest in a 140-foot-tall Jeffrey pine tree in the San Bernardino Mountains.
More than three hours after abandoning the nest, Jackie and Shadow’s eagle eggs are damaged by invasive crows near Big Bear Lake.
Around 3:36 p.m., a crow landed and approached the eagle’s nest, then left and returned several times. The bird stared at the sky and the egg as a second crow landed near the nest, approaching the egg. At 3:31 p.m., an invasive bird began pecking at the eggs.
At 3:33 pm, the crow started pecking harder until it removed an eagle egg from the nest and broke it. The damage to the second egg appeared to be lessened when the birds left around 3:38 p.m.
At 3:46 pm, Jackie returned and started hatching eggs again.
On Monday, January 26, 2026, famous Big Bear Bald Eagle couple Jackie and Shadow sighted the second egg of the 2026 season.
The entire scene was captured live on Friends of Big Bear Valley’s Nest Cam
Nonprofit organizations respond
FOBBV Director Sandy Steer, who had not commented on the event as of 4 p.m., has updated the public on the eagle’s status via Facebook.
Friends of the Big Bear Valley later said both eggs were lost, but there was still a chance Jackie would lay another set of eggs during the 2026 nesting season.
Just before 7pm, FOBBV recounted the incident.
Shadow left the lair before noon. Jackie didn’t come in, and Shadow didn’t come back for hours.
“We will never know why, but we are sure they have their reasons as they have been faithfully hatching their eggs,” the nonprofit said. “After they left the nest, we observed that one of the eggs looked like it was broken, which we were able to confirm through camera zoom.”
They added that Jackie and Shadow may have sensed something was wrong with the egg. They may also be protecting their territory, as many other vultures have been seen in the valley recently.
Late in the afternoon, the crow came to the nest and broke two eggs. Jackie soon returned and continued incubating one of the cracked eggs.
“It is possible that Jackie will lay a second clutch of eggs as the eggs were lost early on and we are still early in the season, but there are no guarantees,” FOBBV said. “Jackie and Shadow need to stop incubating first. It usually takes a month for the female’s body to recover and be ready to lay eggs again.”
spawning
Jackie and Shadow welcomed the eggs into the family’s nest less than a week ago.
Egg laying began on Monday, January 26, at approximately 4:57 p.m., with the second egg of the season arriving at approximately 5:09 p.m.
After the nest was abandoned, many netizens posted on Facebook that the eggs looked cracked.
Big Bear Lake hawk couple Jackie and Shadow are awaiting the first egg of 2026, which arrived nearly a week later on Friday, January 23.
FOBBV posted that bald eagle eggshells are thick and strong. “They may have nesting material stuck to or around them. This is completely normal. What often looks like cracks is often nesting material. Please stay calm and enjoy your time as an eagle!”
To learn more about the eagle family’s joyful and tragic egg-laying history, read the daily news story “Second Egg for Big Bear Eagle Couple Jackie and Shadow Arrives.”
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz can be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared in the Victorville Daily Press: Jackie and Shadow’s eagle eggs abandoned, damaged by invasive birds
