Big Bear bald eagles welcome first eaglet, second expected soon

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One of the eggs belonging to the famous bald eagle pair Jackie and Shadow has hatched, with the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley reporting that the fluffy eaglet emerged early Sunday morning after about 36 hours of the hatching process. A second eaglet is also expected to hatch soon, as observers continue to monitor the nest in Big Bear Lake, California.

Why it matters

The annual nesting and hatching of Jackie and Shadow's eaglets is a highly anticipated event that draws attention to the conservation efforts for bald eagles in the Big Bear Lake region. The successful hatching of these chicks is an important milestone for the local bald eagle population.

The details

The newly hatched eaglet was seen moving around the nest shortly after emerging from its egg on Easter morning. The nonprofit monitoring the nest said the hatching process took about 36 hours. A second egg is also in the process of hatching, and is expected to produce another eaglet soon.

• The first eaglet hatched early Sunday morning (April 5, 2026).
• The second eaglet is expected to hatch soon.

What’s next

Observers will continue to monitor the Big Bear Lake nest as the second eaglet is expected to hatch soon.