Medical care continues for the celebrated and adored Big Bear bald eagle, Jackie, who recently underwent a late-night blood transfusion, announced Thursday afternoon by the Ojai Raptor Center, a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in Ventura County.
Over the weekend, Jackie, whose life is chronicled thanks to the environmental nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, was in an altercation with two other eagles. The incident seemingly left Jackie weakened and grounded for several hours before being rescued and transferred to Ojai.
The life-saving transfusion was made possible by another bald eagle, Spirit, a resident at the California Living Museum in Bakersfield, and the veterinary and animal care teams there, a Thursday afternoon Ojai Facebook post said.
Jackie’s condition remains “critical,” the post continues, as the Ojai medical team is still trying to understand why she remains anemic.
The mama bird has also made some other strides, Ojai reports.
“Initial testing has allowed us to rule out several potential causes, including lead toxicosis and the presence of foreign items such as fishing hooks, lines and weights. Her kidney inflammation appears to have improved,” the Facebook post reads.
The rehab center also says that Jackie is eating well and is able to perch.
Ojai said it plans to provide another update on Monday, July 27.
Friends of Big Bear Valley said in a July 22 Instagram post that Jackie’s mate, Shadow, continues to care for their 2026 eaglets, Sandy and Luna. The post also said the non-profit’s camera feed revealed Shadow perched next to another eagle – possibly female.
The post said FBBV spoke with an eagle expert on how Shadow may behave due to Jackie’s absence.
“The expert stated that due to the incredible bond Jackie and Shadow have, it would be unlikely for him to move on now. He won’t likely be looking for a mate until his hormones kick in. We believe that is around the end of December or early January,” the post read.
With Jackie still hospitalized, it’s unknown if or when she’d be released back into the wild.
Community support remains strong. The Ojai Facebook update post has received over 26,000 likes, 3,300 comments and has been shared 2,100 times, as of Thursday evening.
The Southern California News Group has also launched an online board for all who want to send Jackie their well-wishes.