The culprit behind the ailing health of Jackie, the famous Big Bear bald eagle mom whose condition has made more headlines, remains a mystery.
Less than two weeks ago, the mama bird was found grounded for hours after a fight with two young adult eagles, and has been receiving medical treatment — including oxygen therapy — at the Ojai Raptor Center. On Wednesday, July 29, the center announced Jackie had left its intensive care unit.
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Chris Eksteen, executive director of the Ventura County-based rescue facility, said Friday, July 31, that in those two weeks, veterinarians and specialists have worked “around the clock” to determine why Jackie became critically ill.
In a video posted Friday afternoon, he said that the fight likely left her grounded, but officials don’t believe that caused her illness.
“What we are seeing suggests that she has been unwell for some time before she was found,” Eksteen said.
Jackie has undergone extensive treatments, including physical exams, blood work, toxicology screening and a blood transfusion that veterinarians called “life-saving.” Her donor was a bald eagle in Bakersfield, a resident at the California Living Museum.
“Every new piece of information has brought us closer to understanding her condition and guiding the next steps in her treatment,” Eksteen said in the post.
Jackie’s blood work still shows anemia and an elevated white blood cell count, “which tells us her body is responding to inflammation, stress or a possible infection,” he said in the video.
Her packed cell volume — which measures the percentage of white blood cells — has improved to 17%, and the eagle remains stable, Eksteen said. Officials would ideally like to see the cell volume at “above 30%.”
“While we know much more today than we did a week ago, there are still many unanswered questions in this very complex case,” he said.
Officials have ruled out zinc and lead toxicity/poisoning, a fungal infection known as aspergillosis, rodenticide poisoning and renal disease.
The results “are encouraging, but have not told us what is making Jackie sick,” Eksteen said.
Officials will continue monitoring blood, the eagle’s cell count and testing for less common heavy metals and toxins and monitoring her lungs.
“It can be a slow process … while providing supportive care and watching closely how (Jackie) responds. Recovery will take weeks, if not months,” he added. “Every day brings a new challenge but also a new opportunity to help her.”
Eksteen thanked supporters for their donations, prayers and well wishes for “bald eagle 26-519,” their name for Jackie.
Her life with partner Shadow and their 2026 eaglets, Sandy and Luna has been widely broadcast via a continuous livestream operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley, an environmental nonprofit group. And it’s made the Big Bear Lake residents into social media stars.
The Friends said that eaglets Sandy and Luna were seen on camera in the Big Bear area in late July, but “may have left the area on their great journey.” As for Shadow, a post said he could be loyal to his nest, territory, and to Jackie.