Why did more than a million people weep over the death of Jackie, the Big Bear Lake eagle who captured the attention of viewers all over the world?

The Big Bear Lake Eagles

In 2012, a bald eagle pair nicknamed Ricky and Lucy built a nest on Big Bear Lake in California. Other eagles had visited the lake, but none had ever nested there. Before long, Lucy laid an egg, and she and Ricky incubated it.

Their eaglet, Jackie, became the first eagle hatched on Big Bear Lake. Jackie grew, fledged, and left the area.

Several years later, she returned to the now-abandoned nest of her parents to begin a family of her own. And eagle cam, placed in the nest by the Forestry Service, provided an up-close, 24-hour feed that captured the day-to-day happenings in the 50-foot-high nest.

My Turn

I began watching the feed two years ago as Jackie and her mate, Shadow, prepared the nest for nesting season. They brought sticks, fluff, sticks, and more sticks to reinforce the structure and make it cozy. Watching them build and prepare was fascinating. It reminded me of when my husband and I prepared the nursery for our first baby girl.

When Jackie laid three beautiful eggs, I, along with her world-wide audience, rejoiced. Kind of like the excitement I felt the day two pink lines appeared on my own pregnancy test.

Through the wonder of technology, viewers watched the pair take turns incubating the eggs, turning them, guarding them, and keeping them warm. A brutal snowstorm struck the area, and we anxiously watched as Jackie hunkered down to keep her eggs from freezing as snow piled around her. 

When the storm ended, all we could see was her head poking out above the snow-filled nest. The epitome of a dedicated mother, she’d remained on the nest without eating or drinking for 60 hours. Who wouldn’t love her? What mother couldn’t identify with her?

When the first crack appeared in one of Jackie and Shadow’s eggs, I, along with her adoring fans watched in fascination. When all three eaglets chipped their way out, I felt like a proud grandma. 

Tragedy Strikes

Then tragedy struck. Another winter storm endangered the eaglets, who were now too big to fully fit under Jackie’s body. When the storm ended, the tiniest eagle had perished.

I’ve never lost a baby, and I’d never compare an eaglet to a human baby, but the mother heart that beats in my breast grieved over that little lost creature. 

As the season progressed, I watched Jackie and Shadow feed and nurture their babies. They caught fish after fish after fish, hauled them up to the nest, tore off tiny bits, and poked them into their babies’ mouths. All. Day. Long. 

I haven’t fed my children raw fish (no sushi at our house), but I have spooned mouthfuls of puree into my daughter’s mouths day after day after day. I knew how mama Jackie must have felt.

As the eaglets grew, silky feathers replaced their grey fluff. They learned to feed themselves from the fish Jackie and Shadow provided. They ate like teenagers—non-stop and voraciously. I marveled, remembering similar days of struggling to feed my teenagers. I feel ya, Jackie, I thought, as she headed out on another food run.

The eagle kids, now almost as large as their parents, grew wing feathers and crept to the edge of the nest to practice flapping. I and the rest of their fans checked in often. Like a parent watching for her child’s first steps, I didn’t want to miss seeing those babies fledge. 

When they did, my heart soared with them, and I shouted, “Woohoo!” I wiped unexpected tears from my eyes. I’d shed similar tears as I watched my daughter’s tail lights fade in the distance as she drove away to college for the first time.

This Year

This year, Jackie and Shadow raised two more eaglets. I and the rest of their Big Bear Lake family cheered them on, checked on them, and, I’ll admit, worried about them. Nature, like life, is uncertain and sometimes cruel.

Crows breached their first clutch of eggs, but, wonder of wonder, Jackie laid two more. She and her faithful Shadow incubated, hatched, fed, and defended their babies. Both eaglets fledged, and I cheered again, proud of my eagle compatriot.

The Unthinkable

But on July 18, the unthinkable happened. Jackie, weakened and sick (from the demands of laying two clutches of eggs and raising two eagles?), was found struggling in Big Bear Lake, unable to fly. 

Residents of BBL who knew and loved her sounded the alarm. Rescue teams from several agencies responded, ultimately taking her to a raptor rehab center. 

Despite excellent care, Jackie continued to weaken.

In the wee hours of August 10, Jackie died.

I, along with a million of her fans, wept.

Why did we weep?

Why did we cry over an eagle (not a person or a pet) who lived thousands of miles away?

Without elevating an animal to the level of a human, I think it’s because we identify with God’s creatures. Jesus often used animals to touch the hearts of people. In fact, He compared people to ants, sheep, and hard-headed Billy goats.

Maybe I cried because I saw Jackie overcome obstacles like the ones I’ve fought.

She embodied the qualities I want to live out:

She was committed to her mate, a noble calling no matter what our species.

She worked tirelessly to build a home for her babies, something all good mothers do.

She sacrificed to bring her young into the world. 

She nurtured and cared for them.

She defended them against intruders, physical threats, and their own foolishness. (Can I get an amen from the mothers of teenagers out there?)

She was noble, beautiful, and graceful.

I don’t think it’s an accident that God chose the eagle as an example of what we humans can do with God’s help. The Bible mentions eagles more than thirty times.

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). 

Some might criticize me and the million other viewers who cried over an eagle we’ve never met.

Tears Aren’t a Bad Thing

But I don’t think our tears are a bad thing.

They show that underneath the hard shell of our society, tender hearts still beat.

The world still celebrates mothers who sacrifice to raise their children.

And people still cheer for underdogs.

Fly high, Jackie. 

Thank you for touching my life and being a beautiful example of God’s creation.

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Now it’s your turn. Have you watched the eagle cam at Big Bear Lake? What beautiful qualities have you seen in God’s creatures? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. 

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To read the history of the eagles of Big Bear Lake, click HERE.

To watch the Live Stream of the Friends of Big Bear Lake nest cam, click HERE.

To become part of the Friends of Big Bear Lake Facebook page, click HERE.

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