Spring in Big Bear Valley has just become a little brighter. The beloved bald eagle pair, Jackie and Shadow, welcomed two fresh eaglets into the world after both of their eggs hatched over the weekend, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, the local wildlife organization that monitors the iconic nest with a live camera feed.
The Hatching Celebration
The first eaglet made its debut at roughly 9:30 p.m. on April 4, a moment captured by the nest’s live camera and shared on social media. Friends of Big Bear Valley noted that an eagle chick isn’t considered fully hatched until it’s completely free from its shell. The organization’s Facebook post celebrated the moment, describing the chick’s head popping out of the shell as a cheerful “hatch day” greeting to its parents.
Just a day later, the second egg began to “pip,” a term that signals the chick’s first break through the inner membrane and the shell. The second eaglet hatched just before 9 a.m. on April 5—only about 12 hours after the first—showing a remarkably swift progression from pip to full hatch. Friends of Big Bear Valley confirmed that both chicks were healthy and thriving.
Understanding the Hatching Stages
For those who may not be familiar with the intricacies of eagle hatching, the process can be broken down into a few key stages:
- Incubation: The female, Jackie, sits on the eggs for roughly 35 days, keeping them warm and safe.
- Breaking the shell: The chick’s beak pushes through the shell’s outer layer, a moment that can be seen on the live camera as a small crack.
- Pip: The chick breaks through the inner membrane and takes its first breath of air. This is the point where the chick is technically “hatched,” though it still remains inside the shell.
- Full hatch: The chick fully emerges from the shell, often within 24–48 hours after the pip.
Friends of Big Bear Valley explained that the second eaglet’s rapid transition from pip to full hatch—just 12 hours—was faster than the typical 24–48 hour window, a sign of healthy development.
Parenting Duties and Feeding the Newborns
With two new mouths to feed, Jackie and Shadow have their work cut out for them. The organization reported that the parents will provide the eaglets with small pieces of fish and other prey. The feeding process is a delicate dance: the parents must balance the eaglets’ growing appetite with the need to keep the nest safe from predators.
After hatching, eaglets grow quickly. Within just over two months, they can reach a size of approximately three feet. During this period, the parents will continue to bring fresh food, gradually increasing the portion size as the chicks’ digestive systems mature.
What to Expect as the Eaglets Grow
As the eaglets develop, observers can anticipate several milestones:
- Feather
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