Laura is a science news writer, covering a wide variety of subjects, but she is particularly fascinated by all things aquatic, paleontology, nanotechnology, and exploring how science influences daily life. Laura is a proud former resident of the New Jersey shore, a competitive swimmer, and a fierce defender of the Oxford comma.
ArticleBody:It's that time of year again! Internet-famous eagle couple Jackie and Shadow have two new chicks in need of names. For a small donation, you can submit your name suggestion on the Friends of Big Bear Valley website.
'We are a nonprofit and your generosity helps us provide the livestream ad free, as a public benefit for all. Our website is THE ONLY PLACE to submit chick names for consideration,' the organization wrote in a social media post. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXKQYkVCMk7/?igsh=b3p5dzhmODYyMTEy Name suggestions will be taken until Sunday, April 26 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. FOBBV will then take a random sample and provide a list of finalist names to a group of third graders in Big Bear Valley. That intrepid group of youngsters will have the final say. Last year, FOBBV received over 54,000 name suggestions. The students then chose from 31 names including Skye, Crackle, Talon, Blaze, and Bell. In the end, the kids decided on Sunny and Gizmo. In 2022, Jackie and Shadow’s chick was named Spirit from the 10,000 names that were submitted. The tradition of having these youngsters choose the name goes back to Jackie’s parents, Ricky and Lucy. Jackie and Shadow’s 2026 babies: Everything you need to know It’s been another roller coaster nesting season for Jackie and Shadow, a pair of internet-famous bald eagle parents living in San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. After two of their eggs were destroyed by ravens in January, Jackie and Shadow laid two new eggs that have successfully hatched. Chick 1 hatched on April 4 at 9:33 p.m. PDT, while Chick 2 followed on April 5 at 8:30 a.m. Their large nest in Big Bear Valley east of Los Angeles is livestreamed 24 hours a day by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley and has captivated millions. How long will the chicks stay in the nest? Chicks usually stay in the nest until 10 to 14 weeks of age. What challenges do the eaglets face? Before leaving the nest, the chicks face threats from other birds of prey, including hawks, ravens, other eagles, and owls. Inclement weather can also present challenges for the chicks. In 2025, a March snowstorm resulted in the death of one of Jackie and Shadow’s three chicks. During fledging, only 70 percent of eaglets survive. One of the greatest threats is from cars that can injure or kill the birds while they scavenge for food on roadkill. Who are Jackie and Shadow? The pair first got together in 2018 and successfully raised chicks in 2019 and 2022. However, their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. Only 50 percent of eagle eggs successfully hatch, so this pair has already beaten the odds. What happened to Jackie and Shadow’s 2025 eaglets? In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. On March 13, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong winds. Only two of the chicks were visible on the live cam when the storm passed by the next morning. FOBBV later confirmed the passing of one of the chicks. The two surviving chicks were later named Sunny and Gizmo. What happens after chicks fledge? Young eagles usually fledge–or leave the nest and fly–when they can flatten their wings and have feathers capable of flight. This typically occurs when the birds hit 10 to 14 weeks of age. Males also tend to take their first flight a little sooner than females. According to FOBBV, fledglings from Southern California have been spotted as far south as Baja California, as far north as British Columbia, and as far east as Yellowstone National Park.About 70 percent of bald eagles survive the fledgling stage. FOBBV does not tag their eagles, so it’s not possible to follow the chicks’ journeys after they flee the nest.
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