Two Bald Eagle Chicks Hatch in California, Live on Camera — but a Nearby Development Could Drive Them Away

Over the 2026 Easter weekend, tens of thousands of viewers tuned in to witness the birth of two bald eagle chicks hatching high in the mountains of Southern California. The event, livestreamed from a nest perched deep in the San Bernardino National Forest, quickly became a viral celebration of new life and the perfect event to welcome in spring.

The eaglets belong to Jackie and Shadow, a well-known bald eagle pair whose nesting journey has been captivating audiences for years. But even as their family grows, a nearby development project is raising urgent questions about whether we’ll be able to enjoy the lives of this iconic pair for much longer.

“Nature provides a healing type of therapy for many people. Jackie and Shadow have unique personalities that viewers can relate to, as well as the dynamics of their relationship. They teach us many lessons in resilience,” Jenny Voisard, media manager for Friends of Big Bear Valley, told Discover.

Two Bald Eagles Hatch — What Happens Next?

The first chick emerged around 9:30 p.m. GMT on Saturday, April 4, 2026, followed by a second chick early Sunday morning. The hatchings drew massive live audiences, with thousands watching in real time as the chicks struggled free from their shells — a process that can take hours of effort and energy.

“I think people were a little surprised that they hatched so quickly. It is an arduous process for the eaglets to break free of the inner membrane and outer shell of the egg,” explained Voisard to Discover. “The first eaglet hatched at night on Saturday and 19,000 were watching live[…]. The next morning 45,000 people watched chick 2 hatch on Easter Sunday.”

Although they hatched quite quickly, the eaglets will grow up even faster, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. Bald eagle chicks grow at an astonishing pace, reaching near full skeletal size within about nine weeks. Before they ever take flight, they’ll practice balancing and flapping inside the nest, gradually building strength for their first leap that’ll take place between 10 and 14 weeks after hatching.

“Now we watch them figure out how to eat and be siblings. Their first instinct is to compete for food so they will bonk each other and fall on top of each other. Then they bond and grow up,” Voisard told Discover.

If all goes well, the chicks will leave the nest by fall, beginning years of travel and learning before reaching maturity around age five.

Read More: Endangered Mountain Gorillas See Rare Twin Birth in Congo’s Virunga Park

Why a Proposed Development Could Put the Eagle Family At Risk

Despite the success of Jackie and Shadow’s latest hatchlings, a proposed luxury housing and marina development less than a mile from the nest is raising serious ecological concerns.

According to a press release from the Friends of Big Bear Valley, the project targets an area known as Moon Camp — one of the last remaining stretches of natural shoreline in the area.

“The development will cause shoreline degradation, which means habitat destruction for fish and waterfowl and stress for birds that nest in the area,” explained Voisard to Discover. “Jackie and Shadow rely on that shoreline to perch and forage for food so it will be harder for them to raise chicks. The noise and disturbance may cause them to leave altogether. There is no more natural shoreline left but this.”

For now, viewers can continue to watch and celebrate Jackie and Shadow’s growing family. But, in worst-case scenarios, the upcoming development could drive the pair away from the beloved nest they’ve returned to year after year.

Article Sources

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