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A Front-Row Seat to Big Bear's Most Famous Bald Eagle Nest

What Is the Big Bear Bald Eagle Cam?

The Big Bear eagle cam is a live wildlife camera system that allows people to watch Jackie and Shadow—Big Bear Lake’s resident bald eagle pair—in real time from their nest in the San Bernardino National Forest.

Unlike a documentary or recorded wildlife stream, the eagle cam shows whatever is happening naturally at that moment. Some days viewers tune in to major events like egg laying, hatchings, feeding, or storms. Other days, the eagles may simply sit quietly in the nest—or not appear at all.

What makes the camera unique is that it gives people access to something most wildlife watchers never experience: the ability to observe wild bald eagles up close without disturbing them.

Today, thousands of people follow the cam each nesting season to watch how Jackie and Shadow build the nest, incubate eggs, care for chicks, and move through the rhythms of life in the mountains.

And while most people refer to it as “the eagle cam,” there are actually two separate live camera views—one focused closely on the nest and another showing the surrounding tree and nearby perch areas. 

WHy Are there Two Eagle Cameras?

Many people are surprised to learn that the Big Bear eagle cam is actually made up of two separate live cameras, each showing a different view of Jackie and Shadow’s world.

The first is the nest camera—the view most people recognize. Positioned close to the nest, it gives viewers detailed looks at day-to-day activity inside the nest itself. This is where people watch egg laying, incubation shifts between Jackie and Shadow, chick feedings, nest maintenance, and many of the major moments that happen during eagle season.

The second is the wide-angle or roaming camera, which shows the surrounding tree, nearby perch branches, and sections of the surrounding forest. While it may seem less exciting at first, this camera often captures some of the most interesting behavior—arrivals and departures, hunting returns, interactions outside the nest, and moments when the pair is nearby but not sitting directly in the nest.

Together, the two cameras create a more complete picture of what life around the nest actually looks like.

The Story Behind the Eagle Cams

The Big Bear eagle cam was created to give people a way to observe wild bald eagles without disturbing them.

Installed and operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley in partnership with wildlife and forest officials, the camera allows viewers to experience nesting season up close while helping keep the actual nesting area protected.

Because Jackie and Shadow’s nest is located in protected National Forest habitat, most people would never have the opportunity to safely observe this level of behavior in person. The camera changed that by creating a window into a part of wildlife that is usually hidden—without requiring people to visit the nest itself.

Over time, the camera became more than a way to watch eagles.

It became a way to educate people about nesting behavior, show how unpredictable wildlife can be, and create appreciation for protecting habitat and giving animals space.



One of the reasons the Big Bear eagle cam became so well known is because very few bald eagle nests in North America are viewable from this close and with this level of quality.

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