Bald eagles named Jackie and Shadow built a nest in CA and chicks could be next

A pair of California bald eagles could hatch chicks soon, officials said.

The San Bernardino National Forest is preparing for new bald eagles to come, the forest said Tuesday.

“It’s that time of year again,” the national forest said on Twitter. “One of forest’s bald eagles pairs are working on their nest in the Big Bear area.”

The two eagles known as Jackie and Shadow have been preparing a nest in recent weeks, national forest officials said in a news release. They have been gathering sticks and other building materials, which shows their intent to mate.

To help keep the nest safe, a hiking trail near Big Bear Lake and picnic area were shut down.

“The closure helps protect the nesting site and maintain natural bald eagle behavior,” forest officials said. “The species is sensitive to human interference and may abandon nesting activities, including eggs and offspring, if feeling threatened.”

The bald eagle was previously listed as an endangered species, and the number of nesting pairs has been monitored in the continental U.S., according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

In California, the best time to see bald eagles is from December to March because they are migrating, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife reported.

“On some midwinter statewide surveys, more than 1,000 bald eagles have been counted in California,” Fish and Wildlife said. “The largest concentration of wintering eagles is found in the Klamath Basin, on the California-Oregon border.”

People interested in spotting Jackie and Shadow’s nest can watch live on YouTube.

This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Bald eagles named Jackie and Shadow built a nest in CA and chicks could be next."