Popular Science29%
Jackie the bald eagle’s anemia worsens 12%
By Laura Baisas20%
8/3/2026, 11:53:20 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 21 faulty reasoning types, including Negativity Bias, Confirmation Bias, and Ambiguity (Equivocation), with Availability Heuristic as the most egregious example at 12.6% saturation with 94 hits. Analysis detected 796 faulty-reasoning hits from 749 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 21.5% and a BS Rank of 12% (26,988 of 30,584 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 88.20% of the article peer group.
Internet-famous bald eagle mother Jackie is showing signs of worsening anemia.
According to her caretakers at the Ojai Raptor Center, her packed cell volume (PCV) has dropped to 13 percent, which means her anemia has worsened in the past two days.
“Our veterinary team is responding quickly,” they write .
“Additional advanced diagnostic testing is now underway, and expedited laboratory testing has been requested as we continue working to better understand her condition and guide the next steps in her treatment.”
Jackie was admitted to the care center two weeks ago.
She was found on the ground near Dana Point Park on July 17, following a short altercation with two other subadult eagles.
Cell phone video confirmed that the adult was able to fend off the other eagles by turning over and using her talons, but could not fly far away.
Back in Big Bear Valley, activity on the nest that she shares with partner Shadow has quieted down.
Their chicks, Sandy and Luna , have likely left the area on their own journeys.
This is a developing story and we will continue to provide updates.
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 (FOBBV) and has captivated millions.
On May 1, FOBBV announced the chicks’ names: Sandy and Luna .
Chicks usually stay in the nest until 10 to 14 weeks of age .
As of August 1, it appears the 2026 chicks have fully fledged.
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.
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.
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 after 54,000 names were submitted by fans.
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.
FOBBV accepts donations to support its conservation efforts in the area.
The organization recently reached a goal of raising $10 million to purchase land around Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains.
A $5.5 million donation from Anna and Greg Brockman pushed the fundraiser to its goal ahead of a deadline.
Greg Brockman is the co-founder and President of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
Before the Brockmans’ donation, more than 25,000 donations had raised almost half of the necessary funds.
You can help the rescue organization nursing Jackie back to health by donating to Ojai Raptor Center’s Bald Eagle Recovery Campaign .
The post Jackie the bald eagle’s anemia worsens appeared first on Popular Science .
Speakers
4speakers19%attributed speech606writer words
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100%flagged-word coverageOjai Raptor Center
30 attributed words21% of attributed speech68% writer coverage
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