Officials are working to identify an adult eagle that was rescued in Big Bear Valley after community members saw it on the ground for hours and fighting with other eagles, leading fans to believe the bird may be part of the beloved Big Bear eagle pair, Jackie and Shadow.
The eagle is being treated at a specialty care facility after it was picked up by county officials. Jenny Voisard, media manager with Friends of Big Bear Valley, said the bird has not been identified, but the organization has not seen Jackie on its livestream cameras for several days. The organization said Jackie is not banded, and they don’t yet know how many visiting eagles are in the area.
Neighbors saw the grounded bird on land near Dana Point Park on Friday, peculiar behavior for eagles, Voisard said, who prefer to perch when they’re not flying. It could be a sign the eagle is tired or injured, but no root cause has been determined, Voisard said.
“They’re built to perch on trees and in branches,” Voisard said. “They’re not usually just hanging out on the ground level. “
People in the area recorded video of the grounded eagle fighting with two subadult eagles, meaning they’re older than eaglets but not yet adults. The eagle was able to flip onto its back and use its talons to defend against the subadult eagles who were trying to steal its fish, Voisard said.
Fighting is normal for subadult eagles, Voisard said, who typically fight other eagles for fish before learning to hunt for themselves.
After the fight, the eagle stayed grounded for hours, and rescuers arrived around 2 a.m. Saturday, Voisard said.
Friends of Big Bear Valley said it is in contact with the organizations caring for the eagle and that concerned community members should refrain from reaching out to not overwhelm them.
“Try not to panic,” Voisard told fans worried about the eagle. “It was good that the eagle was able to get help. I think that we should just be very grateful for that, and we’re all hoping for a positive outcome.”
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