Bald Eagle Nest in Big Bear — Watch Live Webcam Online

Bald Eagles in the San Bernardino Mountains

The online webcam is located in the San Bernardino National Forest, at an altitude of over two thousand meters above sea level. Big Bear Lake is a mountain lake in Southern California, surrounded by dense coniferous forests where bald eagles live year-round. This region has become home to several nesting pairs, and the wide-angle camera allows you to observe one of them in real time. If you want to see chicks — the best time to watch is from March to July, when the female lays eggs, and then the chicks grow and prepare for their first flight.

Life in the Nest: Female Jackie and Male Shadow

The broadcast shows two adult birds — female Jackie and male Shadow. Bald eagles form lifelong pairs, and this pair has returned to the nest for several seasons in a row. The female is larger than the male — this is a typical example of sexual dimorphism in birds of prey. The birds spend most of the day in the nest: they clean and redistribute nesting material, taking turns incubating the eggs. In the coniferous forest where the camera is installed, pine trees reach heights of 25–30 meters, and the nest is located high in the crown — this protects it from ground predators.

Incubation and Hatching of Chicks

When the female lays eggs, the incubation period begins, which lasts about 35 days. The clutch usually contains 1–3 eggs. Both birds participate in incubation, but the female spends more time on the eggs. Chicks are born covered in gray down and completely helpless. In the first weeks of life, they do not open their eyes and are entirely dependent on their parents. The real-time camera allows you to see the moment when the female helps the chick break out of the shell — this does not always happen during the day; sometimes the process stretches over a full day.

Diet of the Eagle Family

The main food for chicks is fish. Male Shadow brings large fish to the nest, which he catches in Big Bear Lake, and female Jackie tears it into small pieces and feeds the chicks. The diet also includes small rodents and waterfowl. During the feeding period, parents bring food up to 8–10 times a day. On the broadcast, you can see the male appearing on the edge of the nest with prey — this usually happens in the morning or evening when fish rise to the water's surface.

When Chicks Leave the Nest

Bald eagle chicks make their first flight at the age of 8–12 weeks. By this time, they are covered in dark plumage, reach the size of an adult bird, and actively flap their wings to strengthen their muscles. The first flight often ends in failure — a young eagle may land on lower branches or even on the ground. Parents continue to feed it for several more weeks until it learns to hunt on its own. You can watch this process on the camera in real time — this usually happens in June or July.

Night Life of the Nest: IR Illumination

The camera is equipped with infrared illumination, which neither eagles nor humans can see — it is detected only by the lens. At night, female Jackie sleeps in the nest, and male Shadow rests on a nearby tree. Infrared illumination allows you to observe the birds around the clock without any interference in their natural behavior. In the dark, you can distinguish the outlines of the nest, the position of the birds, and sometimes — the movement of chicks if they have already hatched. This is a unique opportunity to see wildlife in the San Bernardino Mountains without artificial lighting.

What You Can See on the Camera

The wide-angle camera shows the nesting territory of the bald eagle in the coniferous forest. On the branch of a tall pine tree sit two bald eagles — a male and a female. The birds have a characteristic black body and white head. In the background, a blurred mountain landscape with coniferous trees is visible. In the lower left corner is the logo of the organization Friends of Big Bear Valley. The online webcam operates around the clock, allowing you to observe the life of these majestic birds at any time of day. There is also a second camera with a wide viewing angle, which shows the trees, weather, and activity around Big Bear Lake; however, the main hunting and feeding of chicks takes place at the nest and is broadcast on this camera.