Jackie the Big Bear Bald Eagle: Tests Identify Bird Flu as Underlying Cause of Death
Published October 25, 2026.
Big Bear Valley, California — October 14, 2026. California wildlife officials identified highly pathogenic avian influenza as the underlying cause of Jackie the bald eagle's fatal decline, releasing findings from a necropsy and further laboratory tests. Jackie died August 9 while receiving care at the Ojai Raptor Center; the October announcement explains an illness that was still under investigation at her death.
What the examination found
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, pathologists at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance found a severe stomach ulcer associated with the infection. Persistent blood loss and anemia followed, along with a serious secondary bacterial infection. Testing detected avian influenza viral genetic material in several tissues, including the ulcerated stomach tissue.
Toxicology also detected brodifacoum, an anticoagulant rodent poison, in the liver. Officials did not identify it as the primary cause: the necropsy lacked the pattern of uncontrolled bleeding typically associated with that poisoning. Detecting a chemical establishes exposure, but the examination has to connect the findings to the disease process before assigning cause.
The agency's August account says Jackie entered care July 18 after being found grounded and received intensive treatment for more than three weeks, including a blood transfusion. The later findings add an explanation; they do not move the date of her death to October.
Beyond the Headlines
An individual diagnosis does not reveal the infection route
The October release describes ways raptors may encounter avian influenza through infected birds or prey, but it does not identify how Jackie acquired her infection. It also reports no evidence of illness in Shadow or the eaglets from camera observations. That statement is limited to what those observations showed, rather than a laboratory diagnosis or a forecast of their future health.
The distinction matters for people following a nest camera: visible activity can answer some questions about a bird's condition, while a cause-of-death investigation requires different evidence. Jackie's case supplies a diagnosis for one eagle, not an estimate of infection prevalence among all Big Bear birds.
What pet owners can do with the wider warning
Separate FDA guidance identifies domestic and wild cats as particularly susceptible to H5N1. It also says dogs can become infected, even though the clinical picture often differs. The agency warns about uncooked meat and unpasteurized milk, and advises keeping animals from hunting or consuming wild birds. This guidance concerns preventable exposure routes; it does not show that a pet encountered Jackie or the same source of infection.
If a cat or dog becomes ill after a possible exposure, seek veterinary care and describe that exposure. FDA's listed warning signs include low appetite, lethargy, breathing difficulty and neurologic changes such as tremors or incoordination. These signs do not diagnose bird flu on their own. They give owners a reason to contact the veterinarian promptly while providing the history needed for assessment.
Sources & further reading
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife — October 14, 2026 Jackie investigation results: necropsy and laboratory testing; agency account, not independent of care partners.
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife — August 11, 2026 Jackie update: care timeline and death, from the same agency.
- FDA — Reducing H5N1 risk in cats: food and wildlife exposure guidance; not evidence of an individual animal’s infection route.