Jackie & Shadow’s Big Bear Eaglets Named Sandy & Luna

Big Bear eaglets named Sandy and Luna after student vote, public fundraiser and tribute to late director

Big Bear Lake’s bald eaglets have names: Sandy and Luna, chosen after about 64,000 public submissions and a classroom vote by third graders — a process that also honors late Friends of Big Bear Valley director Sandy Steers.

Key takeaways

• Sandy (hatched April 4) and Luna (hatched April 5) were named after a public fundraiser of nearly 64,000 submissions and a final ballot vote by local third-grade classes.
• Sandy was the single most popular public submission (3,706 entries) and also won the student vote for Chick 1; Luna won Chick 2 in the classroom tally.
• The name Sandy also serves as a tribute to long‑time Friends of Big Bear Valley director Sandy Steers, who launched the nest cam in 2015.

How the names were chosen: public fundraiser to classroom vote

Friends of Big Bear Valley opened a name‑submission drive as part of a fundraiser. The public responded with tens of thousands of ideas — recorded at about 63,915 to 64,000 total entries — reflecting strong community interest in the nest and local wildlife.

From those submissions, the nonprofit randomly selected 30 gender‑neutral options to place on ballots distributed to third‑grade students studying bald eagle biology and local habitat. The students cast the final votes: Sandy received 30 votes for the April 4 chick and Luna received 25 votes for the April 5 chick.

Organizers also published overall tallies from the public submissions: Sandy appeared 3,706 times among the nearly 64,000 entries. The process combined crowd participation, fundraising, and hands‑on learning for children — a blend of civic engagement and environmental education that supporters say strengthens community ties.

A tribute to Sandy Steers and the eagle cam legacy

The choice of the name Sandy also honors Sandy Steers, the longtime executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, who launched the Big Bear bald eagle cam in 2015 and died in February after a battle with cancer.

FOBBV said while Steers “would not have wanted us to outright name one of the eaglets Sandy,” she would have been honored by the students and the public’s choice.

The eagle cam — started by Steers and maintained by the nonprofit — has become central to Big Bear’s profile online, enabling thousands of viewers to follow Jackie and Shadow through courtship, hatching and chick‑rearing, while helping raise donations and support for local conservation work.

Telling the chicks apart: early signs and behavior

The two chicks hatched on April 4 and April 5, 2026, and at nearly one month old each weigh roughly 3 pounds, after growing from about 2 ounces at hatching. Observers watching the nest cam report subtle early differences:

• Sandy (April 4): appears larger with a bigger head and neck and a slight curve to the gape; described by some observers as more submissive.
• Luna (April 5): slightly smaller but has shown more aggressive behavior in early feeding interactions; sibling “bonking” has declined as they form a bond.

Note: FOBBV cautioned these traits are preliminary and may change as the chicks grow; sexes have not yet been determined.

Why the process matters: transparency, education and fundraising

The naming model tied a public submission fundraiser to a final classroom vote. That approach raises practical and civic questions: while it broadened participation, organizers randomly culled entries to 30 options before the classroom vote, concentrating the final choice into a smaller set of names. Supporters argue the model balances wide public input with a manageable ballot and adds an educational component.

Involving third‑grade students connected wildlife stewardship to classroom learning and curriculum goals. Teachers reported the vote was integrated into lessons on bald eagle biology and habitat, giving students hands‑on experience with civic processes and conservation.

Finally, the enduring popularity of the Big Bear bald eagle cam shows how livestream platforms can fund volunteer and nonprofit work: the 24‑hour stream draws global viewers and supports fundraising, awareness and community engagement. Last season’s chicks were named Sunny and Gizmo after a similar public participation process.

Follow the nest live: where to watch

Watch Sandy and Luna on the Big Bear Bald Eagle nest cam, a 24‑hour YouTube livestream maintained by Friends of Big Bear Valley: Big Bear bald eagle cam. A direct watch link for the cam stream is available as well: watch the nest livestream.

Reporting and sources

This report draws on announcements and coverage from Friends of Big Bear Valley and local media reporting. See original reporting here: ABC7, LAist, Popular Science, and community coverage at VVNG.

Implications for the United States

Economic impact: The Big Bear bald eagle cam exemplifies how local conservation projects can attract national and international attention, converting viewers into donors and supporters. That attention supports local fundraising, education programs and volunteer staffing.

Political consequences: Bald eagles remain a potent national symbol. Community-backed, education‑oriented projects provide visible, low‑cost conservation wins that local officials and policymakers can highlight as civic engagement successes.

Social and cultural effects: The naming process connected donors, students and viewers. It gave children a stake in local nature and blended national symbolism with a local human story — particularly through honoring Sandy Steers — appealing across civic lines.

Practical applications

For educators: the Big Bear model shows how nonprofits and schools can partner for curriculum‑linked activities that include voting, observation and data collection. For conservation groups: livestreams expand reach and fundraising. For civic leaders: supporting such partnerships provides visible, cost‑effective wins for environmental education and community pride.

What to watch next

Follow Sandy and Luna as they grow on the Big Bear bald eagle cam. For more on the naming drive and Friends of Big Bear Valley announcements, see the source coverage linked above.