OJAI, Calif., Aug. 7 (Nationwide Times) — Jackie, the bald eagle known for her connection to Big Bear Valley’s nest camera, remains in critical condition while receiving round-the-clock veterinary care at the Ojai Raptor Center in California.
The latest update from the raptor center said Jackie’s packed cell volume, or PCV, had fallen from 16% to 13%. PCV measures the percentage of blood made up of red blood cells. A low result indicates anemia, a condition in which the blood cannot carry as much oxygen as it normally would.
Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie’s anemia had worsened and that its veterinary team was pursuing advanced diagnostic testing, including expedited laboratory work. The center has not identified the underlying cause of the anemia or the inflammation affecting her kidneys.
What happened to Jackie?
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team said it rescued an injured bald eagle after a fight with two other eagles and transported the bird to the Ojai Raptor Center. ABC News described that bird as presumed to be Jackie.
The available updates do not provide definitive identification details or explain the circumstances of the fight beyond the reports that it occurred in early July.
What treatment has she received?
Jackie received a blood transfusion using blood from Spirit, a resident bald eagle at the California Living Museum in Bakersfield. Ojai Raptor Center described the transfusion as an important milestone in her treatment.
The center also reported that testing ruled out lead poisoning and foreign objects such as fishing hooks, fishing lines and weights. Earlier reports mentioned testing for other possible exposures, including zinc or rodenticide, but the available updates do not provide final results for those tests.
After the transfusion, Jackie was reported to be eating independently, perching and showing more energy and alertness. Her PCV rose from 8% to 16% before later falling to 13%.
Is she still in intensive care?
Ojai Raptor Center previously reported that Jackie had moved from its intensive-care unit to a regular hospital care unit because she no longer needed oxygen therapy. The center cautioned at the time that she remained very sick and still required intensive treatment and monitoring.
The later decline in her PCV leaves her current hospital-unit status unclear. The available updates do not say whether she has returned to intensive care, provide a prognosis or give a possible release date.
What is known about her outlook?
The veterinary team continues to investigate why Jackie developed severe anemia and kidney inflammation. Ojai Raptor Center has described some changes — including eating, perching and improved alertness — as encouraging, but those signs do not resolve the larger medical uncertainty.
For now, the most recent reported condition is critical, with worsened anemia and additional testing underway. The case concerns one rehabilitating bald eagle and does not, by itself, provide evidence about the broader health or population status of bald eagles in California.
