Jackie eagle avian influenza findings explain her long decline
Key takeaways
- Bird flu caused Jackie's decline and a severe stomach ulcer.
- The ulcer caused blood loss, low red cells, and a second infection.
- Shadow and the eaglets show no signs of illness, based on camera checks.
Jackie, the beloved Big Bear bald eagle, died from bird flu. A necropsy, which is an animal autopsy, confirmed it as the main cause. Avian influenza, known as bird flu, led to a stomach ulcer.
The ulcer caused steady blood loss inside her body. That blood loss led to a second infection. Together, these problems caused her decline and death.
What happened
Jackie lived in Big Bear Valley in California. She hatched in 2012. She was the first eaglet hatched in the valley.
Millions watched her life on a live nest camera. She shared the valley with her mate, Shadow. Her story drew wide care for bald eagles.
Jackie first mated with an eagle named Mr B. Their eggs hatched in 2018. One young eagle died after a storm.
The other, named Stormy, left Big Bear that summer. She later mated with Shadow. The pair held the valley for years.
Her health fell in the summer. Vets at Ojai Raptor Center gave her care. She stayed there for weeks.
She got a blood transfusion. The transfusion gave her new blood. She still died in August.
Ojai Raptor Center gave Jackie a safe place to rest. Its team fed her and watched her blood. Chris Eksteen leads the center.
He said caring for her was a great honor. His team worked with many vets and labs. They tried to find the cause of her illness.
State officials shared the necropsy results on October 14. Vets at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance did the exam. It found bird flu in several parts of her body.
The necropsy looked at many parts of her body. It found virus bits in several tissues. The ulcer tissue held virus bits too.
The virus had caused a severe ulcer in her stomach. The ulcer sat in the ventriculus. The ventriculus is the muscular part of a bird's stomach.
People often call it the gizzard. The sore tissue kept bleeding inside her body. That bleeding led to anemia.
Anemia means low red blood cells. Red cells carry oxygen through the body. With too few red cells, the body grows weak.
Why did the ulcer matter so much? A sore in the stomach bleeds each day. Day by day, blood loss grows.
Low blood leaves the body weak. The bird tires fast. It cannot heal well.
The open sore also let germs enter her body. Those germs caused a second, serious infection. Doctors call this kind of blood infection sepsis.
Her heart and large blood vessels also showed harm. They had swelling and blood clots. The virus left its mark in more than one place.
Tests ruled out some other causes. Jackie did not have West Nile virus. That virus has caused West Nile virus deaths in people.
Lead and other heavy metals tested within acceptable limits. They were not linked to her decline. The team also checked for other poisons.
Tests found a rat poison chemical in her liver. The chemical is called brodifacoum. It is a chemical that slows blood clotting.
But her body did not show that kind of bleeding. So it was not the main cause of her death. Tests also found other lasting chemicals from the environment.
Jackie's illness had more than one cause. Bird flu was the main cause. The other problems grew from it.
Her care team said the case had many linked problems. Each problem made the next one worse. The illness had built up over time.
Her remains were cremated after her death. The US Fish and Wildlife Service handled this step. The step followed safety rules for bird flu.
Why it matters
Bird flu mostly harms birds. It has spread in wild birds across the United States. Ducks and shorebirds often carry the virus.
Eagles can catch it from sick birds. They can also catch it by eating sick prey. That is how vets think Jackie was exposed.
HPAI stands for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The name means a strong form of bird flu. Strong forms can harm birds fast.
This case was rare in one key way. The virus struck her stomach in an odd form. Most cases do not cause this kind of ulcer.
That odd form made care hard. Vets could see low red cells. They could not see the full cause at first.
Steve Kubiski of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance spoke on the results. He said the necropsy confirmed bird flu as the main cause. His team did the exam after her death.
The case also shows why tests matter. One test alone did not tell the full story. Lab work, toxicology tests, and the exam all added facts.
Rest and close care helped Jackie for a time. Rest helps a sick body heal. Read how sleep works to see why rest matters.
Wild birds face many threats at once. Poisons, germs, and viruses can all hit one bird. Jackie's case shows that hard mix.
Measles also spreads fast in people. Pennsylvania faces a large outbreak now. Read the Pennsylvania measles outbreak for the facts.
What happens next
Shadow still lives in Big Bear. Camera checks show no signs of illness in him. The eaglets also show no signs of illness.
Wildlife teams will keep watch through the nest camera. They will look for any change in the birds. Early care can help if a bird grows sick.
The nest camera will keep running. Fans can watch Shadow and the eaglets. Their health will show on camera first.
Vets can use Jackie's case to help other eagles. The case shows how bird flu can hide in the stomach. It may guide care for sick raptors.
CDFW Director Meghan Hertel spoke about the lessons. She said the results can help care for other eagles. She thanked the teams who cared for Jackie.
People can help by guarding eagle homes. Safe habitat gives eagles food and space. Jackie's life showed why that care counts.
Jackie drew millions of eyes to bald eagles. Her death leaves a gap in Big Bear Valley. Her case may now save other birds.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice.
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