Just one week after Californians and eagle enthusiasts around the world mourned the death of Jackie, the beloved bald eagle who captivated millions through a livestream camera overlooking Big Bear Lake, a new bird has unexpectedly become the focus of attention.
Her name, at least according to fans, is Katie.
The young eagle, officially known as KD1, has been spotted multiple times near Shadow, Jackie's longtime mate, sparking hope among viewers that a new chapter may be beginning in one of California's most watched wildlife stories. Wildlife experts caution that it is far too early to know whether the two birds will become mates, but recent appearances together have offered comfort to a fan base still grieving Jackie's loss.
The new eagle sidling up to Shadow isn't officially named Katie though that's what many of Jackie and Shadow's fans have taken to calling her. She's actually named KD1, a moniker given to her by the humans who banded her.
Katie was born in March 2022 in the Prado Basin in Southern California's Orange County, about 70 miles southwest of Big Bear Lake, according to Jenna Carpenter, a wildlife biologist with the Orange County Water District. She and other wildlife officials banded her, which helps them learn more about bald eagle behavior, lifespan and territory.
Some fans poked fun about the bands around Katie's ankles. "I don't know, Shadow," one fan posted on TikTok. "A lady with an ankle monitor may be fun . . . or trouble."
Though no one knows for sure, Carpenter said in a Facebook video that she and other wildlife officials believe Katie is female based largely on her size and other characteristics. Katie is also about 4.5 years old, which means that if she is female, she's on the cusp of her first breeding season.
One part of Katie's background that has Jackie and Shadow fans buzzing is an incredible coincidence. Katie hatched to eagle parents named Lucy and Ricky in 2022. Though Jackie hatched a decade earlier and 70 miles away, her parents also were named Lucy and Ricky.
Fans also couldn't help but notice that Katie was first seen in Jackie and Shadow's nest on Monday, Aug. 10, just hours after the dreaded announcement that Jackie had lost her battle with a mysterious illness.
"I think Jackie sent her to Shadow," eagle fan Cynthia Chamberlain wrote on Facebook. "She wouldn't want him to be alone."
At first, some people thought that Katie was Jolene, a 3.5-year-old eagle who is believed to have attacked Jackie just before her hospitalization and was seen perching with Shadow in July.
It's unclear where Jolene is now but eagles her age often explore new territory. Though some eagle fans had good fun with her name and joking that Shadow was cheating on Jackie, Jolene is considered a bit too young to be thinking about mating. That usually happens at the age of 5.
Voisard said there are many visiting eagles in Big Bear this summer and that the area is a hotspot for the species when they're outside nesting season.
Only time will tell if Shadow and Katie will mate.
Eagle mating hormones don't kick in until December or January in California. For the past eight years, that's when Jackie and Shadow have mated and begun reinforcing their longtime nest.
Though most eagles mate for life, Shadow wasn't Jackie's only mate. Her first mate was known as Mr. B, and the pair had two baby eagles in 2018. One of the eaglets died after a 24-hour rainstorm, but the other, named Stormy, survived and left Big Bear that summer.
Soon after, a new male came to town, chased off Mr. B and stole Jackie's heart. That interloper was Shadow.
While wildlife experts don't know if Katie will be Shadow's next love, they agree that he will mate again and father more eaglets.
"He's got some time," Voisard said. "All we can do is watch and see."
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Katie the eagle spotted with Shadow after Jackie's death