Jackie, the beloved Big Bear Valley bald eagle who died just weeks ago, will be honored with a day of recognition in California, and some admirers plan to wear a special color in her memory.
The California Senate passed a resolution on Aug. 28 to mark Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, as California Wildlife Day in remembrance of Jackie, one half of the famous bald eagle pair from the San Bernardino Mountains.
“Jackie captured the hearts of people in California and around the world, giving so many of us a front-row seat to the beauty, strength, and resilience of wildlife,” Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, who introduced the resolution, said in a statement. “Her story reminds us that wildlife conservation brings people together."
The resolution also
recognizes the Golden State as "one of the most ecologically diverse states in the nation," with a wide range of habitats for a variety of wildlife, including the California condor, Mojave Desert tortoise and bald eagle, the senator's office said.
"As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday this year and reflect on the values that unite us, it is especially meaningful to honor the Bald Eagle and Jackie’s incredible legacy here in California," Strickland said.
The recognition has also inspired some admirers to encourage others to wear purple in Jackie's honor.
"Someone asked me today, 'What color are we all wearing September 4 in her honor?'" Ahone Howard, a digital creator who has closely followed Jackie and Shadow's journey, wrote on Facebook. "And I thought… why not actually do this?"
Howard said she chose purple, as it "symbolizes dignity, strength, devotion and remembrance, four words that feel especially fitting when I think about Jackie and the extraordinary connection people developed with her."
Howard's idea appears to have taken off, withmultiple social media pages encouraging others to wear purple to honor Jackie.
"On September 4, wear something purple for Jackie. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. A purple shirt, scarf, hat, ribbon, bracelet, even purple socks ... I would love to open my page that day and see purple appearing from places near and far," Howard wrote.
Facebook users from as far away as Australia and Canada said they plan to honor Jackie by wearing purple on Friday.
What happened to Jackie?
Jackie arrived at the Raptor Center on July 18 after she was involved in a ground altercation with two juvenile eagles near her nest in Fawnskin in the San Bernardino Mountains, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In the weeks that followed, the eagle’s health was a roller coaster ride of improvements and setbacks.
The bird died overnight on Aug. 9 while undergoing weeks of intensive medical care at the Ojai Raptor Center, wildlife officials said. Before her death, Jackie faced additional health challenges, including a large blood clot in her wing and kidney, as well as another decline in her blood value.
She was 14 years old when she died.
“California mourns Jackie, the Big Bear bald eagle who reminded us of the beauty and wonder of California’s wildlife, and our shared responsibility to protect the habitats that sustain it," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in an August statement.
In summer 2012, Jackie became the first documented bald eagle chick hatched in Big Bear Valley.
The nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley installed a livestream nest camera in October 2015, allowing millions of viewers around the world to watch life unfold in the eagles' nest 24/7.
"Alongside her partner, Shadow, Jackie became known as one of the internet’s most beloved bald eagles and a symbol of California’s remarkable wildlife," Strickland's office said in a news release.
'She brought all of us together'
On California Wildlife Day, Californians are encouraged to celebrate Jackie's memory and recognize "the importance of protecting California’s extraordinary wildlife for generations to come," according to the proclamation.
For Howard, the day is a way to honor the extraordinary bond people formed with Jackie.
"She never knew any of us were watching. She never knew our names, where we lived or how deeply we cared about her. She simply lived her wild life. And somehow, she brought all of us together," Howard wrote. "On September 4, let’s show just how far that connection reached."
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Beloved Big Bear Valley eagle Jackie honored with day in California
