After Jackie’s Death, Researchers Track Young Bald Eagles in Southern California

Millions of people watched Jackie and Shadow raise their family in a bald eagle nest high above Big Bear.

Now, following Jackie's recent death, conservationists are turning their attention to the next generation of bald eagles that could represent the future of the species.

Jackie and Shadow became one of Southern California's most beloved bald eagle pairs, attracting millions of viewers through a live webcam as they raised their young.

As America's national bird, the pair captured attention from viewers around the country.

Now researchers are focused on protecting young eagles and learning more about their lives in the wild.

Near Lake Hemet, biologists are banding young bald eagles and tracking their movements and survival.

"When you band an eagle, it tells you their story in essence," said Arlene Arenas, who gave the NBC Palm Springs news team a behind-the-scenes look at an eagle nest.

The bands allow researchers to identify individual birds and learn where they came from and where they travel.

The work is especially important because bald eagles were once near extinction before making a remarkable comeback.

At Friends of the Desert Mountains, specialists are helping with efforts to safely access eagle nests and band young birds.

Leaders say conservation efforts like these are key to protecting California's recovering bald eagle population.

"It is just an interesting time to watch the eagles," one conservation leader said. "When people connect to nature, they'll finally learn how to protect nature."

Bald eagles can have wingspans of up to eight feet and travel hundreds of miles between locations such as Lake Hemet and Big Bear.

Researchers hope tracking and protecting these young birds will help ensure the next generation of bald eagles continues to thrive.

I'm Kai Beach with NBC Palm Springs.

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