Jackie Pancakes 3 Times and Shadow Pancakes Once! They’re Getting the Nest Ready 🪹
If you watched today’s video from the Big Bear eagle nest, you saw some serious home-fixing going on. On January 2, 2026, Jackie and Shadow worked together to improve their nest. They carried in 13 sticks total (Jackie brought 6, Shadow brought 7), and they also did something fans call “pancaking.”
Pancaking is a slang word people use when an eagle sits down very flat in the nest bowl. It looks a little like a fluffy feather pancake, but it has an important job: it helps them get the nest ready for eggs.
What happened in today’s video
Today was all about nest building and nest testing. Jackie and Shadow kept moving sticks, turning them, and placing them like they were building the world’s biggest, pokiest puzzle.
Then came the big moment: Jackie pancaked three times. That means she lowered her body into the nest bowl and pressed down like she was checking, “Is this spot comfy enough for eggs?”
Even more exciting, Shadow pancaked once too (you can spot it around the 10:50 point in the video time). It’s not as common to see him do it, so it really stood out as a “we’re both getting ready” moment.
What does “pancake” mean for bald eagles?
In eagle-world, the nest has a special middle area called the nest bowl (also called an egg cup). It’s a small dip in the nest where eggs will rest, and later where tiny chicks will sit safely.
When an eagle pancakes, they’re basically:
- Testing the fit (Is the bowl the right size?)
- Pressing the bowl into shape (Making a smooth, round dip)
- Checking comfort (Do we need softer material here?)
Think of it like this: they’re “trying on” the nest bowl so it will hold eggs snugly, not wobbly.
Why all the sticks?
Sticks are the nest’s building blocks. Jackie and Shadow add sticks to:
- Strengthen the nest so it stays sturdy in wind and storms
- Build up the edges like a safety wall
- Help shape the center so the nest bowl can form properly
Bald eagles often keep building and fixing their nest as egg season gets closer.
What to watch for next
Pancaking can be one of the early signs that egg time is getting closer, but nature does not use a calendar app. Still, here are a few things watchers often notice as egg-laying season approaches:
You may see more pancaking, longer pancaking, and more time spent sitting in the nest bowl. You may also see them bring in softer “fluff” (like pine needles, grasses, Spanish moss, or softer plant pieces) to make the egg cup gentler than a pile of sticks.
Watch live and don’t miss the big moments
If you want to catch the next stick delivery or the next pancake, visit our Big Bear Eagle Live Cams and come hang out with the nest! The streams provided by FOBBV let you see their world in real time.
And if you’d like the quickest updates without having to watch all day, join our newsletter. That way you’ll know when big nest news happens.
