On August 21, 2026, the question hanging over Big Bear got a much stronger answer. After nearly two weeks of nest visits, close roosts, stick moving and gentle preening, a raptor biologist who helped band Kaydee says Shadow and Kaydee now appear to be forming a pair bond. Pete Bloom told the Los Angeles Times that it is “highly likely” the two bald eagles will be a pair by the time nesting begins, which he places around December. Bloom has studied and banded raptors for more than 40 years.
Watch Live → Big Bear nest and read community discussion.
That is a significant change from where things stood just days ago. When Shadow and KD1 first began spending time together, there was still plenty of uncertainty. The young eagle might become part of Shadow’s future, or she might simply be passing through. Now, as their interactions continue to build, an expert who is personally familiar with Kaydee sees signs pointing toward something more.
Receive updates like this one in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter. 🦅
Shadow and Kaydee Have Been Building a Pattern
Kaydee, then known simply as KD1, first appeared around the Big Bear habitat on August 6 while Jackie was still receiving treatment at the Ojai Raptor Center. The 4½-year-old bald eagle had been banded as a young bird in Southern California’s Prado Basin. Her lavender leg band carries the identification KD1.
At first, she simply began appearing near Shadow. Then the encounters became harder to dismiss as random. On August 13, Shadow returned to the Big Bear nest after about three weeks away. Kaydee followed him in. Once inside, she began moving sticks around the nest while Shadow stayed nearby.
Later, she leaned toward him and gently preened his wing feathers. It was one of the first moments that raised a serious question about whether a new bond might eventually form. The two continued spending time together after that. They perched in the same favored trees, roosted near one another overnight and exchanged morning vocals.
On August 19, there was another telling sequence. Shadow flew into the Twin Pines and Kaydee joined him less than a minute later. They remained there for about three hours. When Shadow finally left, Kaydee followed only seconds behind. Later that day, they were together in the roost tree again. Friends of Big Bear Valley even took the unusual step of giving KD1 a name: Kaydee.
Why Pete Bloom Sees Signs of a Pair Bond
Bloom’s assessment gives some of those earlier moments new weight. According to the Los Angeles Times, Bloom pointed specifically to Kaydee moving sticks around the nest and nibbling or preening Shadow. He described those behaviors as “doing things that assist in the forming of pair bonds.”
Nest work is especially interesting. The National Park Service notes that nest building can be an important part of establishing a bond between bald eagles. Pair-bond activity can begin in the fall, with nest building becoming part of the courtship process.
That does not mean moving a few sticks proves Shadow and Kaydee are a pair. But it does mean the behavior fits into a larger pattern that now includes spending long periods together, sharing the nest, preening, roosting near each other, exchanging vocals and repeatedly moving through the same territory.
Is Kaydee Definitely Female?
There has also been uncertainty about Kaydee’s sex. Friends of Big Bear Valley has said DNA testing was not performed when KD1 was banded, so they cannot confirm her sex from that test. They have been leaning toward female because Kaydee is visibly larger than Shadow.
Bloom goes further. Based on Kaydee’s size and behavior around Shadow, he told the Los Angeles Times that he believes she is female. Kaydee is also approaching normal breeding age. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says most bald eagles are capable of breeding around four or five years old. Kaydee is approximately 4½. That puts her arrival in Big Bear at an especially interesting point in her life.
A New Chapter Does Not Replace Jackie
Nothing about what happens next changes what Jackie meant to the Big Bear nest. Jackie and Shadow shared the territory for years and raised Sandy and Luna together during the 2026 nesting season. Jackie died earlier this month after weeks of treatment for a serious illness.
Kaydee’s arrival happened during an emotional and unusual transition. But bald eagle biology does not stop when a mate is lost. Although bald eagles commonly remain with the same mate, a surviving eagle can accept a new mate when its partner dies.
Shadow already holds something especially valuable: an established territory with a large nest overlooking Big Bear Lake.
Bloom explained that territory can be extremely important to birds of prey. Young adult eagles may travel through established eagle territories looking for an opening and a possible mate. Kaydee may have found both.
What Happens Next for Shadow and Kaydee?
December is still months away, and nothing is guaranteed. Nature will ultimately provide the answer. Even Bloom’s assessment is a prediction based on what the eagles are doing now.
But the question has changed. Only days ago, it was whether Kaydee might remain around Big Bear at all. Now she has been named, she continues following Shadow through his territory, she has joined him at the nest, moved his sticks, preened him, roosted near him and exchanged morning vocals with him.
And a raptor biologist who helped band her believes those behaviors point toward a pair bond that could still be in place when nesting season arrives. The next few months may reveal whether Shadow and Kaydee continue moving closer together. If they do, the Big Bear nest could look very different when another nesting season begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Shadow and Kaydee a bonded pair?
Not officially. Raptor biologist Pete Bloom says the two currently appear to be forming a pair bond and believes it is highly likely they will be a pair by the time nesting begins around December.
Who is Kaydee?
Kaydee is the name given to the banded bald eagle previously known as KD1. She hatched in Southern California’s Prado Basin in 2022 and is approximately 4½ years old.
Is Kaydee female?
Friends of Big Bear Valley says Kaydee was not DNA tested when she was banded, so they cannot confirm her sex that way. They lean female based partly on her size. Pete Bloom also believes Kaydee is female based on her size and behavior around Shadow.
What signs suggest Shadow and Kaydee may be bonding?
They have spent long periods perched together, roosted near each other, exchanged vocals, visited the nest together, and Kaydee has moved nest sticks and preened Shadow. Bloom says some of those behaviors can assist in the formation of pair bonds.
When does nesting season begin at Big Bear?
Nesting begins around December.
Latest Big Bear Eagle Posts: