What’s more American than Big Bear’s famous bald eagles? Maybe protecting them from fireworks

There’s nothing more American than fireworks, the Fourth of July, and bald eagles. 

Unfortunately the combination of the first two elements is stressful for all wildlife, including the internet-famous bald eagle family of Big Bear, California: Jackie and Shadow, and their daughters, Sunny and Gizmo. 

Ahead of the big holiday last week, Friends of the Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the nonprofit organization behind the livestreamed web cameras that have turned these birds into superstars, attempted to present evidence to the city about the harmful impact that fireworks have on nature.

However, the fireworks display went forward nonetheless, to the dismay of many of the eagles’ fans. Here’s a recap and what to know about the controversy.

A preshow warning about fireworks

In 2023, FOBBV created a presentation outlining the many negative impacts of fireworks ahead of a Memorial Day show. The loud noises of the nighttime spectacle cause the eagles to enter fight-or-flight mode and fly off into the night.

Eagles do not have great nighttime vision and risk injury when they flee a scene in such a way. In 2019, for instance, Jackie and Shadow left their chick Simba unprotected and without food for the night because they were scared. In 2022, Jackie and Shadow left the area for six days.

“We have noticed that Jackie and Shadow fly off each year with the fireworks, we have them on camera,” said Sandy Steers, executive director of FOBBV, according to local station ABC7.

Fast Company reached out to FOBBV for further comment.

A problem for animal life more broadly

Bald Eagles are not the only animals impacted by fireworks. Other local birds become disoriented and some even have heart attacks and die. Mammals have been known to run into busy roadways.

Pets such as dogs and cats also suffer, often becoming lost in all the chaos.

Beyond their impact on animals, fireworks pollute the environment. Toxic substances such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and strontium negatively impact air quality. Perchlorates, a chemical compound that acts as an oxidizer, are highly water soluble, which means they can contaminate lakes. The soil and plant life are also at risk from debris.

For all these reasons and more, FOBBV urged the city to find a creative alternative, such as a block party, drone show, and/or light show.

How did Jackie and Shadow react to the fireworks?

As anticipated, Jackie and Shadow were not too happy about this year’s firework display.

They followed their typical nighttime routine, roosting around 8 p.m. local time. They appeared ready for sleep at around 8:30 but were rudely awoken instead around 9 by the bangs of fireworks.

One eagle flew away immediately. Jackie made several vocalizations to express her displeasure and warn others about danger. Both eagles were gone by 9:18.

The good news is, Jackie and Shadow were spotted on camera the next evening, safe and sound.

What about Sunny and Gizmo?

Jackie and Shadow’s daughters are more of a mystery. They have not been seen since June 27, before the fireworks display. But this is normal behavior as the girls have been testing their limits and trying to decide where to settle down. It is quite possible they were further away from the show, but the organization still worries about the impact the fireworks had on the young birds.

What have the organizers of the fireworks said about this?

Visit Big Bear, a city-affiliated group that was involved in the fireworks, defended the decision to put on the display, according to the Los Angeles Times, saying it did not believe it would disrupt the eagles’ habitat.

Fast Company has reached out to the group for additional comment.

What have fans of the eagle family said?

Many are not happy. A Change.org petition calling for the cancellation of the fireworks had attracted more than 40,000 signatures over the course of several days. Even though the petition didn’t stop the fireworks from happening, organizers wrote that they were happy to have spread awareness about the issue.

However, amid the widespread criticism, some supporters of the eagles are also urging for calm.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, FOBBV noted that some critics of the fireworks had been “aggressive with agencies and their employees” and had taken to cyber-bullying tactics and even posted people’s personal information. FOBBV said it condemn such behavior. “It’s time to be kind!” the group wrote.

How can I check in on the eagles myself?

The live-streamed bald eagle Nest Cam is still up and running. You can join thousands of other viewers via this YouTube link or by watching the embedded video below.