Bird flu caused Big Bear eagle Jackie's fatal decline, necropsy finds

Jackie, the bald eagle from Big Bear Valley whose nest drew a wide public following, declined and died because of highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to necropsy and lab results released by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"Jackie's necropsy confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) as the primary underlying cause of her decline," said Steve Kubiski, director of disease investigations at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, whose veterinary pathologists performed the necropsy. "In an uncommon presentation of the virus, the infection caused a severe ulcer in her stomach that led to persistent internal bleeding, anemia, and the development of bacterial sepsis."

The ulcer was in the ventriculus, the muscular part of a bird's stomach commonly called the gizzard. The damaged tissue caused ongoing blood loss and let bacteria into her body, leading to a serious secondary infection, CDFW said. Pathologists also found severe inflammation and blood clots in her heart and several major blood vessels, and genetic material from the virus turned up in several tissues, including the ulcer.

Tests ruled out West Nile virus, and heavy metals including lead were within acceptable limits. Toxicology screening did detect brodifacoum, an anticoagulant rat poison, in her liver, along with persistent environmental contaminants. Because the necropsy did not find the uncontrolled bleeding typical of anticoagulant poisoning, brodifacoum was not identified as the primary cause of her illness or death, the department said.

The toxicology and additional avian flu testing were done by the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory at UC Davis, and the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the infection. Jackie, logged as Patient 26-519, had been treated at the Ojai Raptor Center. To prevent spreading the virus, her remains were cremated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Eagle Repository.

"The necropsy results have helped connect many of the findings we were seeing throughout the eagle's hospitalization," said Chris Eksteen, executive director of the Ojai Raptor Center.

Her mate, Shadow, remains in Big Bear. "Based on camera data, we have no evidence that Shadow or the eaglets were sick," CDFW said.

Avian influenza has been circulating in wild birds across the United States. Waterfowl and shorebirds are natural hosts, and eagles and other raptors can be exposed through contact with infected birds or by eating infected prey, according to the department.

"Understanding the results of these tests is an important part of learning from this case and can help inform the care and treatment of other eagles and wildlife in the future," CDFW Director Meghan Hertel said.

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