The first thing youll discover about the Stellers sea eagle– if youre lucky adequate to see one– is its size. On average, Stellers sea eagles weigh between 11 and 20 pounds and have a wingspan of 6-to-8 feet. The other typical contenders for the title are the Philippine eagle and the harpy eagle of South America.
The eagles specific path from west to east is unidentified, except for a perplexing sighting from southern Texas in March 2021. Birders at a nature retreat near Victoria, Texas posted a picture of what was plainly a Stellers sea eagle, but the image wasnt detailed enough to confirm whether or not this was the exact same person.
Audubons Nick Lund keeps in mind that “likely locations might consist of Boston Harbor, Buzzards Bay, and back on the Taunton River.” More afield, he writes that the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, or Hudson River are all possibilities.
Wherever the eagle goes, one thing is for sure: birding in seaside New England just got a lot more intriguing..
Bird migration is a marvel. Countless species regularly carry out cross-continental journeys, browsing by means of an internal compass that scientists still dont completely understand..
Often they get blown off course. Or a birds navigation system– which researchers think is connected to the Earths magnetic field– goes haywire. Its not every day that a bird get so lost it ends up on the opposite side of the world..
Thats exactly what has taken place to one wayward Stellers sea eagle. For the last numerous months, the bird geek corners of the internet have actually been abuzz with sightings of this uncommon Asian types throughout Canada and New England.
Read on to learn about this birds remarkable and unforeseen journey, and where it might wind up next..
Exactly what is a Stellers sea eagle?
Think about the Stellers sea eagle as eastern Asias equivalent of a bald eagle, however on steroids. This types, Haliaeetus pelagicus, is among 10 birds in the sea eagle genus, along with our familiar bald eagle..
If youre fortunate sufficient to see one– is its size, the very first thing youll notice about the Stellers sea eagle–. This bird is huge. Actually, truly enormous..
A Stellers sea eagle in flight in its native range. © Peter Taylor/ Fliclr.
Usually, Stellers sea eagles weigh between 11 and 20 pounds and have a wingspan of 6-to-8 feet. (For comparison, that puts them somewhere in between a bald eagle and a California condor.) Theyre one of the biggest eagles worldwide, depending on if you measure by wingspan, weight, or overall mass. The other typical contenders for the title are the Philippine eagle and the harpy eagle of South America.
They have a brilliant orange beak and feet, and rich, dark brown plumage with conspicuous white on the shoulders and tail. As their name suggests, they victimize ocean-dwelling fish and are typically noted following fishing boats in search of scraps.
The Stellers sea eagle is found along Asias Pacific shoreline, from the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, down along the coasts of mainland China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula. Just 4,000 individuals stay in the wild, and the species is noted as susceptible by the IUCN..
A Stellers sea eagle preparing to take a fish in Japan. © Sascha Wenninger/ Flickr.
How did it get here, and where is it now?
This specific eagle was very first sighted in August 2020 near Denali, Alaska. While thats still far outside of the birds common range, its a somewhat regular vacancy for this types. eBird data shows a handful of Stellers sea eagle sightings in Alaska and the Aleutian chain, with the birds most likely island hopping their method across the Bering Strait..
This most recent sea eagle took things a bit too far, and kept going across the continent to the eastern coast..
The eagles specific course from west to east is unidentified, except for a bewildering sighting from southern Texas in March 2021. Birders at a nature retreat near Victoria, Texas published a picture of what was clearly a Stellers sea eagle, however the image wasnt detailed enough to validate whether this was the exact same person. A big winter season storm had just recently blown through from the north, so its within reason that the bird took an unintended southerly detour.
© Lim Yangmook/ Wikimedia Commons.
The path went dark again for several months, till the bird was spotted in late June 2021 on Canadas Gaspe Peninsula. It spent the next few months on the coastlines of the Gulf of St Lawrence, with sightings in late July and early August. In early November, the eagle took a trip south to Nova Scotias Avon River.
The next sighting took place prior to Christmas, on 20 Dec 2021, along the Taunton River east of Providence, Rhode Island. Then at the end of the year the bird reversed north, with sightings from 31 December along Maines Sheepscot River..
Ever since birders have actually gathered to the location (pun intended), promoting an amusing note from Maine Audubon for birders to please not hassle lobstermen attempting to discharge their catch on the docks. A couple of days later, confusion arose on the specific area of the bird when “images of what appeared to be the eagle were found to actually be a bizarrely eagle-like part of a tree.”.
The vagrant sea eagle set down on a tree in Maine. © Tom Murray.
Why is it up until now from home?
This wayward Stellers sea eagle is a rather severe example of a vagrant, or a bird that is found far beyond its normal variety. Vagrancy itself isnt all that unusual, it just usually occurs on a much smaller geographical scale. A northern cardinal may wind up in Idaho, or a Eurasian species may wind up in Alaska after a winter season storm..
The fact that this bird has endured for so long beyond its normal variety recommends it might continue North America for quite some time. Birders have observed it searching and feeding routinely, it appears to be healthy, and the New England coastline supplies ample habitat.
The vagrant eagle on Georgetown Island, Maine. © Dominic Sherony/ Flickr.
Where can I see the sea eagle?
Since this writing, the last confirmed sighting took place on 11 January in southern Maine.
Maine Audubon is looking at sightings on this unusual bird alert post if you live neighboring and are severe about searching for this bird. I d also suggest setting up Google notifies for the types, along with signing up for the Maine rare bird alert listservs. Local Facebook groups can also be excellent resources for rarities, depending upon the number of local birders get involved.
If the eagle carries on, it could show up anywhere along the northeastern coast, consisting of Canada. Many professional birders have suggested browsing in areas where bald eagles have recently been sighted, as the 2 types choose comparable food sources (fish) and habitat (tidal rivers with tree-lined shores)..
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