Steller’s Sea Eagle Spotted in Maine; Reports Say This Was the Same 20-Pound Bird Species Found in Massachusetts in December

Steller's sea eagle, a rare bird was seen in Massachusetts in late December. It is over 5,000 miles away from its home and it attracted hundreds of bird watchers around the Taunton River.

A Mail Online report indicated that the bird species is native to Asia and made its way to North America. It has recently been spotted in Maine.

The discovery was photographed in Boothbay Harbor on Friday by John, a photographer who was able to snap a picture of the bird weighing 20 pounds, covered in snow while perched in a tree, and as it flew to the skies for its succeeding adventure.

In addition, the Steller's sea eagle, with a wingspan of eight-foot-long, was initially reported in 2020 in Alaska, then in Texas March last year, in Nova Scotia in November, and in Massachusetts in December.

Steller's Sea Eagle

"Incredible feeling to photograph" a Steller's Sea Eagle five minutes from his house, John wrote in a post on Instagram. Such an eagle is presently lost, not to mention, the only one in North America.

Essentially, Steller's sea eagles are native to Russia, Japan, and China. They are easy to spot with their dark body, white forehead thighs, shoulder and tail, and bright-yellow bill.

The bird can grow over three feet in length and is considered more aggressive and powerful than its nearest relatives, the bald eagle and white-tail sea eagle.

Last month, the Steller's sea eagle was seen by 200 bird watchers around Massachusetts' Taunton River. Bird watchers have traveled from all over New England to capture a glimpse of the strange bird, a Taunton Daily Gazette report specified.

Bird Previously Spotted Separate 2021 Instances

According to 24-year-old Jonathan Goff, he drove from Millville when he heard of the discovery on social media. He added, it is one of the largest eagles in the world and he "would love to see it."

He also said it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a species typically found in the Arctic, although since it's here, he drove the 45 minutes.

More so, many people are sure it is the same bird detected on Denali highway in Alaska, roughly 4,700 miles away from its native range in 2020, as indicated in a The New York Times report.

The bird was spotted in New Brunswick and Quebec, Canada in July 2021, and Goliad County, Texas in March, also last year.

Wildlife officials speculated that a storm blew the bird off course, and it is now lost. So, it has possibly become a vagrant.

Vagrancy

Vagrancy, as earlier reported here on Science Times, takes place when a bird wanders off its usual route, which could be because of a navigation error or a major storm that scoops it up.

Nevertheless, vagrancy is common, with records showing that some albatrosses spend many years off their usual course.

Experts have suspected that it might migrate with the native bald eagles along the coastline and make its way home to northeastern Asia or stick around and brace the brutal winters of Nova Scotia. Unfortunately, there is a possibility that the sea eagle may die while out of range.

Report about the recently spotted Steller's sea eagle is shown on CN Post's YouTube video below:

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