Steller’s sea eagle makes its way to Maine for the New Year

A rare eagle, recently spotted in Massachusetts, has made its way to Maine.

Hundreds of birders gathered in Georgetown, Maine, on New Year’s Eve to view the Steller’s sea eagle, likely the same one seen recently near the Taunton River, according to the Portland Press Herald.

The bird — native to China, Japan, Korea, and eastern Russia, according to Smithsonian Magazine — has created a stir across the country.

The bird was first seen in North America on Alaska’s Denali Highway in August 2020.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, the same bird likely traveled to Nova Scotia, Texas, Quebec, and New Brunswick.

Often identified by its yellow beak and the pattern of white feathers on its wings, the sea eagle is one of the largest raptors in the world, according to MassWildlife. It can weigh up to 20 pounds, boasting a wingspan of up to 8 feet.

Experts believe this sea eagle is likely lost, which is not uncommon. Vagrancy — when birds lose their path — happens when birds either make a navigation error or get lost due to a storm.

“It’s like an avian soap opera,” vagrancy expert Alexander Lees told the New York Times. “We’re all rooting for it. Will it make it home? Or is it doomed to never see another species of its own in its lifetime?”

The hundreds who flocked to Maine from neighboring states seemed happy for a glimpse of the bird, according to the Press Herald.

There are only about 4,000 Steller’s sea eagles in the world, Maine Audubon naturalist Doug Hitchcox told the paper.

For almost two hours on New Year’s Eve, the rare raptor sat in a conifer tree on an island across from a public wharf as birders snapped photos, according to the Press Herald.

“This is the dream,” Hitchcox told the paper. “It’s now just sitting there, showing off for everyone. And everyone wants everyone else to see it.

“I don’t even know what to compare it to. We often say these (rarities) shouldn’t be here. This bird should not even be on this continent. But because there are only about 4,000 in the world, you could travel the world birding and never see one. And it’s an hour from my home.” 

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