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Donkees

(33,620 posts)
3. The Story Continues ...
Sun Feb 6, 2022, 03:18 PM
Feb 2022
The bird seems to be hanging out in Maine for the time being, but where might it go if it disappears again? For a bird as large and powerful as the Steller’s Sea Eagle, and with its history of flying great distances, there’s no telling where it might show up. It has shown a preference for tidal rivers with tall trees and lots of islands. Many areas along the Maine coast fit that bill, including the Harpswell area and the Piscataqua River. If it has flown south, perhaps to escape dropping temperatures in Maine, likely areas could include Boston harbor, Buzzards Bay, and back on the Taunton River. Further than that, the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, or Hudson River are all possibilities.

Though it's far from home and will likely never make it back, there’s a chance that this eagle could find a place it’d like to stay in North America. It’s not uncommon for individual vagrant birds to thrive in their new territory, such as the Red-billed Tropicbird that has returned to the Gulf of Maine for 16 years and counting. In fact, it’s possible that Steller’s Sea-Eagles could breed with local Bald Eagles, as evidenced by this supposed hybrid eagle (Photos: https://www.aba.org/birding_archive_files/v40n4p28.pdf) seen in Juneau, Alaska, in 2004.

https://www.audubon.org/news/inside-amazing-cross-continent-saga-stellers-sea-eagle

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