MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • January 9, 2022
As we started 2022, my inbox was being filled with dozens of questions about one bird: the Steller’s sea eagle that appeared in Georgetown on Dec. 31. I want to answer a few of the most frequent questions. First, why is it here? The reason for vagrancy can vary and answers are often educated guesses, at best. A rare bird is rarely “blown in on a storm.” Many vagrants are prospecting to expand their range. Second, is it a boy or a girl? A majority of vagrants are male. We cannot sex the Steller’s, but we do know it is at least 4 years old. Third, will it survive? Most vagrants probably don’t make it. They are likely to be exposed to something – weather, food scarcity, a predator – that will be a challenge to its survival. Last, who cares? A TON of people cared about the Steller’s sea eagle while it was in Maine. I estimated 600 people connected with the bird on New Year’s Eve, and from reports, it is conservative to say 1,500 people saw the bird by the end of that first weekend. ~ Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox