A Stellers sea-eagle fled its enclosure at Pittsburgh's National Aviary last Saturday. Despite the heroic efforts of the Aviary staff and many sightings in the neighborhood posted to social media, Kodiak Kody, his friends, is still at large and we are all a little concerned about him.
It's hard to miss this bird: large, yellow-beakled with white tail and white feathers on his wings. He is about six feet in length and larger than a bald Eagle. Kody was spotted around the Aviary in Pittsburgh, which is a good thing. Kody is difficult to catch as you cannot just throw a net over him, as Richard Lawson, a licensed falconer, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A specialized trap (and clearly humane) will be needed.
Stellers sea eagle (Haliaetus pelagicus), is approximately four feet tall and weighs in at between 13 and 20 pounds. According to the Aviary, it has no natural predators. However, Kody has been in captivity for 15 years so he might be a bit rusty about hunting and preying. Stellers sea eagles consume fish and more fish (ew), and other birds when there is a shortage of fish. Their name comes from Georg W. Steller, a German naturalist who first encountered them in Alaska in 1741.
Kody has not been found. The Aviary has posted updates on social media, and they are getting closer to him. Kody was a possibility. Heinz Field is near the Aviary and they were playing at home against the Bengals. We won't be talking about that game today. Alas, he did not.
The Aviarys animal care specialists set up camp to check on his roost under a tree in North Park. They confirmed that he was healthy. They tried to lure him down with food but he refused to come down. Look at this handsome, handsome boi.
Before I moved to Pittsburgh, a thousand years ago, many people didn't know about the National Aviary. Although their penguins are the most famous (hi, Pittsburgh! ), they also have eagles and falcons, canaries, and flamingos. Many of the birds you can meet are educational. My son and I went to an auditorium with a lot of birds. We were given a popsicle stick and food. One of the birds would then come down and eat it. It was amazing.
Kody can be reached at the National Aviary by calling 412-323-7235 if you're in Pittsburgh. Avoid approaching him. You run the risk of frightening him. Stay clear of the Aviary team when they arrive. They want him to be safe.
