Very rare eagle — with 8-foot wingspan — spotted in park in Canada, photos show

An extremely rare raptor was recently spotted in eastern Canada — thousands of miles away from its usual territory.

The bird, a Steller’s sea eagle, was seen in Terra Nova National Park, located on the coast of Newfoundland, in late December, according to a park news release.

Photos posted by the park show the animal — distinguished by its dark brown or black and white plumage and bright yellow beak — perched atop a tall tree on a riverbank.

With a wingspan of eight feet and a weight of about 13 pounds, it is one of the largest birds of prey in the world, eclipsing even the bald eagle.

Fewer than 5,000 individuals remain in the wild, and they are typically only found in eastern Russia, Japan and Korea.

In fact, the recently documented individual is the only known member of its species currently occupying the Western Hemisphere, park officials said.

Due to the unusual nature of the sighting, the park, which is normally closed for the winter, partially opened between Dec. 21 and 31 to allow visitors to catch a glimpse of the eagle.

As to why the eagle flew so far afield, it likely was not intentional, Joseph Tobias, a professor of biodiversity at Imperial College London, told McClatchy News.

“The species often travels from breeding grounds in Russia to wintering grounds in Japan, and most likely this individual made a navigational error,” Tobias said.

“Sea-eagles often wander widely and this individual must have crossed the Bering Strait by accident,” he said, adding, “If it is looking to find a companion it is unlikely to find one.”

More about the rare species

The massive raptor was first described by Peter Simon Pallas, a German naturalist, in 1811, according to Animalia, an online animal encyclopedia.

It was named after Georg Wilhelm Steller, an 18th century explorer and zoologist, according to the San Diego Zoo.

“It is believed that they are glacial relics that evolved in the narrow, northeast Asian coast and simply stayed there through multiple Ice Age cycles, never occurring anywhere else,” per the zoo.

The diurnal predator is believed to primarily consume trout and salmon, though it has also been observed eating puffins, crabs and deer carcasses.

Their nests are typically found near bodies of water, often high up in treetops or on tall cliffs, according to the zoo. Mating pairs usually trek back to the same nest every spring, where they lay one to three eggs.

Much else about the mighty birds, including their lifespan, remains unknown — in part due to the isolated nature of their habitats.

In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the species as vulnerable, with their population decreasing,

And while they are usually only seen in Asia, they have previously been documented far outside their territory.

In 2021, a Steller’s sea eagle was observed in eastern Canada and it may have even flown to Texas, according to the New York Times.

The vagrant bird could have wandered off course in search of other members of its species or it may have been displaced by extreme weather, ornithology experts told the outlet.

This story was originally published January 1, 2025 at 3:56 PM with the headline "Very rare eagle — with 8-foot wingspan — spotted in park in Canada, photos show."