Steller’s Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) is one of the most fierce diurnal birds on Earth, one I photograph while they hunt on the pack ice during my annual Hokkaido Winter Wildlife Birding Photography Expedition. Every September, the Steller’s Sea Eagles begin their migration from the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk toward more hospitable climates south for winter; they arrive in Japan in December. Their distribution as a species spans both Russia and Japan, so the Steller’s Sea Eagle, among other raptors and migratory birds, prompted the involved nations, Russia and Japan, to hold a summit and ratify legislation to preserve the habitats and prevent poaching. In 1972, both nations ratified a treaty that included any migratory bird that occurred in both countries. The Steller’s Sea Eagle commands much majesty in Japan; it has been designated a species of National Monument by the Law pertaining to the Protection of Cultural Assets. I am honored every year during my Hokkaido Birding Workshop Expedition to photograph them among the other birds while leading my annual Hokkaido Tour.
These raptors have tracked prey through several ice ages, never having to evolve, and they are canny and extremely aggressive hunters; I can understand why they never had to evolve. Thinking back to pre-historic times, could you imagine a human-sized or even larger raptor similar to the Steller’s Sea Eagle? Well, they existed, and even today, from time to time, we hear of people sighting a thunderbird or other such seemingly otherworldly raptor. The First Nations Peoples of North America and the First Nations Peoples of Japan, the Ainu, and other First Nations People worldwide believe that all animals are spiritual, divine beings composed of or possessing spiritual energy. And all First Nations Peoples in the northern hemisphere have folklore of the thunderbird and share stories of similar mythological birds. Personally, I have never sighted a thunderbird, but I would be happy to photograph one if it happened to grace me with its presence.
The Steller’s Sea Eagle is the heaviest and one of the most fierce raptors on our planet; their plumage is blackish brown-black all over except on the shoulders, rump, tail, thighs, and forehead, which are white. These raptors have a razor-sharp, wickedly hooked huge yellow bill that is the largest of all eagles. They prefer the taste of sweet trout, salmon, or other fish but will eat sea lions or just about any land species when fishing is slow.
The Steller’s Sea Eagles are huge, on average, the heaviest raptor on our planet, weighing up to and over 10 kg (22 pounds). They are also tall, measuring up to 94 cm (3 ft), sometimes even taller, with a massive wingspan of up to 250 cm (8 – 9 ft). I have personally photographed a Steller’s Sea Eagle I swear had a wingspan eclipsing 10 ft that I witnessed from my chartered helicopter while I was on assignment capturing landscape shots between Hokkaido and Russia. Suddenly, this enormous blur of white and black strafed us, and both the pilot and I were astounded at the size of the monstrous Steller’s Sea Eagle, which could have been the largest Steller’s Sea Eagle on the planet ever photographed. I asked the eagle to stay still so that I could break out my measuring tape, but the eagle had places to be and prey to hunt, I assume.