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'I Hope He Gets Home Safely:' Pittsburghers Spot Escaped Steller's Sea Eagle Kodiak Around The City

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - There have been sightings of an eagle that's on the loose after escaping from the National Aviary.

There have been sightings of the escape artist with wings, but the aviary and first responders have not been able to capture him yet.

Lots of people are worried about the Steller's Sea Eagle, whose name is Kodiak. He took flight from his habitat at the National Aviary on Saturday morning.

"I turned the corner, there was this big bird. I thought it was a chicken at first," said Jared Latchaw.

Jared Latchaw had no idea he'd end up birdwatching on his Saturday. Latchaw was driving when he saw the large, majestic bird in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue on Pittsburgh's North Side.

"It was really cool. I stopped and watched it for like 10 minutes," Latchaw said.

In the same area, the City of Bridges Run Club ran into the eagle on a sidewalk. Dan Parsons and his running group couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"You do see a lot when you run in Pittsburgh but never this, this takes the cake," said Parsons.

Kodiak is winging it out in the wild but, he is hard to miss. Steller's Sea Eagles are one of the largest eagle species in the world, they are nearly 4-feet in length and weigh up to 20 pounds.

"He kept giving us sideways glances. I think he was glad to be out, but he was wondering, hey, I thought I was on a break today. I wanted to get away from this, but lots of spectators," said Parsons.

"He was just chilling there he looked super relaxed, super comfortable. There were probably like 20 people out taking pictures of him," said Latchaw.

The National Aviary said, "Our team remains committed to getting Kodiak home safely and recognizes that this may take time. While our efforts continue, it is important to note that eagles are very resilient birds and in the wild they do not eat every day. Kodiak is in excellent health and body condition, and this species is acclimated to a multitude of weather conditions."

Pittsburghers just need to keep an eagle eye on the sky and call the Aviary if there's another sighting.

"I hope that he gets back home safely, and I hope he doesn't get injured. I hope everyone is sensible and calls the aviary when they see him," said Parsons.

"I just hope Kodiak is safe and happy, and hopefully they can catch him and bring him back to safety," Latchaw said.

The National Aviary said that Kodiak is likely to avoid people and pets. They ask if you see the eagle, do not approach him because he may get spooked and fly away. Instead, call the aviary at 412-323-7235.

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