National Aviary reveals name for new female Steller's sea eagle after contest
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The new Steller's sea eagle at the National Aviary has a name after thousands of people voted for their favorites.
Towards the end of the naming contest, Stella was in the lead, but on Friday and Saturday, the aviary said Aurora flew into first place by nearly 3,500 votes.
For a donation, guests were able to vote for their favorite name. The aviary's executive director said the contest raised over $14,000, which will go toward its mission of "inspiring respect for nature through an appreciation of birds."
The name Aurora pays homage to the aurora borealis, or the northern lights, which the aviary said can be seen in Estonia, where Aurora lived before she came to the aviary. Other candidates for names included Juneau, Sitka and Stella.
Aurora is at the aviary to potentially mate with Kodiak, or Kody, who Pittsburghers may remember as the bird that escaped his habitat in 2021. After more than a week on the run, he was caught outside a home in Pine Township.
The National Aviary said Kody's pairing with Aurora is important because habitat loss and overfishing have threatened Steller's sea eagles, which are considered vulnerable to extinction. Their numbers are expected to drop by as much as 30% from generation to generation.
Visitors can catch a peek of the two love birds at the aviary and learn more about the aviary's birds of prey during a daily Eagles of the Forest Talk held at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
