Matyáš the Steller's Sea Eagle

Matyáš the Steller's Sea Eagle

Origin
Matyáš hatched somewhere in the wilderness of Russia, probably in the year 1993. While still quite young, he ended up in Liberec Zoo in Czechia. There, he became involved in an ill-starred relationship: the mild Matyáš was rather henpecked by his partner. And as if that were not enough, the young eagle hurt his wing. After treatment, his keepers in Liberec Zoo decided to divorce him from his partner, and so it came about that, in 2006, he found himself in Prague.
The hurt wing was still not in good shape, and there were voices of doom that prophesied that Matyáš would never fly again. With that in mind, his caretakers housed him separately as they mulled over whether they could introduce him to Matylda, Prague Zoo’s female. But she, too, had a sore wing, so the two eagles did end up being put together. And in spite of their caretakers’ great anxiety, the introduction went smoothly: the new pair took an instant liking to each other and, from the very first day, spent a lot of time together in complete and utter harmony!

Breeding

Matyáš and Matylda occupy a spacious aviary in the lower zoo. As Steller's sea eagles are a fish-eating species, their home is equipped, besides the essential perches and places suitable for nesting, also with a little pond, in which keepers sometimes leave their food.
Right after they had settled in, Matyáš clamorously announced in all directions that he felt right at home in his new domicile. This peculiar call is still his signature motif, and it carries very far in the zoo, as visitors have often attested. Once the aquiline pair had moved in, it did not take long for them to start bringing the first twigs for nest-building; and soon afterwards they indeed nested for the first time. Since then, the Steller's sea eagles have been breeding in Prague Zoo every year. They brood and raise the nestlings on their own, without help from the caretakers.
The only exception was the 2011 season, when two chicks hatched a few days apart from each other. As the older – and hence bigger – chick would most likely have harassed its young sibling to death, the caretakers stepped in to help the parents. For a couple of weeks, the nestlings took turns in the nest: one chick was always in a back-of-house facility where the caretakers plied it with food, while its sibling was being looked after by its parents. Then, their weight having been equalized, the eaglets were returned to their parents.

Temperament

Matyáš sets an example both as a father and as a partner. He is happy to let Matylda or their eaglets have his food. When the eagles are given a fish, Matyáš will often take it up to the nest and offer it to his mate, who, as is the case in most birds of prey, outbulks him somewhat. But you can tell her apart mainly by the conspicuous white spot at the base of her beak, where Matyáš has only a couple of little white feathers.
Matyáš is a father who raises his chicks with patient dedication, showing them how to seize a fish and looking on delightedly when a practice hunt is crowned with success.
Matyáš shows equal benevolence towards his caretakers. He and Matylda form a very equanimous aquiline couple. While the very maintenance of the bald eagles’ aviary feels like a big adventure and often it is almost as if one’s life is in danger, in the Steller's sea eagles’ aviary zookeepers can work in peace and quiet.