ИСТИНА

ABSTRACT Twenty-nine nestling Steller's Sea Eagles Haliaeetus pelagicus were fitted with satellite-received transmitters (PTTs) in the summers of 1997 and 1998. Twenty-four provided data useful in understanding post-fledging movements, 12 from Magadan, 7 from Amur, four from Kamchatka, and one from Sakhalin. At this time (27 January 1999), we are still receiving information from six birds. Fledging occurred in August and early September. At least 20 fledglings moved to pre-migration sites for 1-4 weeks. This behavior was most obvious for birds whose natal ranges were coastal. Eagles raised on large rivers and lakes tended to wander along rivers prior to the onset of a definite migratory push. Nineteen birds were followed south, 16 made it to wintering areas. Eagles took 5-116 days to reach their initial wintering destinations. Migration rate averaged 51.3 km/day (SD = 56.0). Most birds from Magadan and Amur migrated down the western edge of the Okotsk Sea, and birds reared in Kamchatka eventually moved onto the Kuril Islands. Two birds were tracked from fledging into their second autumn migration. They moved northward from the wintering grounds in the second and third week of April. Summering areas were south of natal areas, and both had early and late summering areas.