The eagle has landed: Kody the Steller’s sea eagle is back at the National Aviary

Kodiak, the Steller’s sea eagle who had escaped his enclosure at the National Aviary more than a week ago, has been returned to the facility in “excellent health and body condition,” the Aviary announced Sunday evening.

“Kody,” as the eagle became known, escaped his enclosure near the center of the Aviary early last Saturday. Aviary officials said he’d gotten through a small gap in the space where he was kept. In the subsequent days, animal-care experts followed up on tips from residents who said they’d seen the large bird. Officials reckoned that he was spending most of his time in the North Side of Pittsburgh and northern suburbs, likely in Riverview Park and North Park.

In a statement Sunday, the Aviary said Kody was found at a residence in Pine Township. He’d been “spotted earlier that day nearby, and thanks to the overwhelming support and helpful sightings of community members, and the commitment of the Aviary team, they were able to locate the bird and bring Kody back home safely.”

He was lured back to Aviary animal teams using “professional falconry techniques and equipment,” and will spend time resting in a “behind the scenes area” of the facility.

The Aviary thanked residents who had been calling in sightings of Kody for the past several days.

Kody, 16, was hatched in another facility accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums before he moved to Pittsburgh 15 years ago.