Bald Eagle Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBald Eagle
Adult
Very large raptor with long, broad wings. Dark brown body contrasts with its white head and tail.
© Mason Maron / Macaulay LibraryWashington, December 05, 2020Juvenile
Juveniles have a brown body with brown and white mottled wings. The tail is also mottled with a dark band at the tip.
© Benjamin Hack / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, August 13, 2020Adult
Voice is a high, weak-sounding whinny.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 01, 2005Not all videos have sound
Second year
Second year birds are strongly mottled brown and white.
© Jonathan Eckerson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 02, 2019Second year
Second year birds have a white belly with brown mottling, a brown chest, and a brown mask behind the eye.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 29, 2020Adult
Often scavenges food or eats carrion.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryJanuary 01, 2001Not all videos have sound
Adult
When perched appears very large, with brown body and contrasting white head and bright yellow bill.
© Nigel Voaden / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 06, 2015Adult with nestlings
Builds huge stick nests in trees, usually some distance below the top of the tree. Juveniles are mottled brown and white, with dark heads.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 01, 2005Not all videos have sound
Fourth year
Fourth year birds look like adults with some brown feathers on the otherwise white head.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 10, 2021Second year
Second year birds are strongly mottled brown and white.
© Karl Overman / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, February 22, 2016Adult
In flight, notice very long, broad wings held fairly flat. Large head just out ahead of the wings as far or farther than tail trails behind.
© Eric Liner / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 26, 2007Not all videos have sound
Juvenile
The amount of white feathering can be highly variable on juveniles and second year birds.
© Blair Dudeck / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, November 26, 2019Second year
Second year birds have a mostly white belly, with some brown mottling, a brown chest, and a broad brown mask on the face.
© George Ho / Macaulay LibraryColorado, March 27, 2017Adult and immature
Will form groups during the nonbreeding season, when different age classes can be seen together.
© Larry Therrien / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 04, 2016Adult
Constructs enormous stick nests, usually in large trees.
© Dan Vickers / Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, January 16, 2011Similar SpeciesGolden Eagle
Adult
In flight, Golden Eagles have smaller heads and seemingly longer tails than Bald Eagles. Goldens have solid inner wing linings, while juvenile Bald Eagles have mottled wing linings. They also soar with wings slightly raised, whereas Bald Eagles fly on straight wings.
© Jeff Bleam / Macaulay LibraryNevada, April 06, 2017Similar SpeciesGolden Eagle
Immature with Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle on the left has mottled underwings and lack's the Golden Eagle's (right) white wrist patches.
© John Reynolds / Macaulay LibraryYukon Territory, April 23, 2017Similar SpeciesTurkey Vulture
Adult (Northern)
Turkey Vultures are common, large, and dark soaring birds, but they have much smaller, darker heads than Bald Eagles and they hold their wings in a pronounced V-shape when soaring. They often teeter as they soar, whereas Bald Eagles hold their wings flat like a board and are steady.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 01, 2017Similar SpeciesBlack Vulture
Adult
Black Vultures have a much shorter tail and smaller head than Bald Eagles. They are solid black underneath, without the mottling of immature Bald Eagles or the white head of adults.
© Holly Merker / Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, March 19, 2017Similar SpeciesRed-tailed Hawk
Juvenile dark morph (calurus/alascensis)
At distance, Red-tailed Hawks have a similar shape to Bald Eagles but their wings are shorter, their heads smaller, and you can usually see that the bird's body and wings are paler than a Bald Eagle.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 12, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites(Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae)
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