Species: Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus); Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos); Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
What to look for
- Wingspan. Red-tailed hawk around 4 feet (1.2 m). Bald eagle up to 6 feet (1.8 m) for males and 8 feet (2.4 m) for females. Golden eagle up to 7 feet, measured at 80 to 88 inches (203 to 224 cm).
- Body length. Red-tailed hawk 18 to 26 inches (45 to 66 cm). Golden eagle 30 to 40 inches (76 to 102 cm).
- Tail. An adult red-tailed hawk shows a reddish-brown tail, the single most recognizable mark on the bird.
- Head and tail color. An adult bald eagle has a white head and white tail on a brown body.
- Legs. A golden eagle is feathered all the way down. A bald eagle has bare yellow legs with feathers only at the top.
- Age. Bald eagles stay mottled brown and white until 4 or 5 years old, with dark eyes and a dark bill, so most genuinely confusing birds are young ones.
Easily confused with
Immature bald eagle. Mottled brown and white with no white head, it is regularly reported as a golden eagle. Check the legs: bare and yellow on a bald eagle, feathered to the toes on a golden.
Adult golden eagle. Brown all over with a golden wash on the back of the head and neck, and confusable with a bald eagle whenever the plumage is not clearly seen.
Northern harrier. Smaller and slimmer, and it gives itself away by flying low and slow with the wings held in a shallow V.
Where and when
Bald eagles traditionally nest near rivers, lakes and marshes, though they increasingly turn up on farmland and in suburbs. In winter they congregate near open water in tall trees used for spotting prey. Golden eagles use open country from mountains and canyonlands to grassland and desert. Red-tailed hawks use many habitats from cliffsides to forests.
Related signs
- Coyote vs fox: A coyote outweighs a red fox two or three times over: 18 to 30 pounds against 7.5 to 15 pounds.
- Frog vs toad: Skin and legs settle it.
- Bobcat vs mountain lion: The tail decides it.