Differences between Bald-Eagle and Blackbird

Bald-Eagle and Blackbird are two classes of birds that belong to the Accipitridae and Icteridae families respectively.

Bald Eagle is a type of Sea Eagle with two sub-species. It is a bird of prey with brown plumage and white tail. The bird is not actually bald, it has white colored feather on its head. It is characterized by yellow eyes, beak, and feet. The beak is hooked and is used for capturing the prey and preening. The bird has four toes and talons on each foot. One of the toes faces backwards and helps in holding the prey with extreme grip. According to scientists, the grip of a Bald Eagle is 10 times stronger than that of an average human’s hand. The bird also has exceptional hearing and vision. Bald Eagle is famous as the national bird of the USA.

The New World Blackbirds are tiny songbirds. They have glossy plumage. While the male have black feathers, orange beaks, and orange rings around their eyes, the feathers of the female are a paler black or brown with their beaks and eye rims being yellow. There are about 26 species of Blackbirds. Some of them are Rusty Blackbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, and Red-winged Blackbird.

Where are Bald-Eagle and Blackbird found?

Bald Eagles live around water sources surrounded by forests. They can be found near rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and coasts. They are native to North America. They exist in Mexico, the USA, Alaska, and Canada.

Blackbirds live in swamps, meadows, wetlands, forests, agricultural lands, parks, farms, and cities. They are distributed across North America, South America, Canada, Europe, and parts of Russia. They have also been introduced in Australia and New Zealand.

What do Bald-Eagle and Blackbird eat?

Bald Eagles chiefly eat fish. They also hunt snakes, turtles, small ducks, gulls, geese, lambs, foxes, dogs, rodents, rabbits, and crabs. These birds are also known to eat dead animals and abduct the prey from other animals.

Blackbirds are omnivores. They eat worms, ants, spiders, insects, grasshoppers, beetles, small reptiles and amphibians, seeds, berries, and fruits.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Bald-Eagle and Blackbird

• Both Bald-Eagle and Blackbird eat Fish.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Blackbird eat Frogs.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Blackbird eat Lizards.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Blackbird eat Snakes.
• Bald-Eagle do eat Turtles while Blackbird may not eat Turtles.
• Bald-Eagle do eat Squirrels while Blackbird may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Bald-Eagle while Blackbird do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Bald-Eagle while Blackbird do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Mice are eaten by both Bald-Eagle and Blackbird.

Size of Bald-Eagle and Blackbird?

When it comes to size, The overall size of a Bald Eagle is 2.8-3.5 feet. It has a wingspan of six to eight feet.. Blackbirds are small birds. They are about seven to 10 inches long with a wingspan of 13 inches.

Bald Eagles are enormous birds. They weigh 7-15 pounds. while As Blackbirds are petite, their average weight is only two to four ounces.

Where do Bald-Eagle and Blackbird nest?

Bald Eagles build the largest nests among all birds in the world. Known as eyries, these nests are four to five feet wide and about two feet deep. They weight up to one ton. Some nests can be double this size. They are made by interweaving sticks and branches, while soft material like grass, feathers, and moss are used inside. Nests are generally positioned on top of large trees in the vicinity of water sources. The eggs are a pale white and shaped oval. Both partners share the task of incubating the eggs for about 35 days. The young ones fledge when they are eight to 14 weeks old.

Blackbirds construct their nests in trees, shrubs, tree holes, or cavities in the ground. The nests are shaped like small cups and are made of twigs, grass, and other plant material. The nests are lined with mud and fine grass. The female bird builds the nest about two weeks before the breeding season. She uses the well-constructed nests for multiple broods in the season. The eggs are bluish green with brown spots. They are incubated by the female for 13-14 days. The young ones will be able to fledge when they are about two weeks old.

How long do Bald-Eagle and Blackbird live?

The average lifespan of Bald Eagles is 20-30 years in the wild. Their life is threatened by illegal hunting, lead poisoning, electrocution, and loss of habitat. The oldest lived Bald Eagle was 38 years old. It died in 2015 due to collision with a car.

The average lifespan of blackbirds is 2.4-3.4 years. According to bird ringing data, the longest-lived blackbird was 21 years and 10 months old. It lived in the UK.

Are Bald-Eagle or Blackbird migratory birds?

Bald Eagles usually reside in their territories throughout the year. The ones living in Canada and Alaska travel south to spend the winters in central and southern parts of USA.

Blackbirds migrate or reside in the same territory throughout the year depending on geography. The ones in the UK are residents. Birds from northern Europe migrate to UK during winters. Red-winged Blackbirds migrate from Canada and other countries in northern parts of North America to spend winters in southern parts of the continent. Some Blackbirds of Russia reside in the same place for winters, while some travel towards the south or east.

Do Bald-Eagle and Blackbird fly in flocks?

A flock of Bald Eagles is called a congregation or convocation. The birds are solitary. In winters, they may roost in groups to keep themselves warm. They fly alone even during migration.

A group of Blackbirds is known as a cluster, cloud, or merl. Blackbirds are mostly solitary. They live in their own territories or interact with small groups of their own species. The birds however flock in large numbers during migration.

Are Bald-Eagle or Blackbird protected?

Bald Eagles are protected in the USA under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The laws prohibit harming and killing the birds or owning their body parts. The birds are also protected in Canada.

Blackbirds are protected in their resident countries under wildlife protection laws. Harming or hunting them is prohibited in these countries. However, Blackbirds destroying crops in Australia can be killed.

Are Bald-Eagle or Blackbird endangered?

The population of Bald Eagles had declining to about 450 nesting pairs in 1960s in the USA. The bird was listed as endangered in 1978. However, the banning of DDT and other conservation efforts have yielded good results. With an increase in the numbers of Bald Eagles to about 4,500 nesting pairs in 1995, the species was re-classified as threatened. With further increase in their population to over 6,300 nesting pairs in 2000, the species has been removed from the endangered and threatened species list.

Blackbirds are not endangered. They are the highest breeding birds in the UK. They live in plenty in Europe. Rusty Blackbird is one species that is listed as vulnerable in Canada. Its population is also reducing in North America.

Can Bald-Eagle and Blackbird fly?

Bald Eagles fly by soaring high with the use of thermals and wind currents. They manage their speed by altering the position of their wings. During long migration, the birds rarely flap their wings in order to conserve energy. The average flying speed of Bald Eagles is 75-100 miles an hour.

Blackbirds fly short to long distances during migration. They may travel 100-800 miles in winters. They prefer flying in large flocks while travelling.

Can Bald-Eagle and Blackbird swim?

Bald Eagles can swim but seldom do. They are mostly airborne birds. They also dive into water to catch their prey.

Blackbirds are good swimmers. They can dive and swim underwater to catch a fish.

Mating patterns among Bald-Eagle and Blackbird

Bald Eagles reach sexual maturity when they are four or five years old. During the breeding season, the birds become aggressive to defend their territory. Of their mating rituals, the prominent is the cartwheel courtship flight where the male and female soar high, lock their talons, and fall to the ground in a cartwheel spin. They also chase each other and perform aerial dances. The partners may copulate more than once a day. When the eggs are laid, both male and female take turns to incubate them for 34-36 days. The partners also share the responsibility of feeding and protecting the young ones. The eaglets are ready to fledge when they are about 12 weeks old.

Blackbirds reach sexual maturity when they are a year old. They are more friendly during the breeding season. During courtship, the male attracts the female by running sideways and making head movements. He also tries to sing to woo her. It is the female’s responsibility to construct the nest and incubate the eggs. Once the eggs hatch, both partners share responsibility to feed the young ones.

When is the mating season for Bald-Eagle and Blackbird ?

Bald Eagles in the south-eastern regions of USA start mating in October and pursue till February-March. For the birds in western states, mating season commences in January.

The mating season for Blackbirds generally occurs during March-July. The birds raise three to four broods in a single breeding season.

Do Bald-Eagle and Blackbird mate for life?

Bald Eagles are monogamous. Not only do they mate for life, they also make caring partners and parents.

Blackbirds are mostly monogamous. The partners mate for life and defend their territories with their partners. In case of unsuccessful broods or loss of brood to a predator, the male may seek a new partner while the female prepares herself for the next brood.

How do Bald-Eagle and Blackbird sleep?

Bald Eagles roost communally during winters. They sleep on large trees to stay sheltered from severe wind and cold. During the breeding season, they sleep closer to the nests. The birds have a locking mechanism in their legs that allows them to maintain their standing posture while asleep.

Blackbirds are nocturnal, although they may nap during the day. They sleep in tree holes and cavities. In winters, they may roost in flocks to maintain body temperature.

Can Bald-Eagle and Blackbird be eaten?

Bald Eagles were eaten in ancient times by Hare, Tlingit, and few other communities. However, modern laws do not permit killing and consumption of the birds.

Blackbirds are known to taste bitter. Their meat were consumed in the past in Ireland and parts of Europe. However, the tradition is fading away. Conservation laws also do not permit killing of Blackbirds for meat.

Can you hunt Bald-Eagle or Blackbird?

Archaic cultures hunted Bald Eagles for food by using bows and arrows, hooks, and traps. Subsequently, they were hunted for sport and their feathers. Owing to a reduction in their population, laws have been passed prohibiting any form of killing and hunting of the birds.

Blackbirds were hunted for meat. They were also killed for destroying farms and crops. Modern laws do not permit hunting of the birds. However, in Australia, Blackbirds are considered as pests and allowed to be killed to protect commercial crops.

Can you feed Bald-Eagle or Blackbird?

Feeding Bald Eagles in public is forbidden in the USA and Canada. In captivity, the birds are given whole fish, rats, guinea pigs, and chicken.

Blackbirds can be given worms, oats, maize, and dried fruits. In captivity, they are fed with grasshoppers, worms, ants, beetles, spiders, and dried fruits.