Differences between Bald-Eagle and Eagle

Bald-Eagle and Eagle are two classes of birds that belong to the Accipitridae family .

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.

Eagles are one of the largest and powerful birds on the planet. They are revered as mythological birds in several cultures of the world. There are about 60 species of Eagles, prominent among them being Harrier Eagles, Hawk Eagles, Martial Eagles, American Bald Eagle, and Sea Eagles. Eagles are at the top of the food chain. They have splendid eye sight and can see as far as three kilometres beyond. Their heads are fully feathered and usually white. The birds have wide wings, strong feet, and curved nails. Their plumage is usually brown in color, while their hooked beaks are orange. Eagles are known for their fearlessness and strength.

Where are Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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.

Eagles live near waterbodies like lakes, rivers, and seas. They prefer to perch, roost, and nest on tall trees. Most Eagle species are found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. About 11 of them exist in North and South America, while a couple of them are from Australia.

What do Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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.

Eagles are largely carnivores. Their diet depends on the species and geography. They generally eat mammals and birds. The ones living near water bodies also prey on aquatic animals, gulls, and seabirds. Eagles are fierce hunters but they also steal food from other Eagles and birds. However, they rarely eat dead meat.

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

• Both Bald-Eagle and Eagle eat Fish.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Eagle eat Frogs.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Eagle eat Lizards.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Eagle eat Snakes.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Eagle eat Turtles.
• Both Bald-Eagle and Eagle eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Bald-Eagle, but not by all Eagle.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Bald-Eagleand Eagle.
• Mice are eaten by both Bald-Eagle and Eagle.

Size of Bald-Eagle and Eagle?

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.. Eagle is a well-built bird. Its size depends on the species. The male is generally three feet tall with a wingspan of 6.6 feet. The female Eagles are larger with a height of 3.5 feet and wingspan of eight feet. The largest of all Eagle species is the Giant Philippine Eagle.

Bald Eagles are enormous birds. They weigh 7-15 pounds. while The weight of Eagles varies according to their species. The average weight of male Eagles is six to nine pounds, while it is 10-15 pounds for females. Steller’s Sea Eagle is the heaviest species with a weight of 14.75 pounds.

Where do Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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.

Eagles build huge nests on top of trees by weaving sticks and branches. Both male and female collaborate to construct the nests besides taking turns to incubate the eggs. It takes about 35 days for the eggs to hatch. The little ones fledge when they are 10-12 weeks old.

How long do Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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 lifespan of Eagles differs based on their species. On an average it is 14-35 years in the wild. The Eagle that lived the longest in the wild was 31 years and eight months old. It lived in North America. The longest-lived Eagle in captivity was in Europe. It lived for 46 years.

Are Bald-Eagle or Eagle 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.

Not all Eagles are migratory. If the weather, water, and food supply are favorable, they remain in the same territory. They migrate if food is in short supply or if winters become too cold for them. The place they migrate to depends on wind currents. Bald Eagles from Alaska usually migrate southward during August-January, while the ones near the Great Lake and in the Canadian region travel eastward. Eagles from Africa move around the Red Sea, passing by Suez, Egypt, and Israel. The ones in Europe are likely to move south towards sub-Saharan Africa. Within Asia, Eagles migrate from their breeding grounds during winter to places in China, Korea, Japan, and India.

Do Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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 flock of Eagles is known as convocation. Eagles are social and sometimes roost in groups. However, they are known to fly and hunt solitarily. At times when they have to maintain altitude and stay within the thermal column, they fly in circles. Bald Eagles are observed to fly in groups during migration.

Are Bald-Eagle or Eagle 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.

Eagles are protected across the world. Killing, hunting, or capturing them is a punishable offence. It is also illegal to destroy their nests or trade the birds.

Are Bald-Eagle or Eagle 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.

All Eagle species are not endangered. Bald Eagles were once endangered in the USA, however conservation laws have helped a recovery in their population and they are no longer endangered. Bald Eagles population however faces threat from hunting, trapping, loss of habitat, and use of pesticides. The Great Philippine Eagles are an endangered species with only about 400 of them remaining.

Can Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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.

Eagles are remarkable flyers. They have large and widespread wings. The bird uses thermals to soar high and fly without flapping its wings. Eagles fly at a speed of 20-30 miles an hour. They are capable of flying up to 125 miles without stopping. During migration, Bald Eagles travel about 225 miles in a day.

Can Bald-Eagle and Eagle swim?

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

Eagles can swim, although they are not regular swimmers. When an Eagle captures a prey in water and it is too heavy to carry, or it is unable to fly carrying it, it swims by using its feathers like oars. However, it has to get out of water quickly as the feathers become wet and heavy.

Mating patterns among Bald-Eagle and Eagle

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.

Eagles reach sexual maturity at the age of four or five years, when their head and tail become white. In the breeding season, Eagles perform many mating rituals. The prominent among them is the Cartwheel Courtship Flight or the Death Spiral, where two Eagles fly high, clasp each other’s talons and spin down while challenging one another to let go of the grasp. This is a display of their strength and arrogance. The male and female partners build the nest together. The female generally lays one to three eggs at a time. Both partners take turns to incubate the eggs.

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

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.

There is generally no particular mating season. Eagles mate throughout the year. However, in the case of Eagles that migrate, mating takes place as soon as the partners return to their nesting place.

Do Bald-Eagle and Eagle mate for life?

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

Eagles mate for life. The partners are faithful to each other and stay monogamous until one of them dies.

How do Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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.

Eagles sleep either while standing or laying down. If they have to sleep while standing, there is a locking mechanism in their feet that allows them to stay in one position. In winters, Eagles roost in communities and on large trees to maintain body heat. During the breeding season, they sleep closer to the nest to keep guard.

Can Bald-Eagle and Eagle 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.

People from different cultures are known to have consumed Eagles. The practice still exists among some tribes although the bird is protected and killing it for food is prohibited. In the USA, a few hundreds of tribes are allowed to request for a permit to kill Eagles.

Can you hunt Bald-Eagle or Eagle?

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.

Hunting Eagles for falconry was a common practice in ancient times. However, modern conservation and protection laws do not allow hunting and killing of the birds.

Can you feed Bald-Eagle or Eagle?

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.

Feeding birds in public places is discouraged in many countries like the USA, Singapore, and Dubai. In captivity, Eagles are generally fed with rats, rabbits, chicken, and meat.