Differences between Bald-Eagle and Ostrich

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

Ostriches are the tallest and heaviest birds on the planet. They are flightless birds but are tremendous runners. They have long legs built with muscles strong enough to even kick a lion. These terrestrial birds have a long neck and sloppy feathers. They have a small brain, three stomachs, and large brown eyes with black lashes. The plumage of adult male is black with white marks and white tail, while that of the adult female and young males is a combination of grey, brown, and white. The birds do not have feather on their head and neck. There are two living species of Ostriches, namely, Common Ostrich and Somali Ostrich.

Where are Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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.

Ostriches are found in the savanna, plains, woodlands, and deserts of Africa. They like open lands with grass and vegetation. The birds also like to bathe in water. Ostriches now exist only in the wild in African countries like South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, and Sudan.

What do Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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.

Ostriches are herbivores. They eat seeds, fruits, flowers, roots, and plants. However, if food is scarce in the habitat, Ostriches also eat insects, rodents, lizards, and small tortoises.

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

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

Size of Bald-Eagle and Ostrich?

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.. Ostriches are the largest birds in the world. They are seven to nine feet tall. The male birds are taller at about nine feet, while the females do not grow over six feet. The birds have a wingspan of about six feet.

Bald Eagles are enormous birds. They weigh 7-15 pounds. while Ostriches are also the heaviest birds. Their average weight is 140-320 pounds.

Where do Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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.

Ostriches cannot reach the top of trees or cliffs. Therefore, they make their nests by digging holes in the ground. The nests, which are generally common for a group of Ostriches, can accommodate up to 60 eggs. The dominant male bird digs out mud to make the nest. Male and female birds take turns to incubate the eggs, which hatch in 42-46 days. The young ostriches will be able to walk on the second or third day. The parents protect their young ones from heat by covering their heads with their feathers. They keep them in their guard till the young ones are about seven months old, by when they grow to a height of six feet.

How long do Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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 Ostriches in the wild is 30-40 years. In unprotected places, the birds face threats from predators like lions, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, and crocodiles. They also lose their lives to ruthless hunting. In captivity, Ostriches are known to survive until they are 70 years.

Are Bald-Eagle or Ostrich 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.

Ostrich is not a migratory bird. However, it may travel due to scarcity of food, difficulty finding nutrients, or increased threat from predators.

Do Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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 Ostriches is called a herd. It typically consists of 12 birds with a male leader and a female leader. The male is more dominant and tries to control the female birds in the herd. There is also a pecking order that the members of the herd must follow. Outside the herd, Ostriches congregate in groups of about a 100. They are sociable, which gives them the ability to stay safe from predators. Additionally, Ostriches also graze in the company of zebras, antelopes, and giraffes, alerting them when there is a predator.

Are Bald-Eagle or Ostrich 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.

There are no laws in Africa to protect the birds. However, there are organizations involved in Ostrich farming, which provides a habitat for the birds and ensures that their population does not decline.

Are Bald-Eagle or Ostrich 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.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has categorized Ostriches as a species of least concern. However, the organization has listed the North African Ostrich as critically endangered. These birds were present in about 18 countries in North Africa. However, they exist in only four countries as in 2020. The steep decline in their population is attributed to uncontrolled hunting.

Can Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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.

Ostriches are flightless birds. However, they are the fastest running birds in the world. With their long and powerful legs, these birds can run at a speed of 40 miles an hour. They can cover about 10 feet in a single step. The birds use their wings to maintain balance while running.

Can Bald-Eagle and Ostrich swim?

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

Ostriches are not regular swimmers. They enjoy water and swim rarely. Their swimming gait is similar to walking.

Mating patterns among Bald-Eagle and Ostrich

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.

Ostriches reach sexual maturity when they are three to five years old, the females earlier than the males. In the mating season, the color of skin on the male’s head and neck changes along with a change in the color of the beak. The males chase each other and perform elaborate dances to woo the females. The dominant male of the herd mates with three to five females. All female Ostriches of the herd lay their eggs in the nest of the dominant female. The eggs are protected and incubated by the dominant female and her partner. It generally takes 36-45 days for the eggs to hatch.

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

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 breeding season for Ostriches is April-October every year. During this time, the birds are extremely active and participate in ritualistic courtship.

Do Bald-Eagle and Ostrich mate for life?

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

Ostriches are not monogamous. The males mate with three to five females every mating season. They however form life-long partnership with the dominant female. The females are however monogamous during the mating season and change partners every year.

How do Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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.

Ostriches rarely get tired and seldom sleep. During the night, they go through a slow wave sleep pattern, where their eyes are open and they are alert with the neck held upright.

Can Bald-Eagle and Ostrich 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.

Ostriches are widely eaten, especially in Africa and Germany. In fact, there are about 150 Ostrich farms in Germany. People relish Ostrich meat akin to beef. Ostrich meat is known to be rich in nutrition. There are also no laws preventing people from killing and eating Ostriches.

Can you hunt Bald-Eagle or Ostrich?

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.

There are no legal restrictions on the hunting of Ostriches. In South Africa, Ostrich hunting is a sport offered on safaris. Hunting activities are charged on hourly basis.

Can you feed Bald-Eagle or Ostrich?

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.

In farms and zoos, Ostriches are given leafy green vegetables, grass, corn, carrots, berries, seeds, and insects. In captivity, attention is given to the nutrient composition of the diet of Ostriches.