Differences between Bald-Eagle and Pelican

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

A symbol of wisdom, Pelican is a water bird with broad wings and a long neck. It is characterised by its unique bill, which has a gular pouch near the neck. The bird uses the pouch to scoop up its feed. A Pelican also has wide wings, short tail, and short legs. Its family consists of eight species, which can be either white or brown in appearance.

Where are Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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.

Pelicans are generally found near rivers, lakes, and coastlines. While the American White Pelicans prefer freshwater, the Brown Pelicans live near the coasts. Although native to Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts, Pelicans are lately found across the world, apart from Antarctica.

What do Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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.

Pelicans are chiefly carnivores and fish is their staple food. The Brown Pelicans dive into water to catch their prey. However, other species make formations to force groups of fish into shallow waters so that they can be scooped up with their bill. Pelicans also eat other animals like turtles, shrimps, crustaceans, lobsters, crabs, lizards, and frogs. They have also been seen eating smaller birds.

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

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

Size of Bald-Eagle and Pelican?

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.. Pelicans are large birds. They are generally 4.1-4.3 feet tall with a wingspan of 9-10 feet.

Bald Eagles are enormous birds. They weigh 7-15 pounds. while The average weight of Pelicans is 22-26 pounds. The male birds are larger and weigh more than the females. Dalmatian Pelicans are the largest among all species. They weigh about 30 pounds.

Where do Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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.

The nesting habit of Pelicans depend on the species and geography. Nests could be constructed on sand, soil, or depressions on flat sites. The birds use grass, feathers, and sticks to pack the nests. In the wild, Pelicans build their nests beneath trees and shrubs. In places like Florida, they are also observed to build nests on mango trees. The birds lay up to four bluish white eggs at a time and hatch them for a month. They incubate the eggs using their feet. The young ones fledge when they are around 10 weeks old although they leave the nest to join the group when they are 17-28 days old.

How long do Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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.

Pelicans can live for 15-25 years in the wild. The oldest living Pelican as in 2022 is 62 years old and lives at the Wellington Zoo, Australia.

Are Bald-Eagle or Pelican 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.

Pelicans prefer warmer climates. Therefore, in winters they migrate from northern Europe and North America. However, Pelicans living in warmer regions of Asia and Africa rarely migrate or only travel small distances.

Do Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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 Pelicans is called a squadron, scoop, or pod. Pelicans are sociable birds that live and migrate in groups. The American White Pelicans also work together to capture fish. Pelicans are also known to breed in groups and build their nests in colonies.

Are Bald-Eagle or Pelican 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.

The White and Brown Pelicans are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and other conservation laws in the USA. Endangered species are protected in European countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece and parts of Asia.

Are Bald-Eagle or Pelican 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.

Not all species of Pelicans are endangered. Brown Pelicans were on the verge of extinction in the USA due to exposure to pollutants. However, the banning of DDT has helped a thrive in their population since 1985. Brown Pelicans face threat in the Gulf coast due to the oil spill. Across the world, increased urbanization and destruction of habitat is posing danger to the population of Pelicans. Plastic and other wastes in rivers and seas are causing injuries to the Pelicans’ pouch that is used to scoop up fish and other aquatic animals.

Can Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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.

Pelicans are brilliant flyers. With their broad wings and the help of thermals, they can reach an altitude of 10,000 feet or more. They fly in groups through U and V formations to travel long distances. During migration, they travel 61-101 miles a day. The Great White Pelican is known to travel long distances and over massive seas for several days at a stretch.

Can Bald-Eagle and Pelican swim?

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

Pelicans are water birds. They have webbed feet and are splendid swimmers. Some Pelican species even swim underwater to capture their prey.

Mating patterns among Bald-Eagle and Pelican

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.

Pelicans start mating when they are three to five years old. Adult Pelicans grow a horn on tip of the bill besides gaining colorful plumage every breeding season. They usually breed in large colonies and in small islands where there is no fear of predators. The male bird protects the nest site for about three weeks before courtship. The bird also engages with other males in chasing the female. The breeding ground for North American White Pelicans are lake islands in north-central and western parts of North America. Similarly, Brown Pelicans breed at the tropical and subtropical coasts of Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

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

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 depends on the species and the location of the Pelican birds. North American White Pelicans breed during April-June, while the Australian Pelicans breed from winter until the beginning of spring. Brown Pelicans usually breed during March-April.

Do Bald-Eagle and Pelican mate for life?

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

Pelicans are monogamous only during the particular breeding season. They change partners every season.

How do Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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.

Pelicans roost in groups to stay safe from predators and preserve body heat during winters. They usually sleep while standing on both legs or by lying on their bellies.

Can Bald-Eagle and Pelican 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.

In general, Pelicans are not eaten by humans. The birds have an oily and unpleasant flavor that make them uneatable. However, there have been instances in the past when American White Pelicans had been roasted, boiled, and eaten. Africans are also known to consume Pelicans by marinating them with salt for a few days.

Can you hunt Bald-Eagle or Pelican?

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.

Pelicans are not victims to largescale hunting. Several countries have conservation laws to prevent hunting. Nevertheless, the US Fish and Wildlife Service allows licensed hunting during the Pelican breeding season.

Can you feed Bald-Eagle or Pelican?

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 wild animals and birds in public places is not permitted in places like USA, Singapore, and Dubai. In captivity, Pelicans are fed fish, shrimps, and crabs.