Differences between Bald-Eagle and Vulture

Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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.

Vultures are foraging birds. They have a huge build with plumage that looks unkempt. The feathers are usually pale brown or black in color. The birds have bald heads, clawed toes, hooked beaks, and sharp vision. The talons on their long, clawed toes are blunt and their legs are rather weak. They generally maintain a hunched stance. The Vulture family consists of 23 species, which include 16 species that are native to Asia, Africa, and Europe and seven species that live in North America and South America. Some prominent Vulture species are Turkey Vultures, Himalayan Vulture, Black Vulture, King Vulture, and Lappet-faced Vulture.

Where are Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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.

Vultures mostly live in open plains, grasslands, deserts, and mountains. They can also be found near human dwelling such as agricultural lands and cities. Vultures can be found in all countries of Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America. They do not exist in Australia, Antarctica, and Pacific Islands.

What do Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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.

Vultures have sharp vision, which allows them to keenly observe preys on the ground. However, they have weak legs and beak, because of which they prefer scavenging dead animals or surviving on human refuse. When they hunt, they capture rodents, reptiles, lambs, calves, and tortoise.

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

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

Size of Bald-Eagle and Vulture?

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.. Vultures are large birds characterized by wide wings. The largest Vulture is the Cinereous Vulture, which is about 3.3 feet long with a wingspan of nearly nine feet. Necrosyrtes Monachus or the Hooded Vulture is the smallest of the species. It is about 2.3 feet long and has a wingspan of 5.5 feet.

Bald Eagles are enormous birds. They weigh 7-15 pounds. while The weight of Vultures differs based on their species. The Cinereous Vulture weighs 27.5 pounds, whereas the Hooded Vulture weighs 5.7 pounds.

Where do Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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.

Vultures make their nests in trees, cliffs, hollow logs, burrows, ledges, caves, or deserted buildings. They either build new nests using sticks and grass or use old ones by lining them with grass. Vulture eggs are greyish blue-green in color with brown or purple spots. The female lays one to two eggs, which are incubated by both partners for 28-40 days. The young ones fledge when they are 10-14 weeks old, but mostly depend on their parents for food till they are eight months old.

How long do Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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 varies for different species. Smaller birds may live up to 18 years in the wild, while the larger ones survive for nearly 50 years. For instance, Ruppell’s Vulture lives up to 50 years, the Hooded Vulture has a lifespan of about 30 years, and the Cinereous Vulture lives for 35 years. The oldest living of the species is a male Turkey Vulture that resides in California. He was born in 1974.

Are Bald-Eagle or Vulture 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.

Vultures living in northern hemisphere are generally migratory. The species from southern hemisphere are mostly residents. In winters, about a million Vultures travel from Canada and North America to central and South America. Some of them even go up to Ecuador and Venezuela. Vulture species from cold regions of Europe move to Africa, while those from Russia and China travel to the Indian subcontinent.

Do Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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 Vultures in flight is called a kettle, while a group of Vultures in rest is called a committee. Vultures are gregarious birds that live, eat, and roost in colonies. They migrate in large groups that sometimes could have a thousand birds. However, they hunt alone so as to not divert the prey.

Are Bald-Eagle or Vulture 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.

Vultures are protected under Migratory Bird Treaty Act in USA. They are protected under similar laws in other countries like Canada, UK, France, and India. Hunting them in these countries is not permitted.

Are Bald-Eagle or Vulture 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 population of Vultures is shrinking due to poisoning by poachers and pesticides, and persecution by farmers. In Africa, Vultures are threatened by hunters who kill them for meat and for body parts that are used in traditional medicine. Presently, eight species in India and seven in Africa face the risk of extinction. Some Vultures listed as endangered include the Indian Vulture, the White-backed Vulture, the Hooded Vulture, the White-rumped Vulture, the Cinereous Vulture, the Himalayan Griffon, the Lappet-faced Vulture, and the Ruppell’s Vulture.

Can Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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.

Vultures fly by making use of thermals and wind currents. They fly at high altitudes. Some species can fly as high as 37,000 feet above sea level. They are capable of sustaining even with low oxygen levels at higher altitudes. Vultures are known to fly at speeds of 15-20 miles an hour. They fly 62-93 miles a day in search of food. During migration, some species travel as much as 310 miles in a day. The way the birds use their wings during flight is dintinct for different species. While the Turtle Vulture can fly almost six hours without flapping its wings, species like Black Vulture flap their wings more often.

Can Bald-Eagle and Vulture swim?

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

Vultures are not known to be swimmers. They go to water bodies for bathing and drinking.

Mating patterns among Bald-Eagle and Vulture

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.

Vultures start mating when they are five or six years old. During courtship, the male hops around the female in circles with its wings partly extended. He also chases the female while exhaling noisily. Vultures are slow breeders, they lay one to two eggs each year.

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

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 Vultures is March-June in the northern hemisphere and February-April in the southern hemisphere. It is however unique for various species. For instance, the Indian Vultures breed during November-March and the Long-billed Vultures mate during October-May.

Do Bald-Eagle and Vulture mate for life?

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

Most Vulture species mate for life. They are monogamous and live together throughout the year. They also have strong family bonding.

How do Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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.

Vultures roost in large communities on trees, buildings, and towers. They stay close to each other in the night to remain warm and conserve energy.

Can Bald-Eagle and Vulture 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.

Vulture meat is largely consumed in Africa in addition to being used as traditional medicine. However, it is not recommended to eat Vultures as they are scavengers. Many countries do not allow hunting the birds for meat.

Can you hunt Bald-Eagle or Vulture?

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.

In Africa, Vultures are hunted for meat and medicine. Worldwide, they are known to be killed by farmers for destroying property and attacking livestock. However, there are laws prohibiting hunting, killing, and trading of Vultures.

Can you feed Bald-Eagle or Vulture?

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 is illegal in places like the USA, Singapore, and Dubai. In captivity, they are given goat meat, rodents, and some plant material.