Differences between Eagle and Owl

Eagle and Owl are two classes of birds that belong to the Accipitridae and Tytonidae families respectively.

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.

Owl is a large nocturnal bird. It has a round and flat face with hooked beaks, static eyes, and large ears. Its neck is flexible and can turn over 180 degrees on both sides. This allows the bird to look around and backward even with its fixed eyes. The bird cannot see color but its visual clarity is sharp. Its ears are asymmetrical but acute in discerning sounds from different dimensions. Owl is commonly seen standing in upright position. Its plumage is soft and heavy. The color varies for different species, from grey to brown to reddish brown. The plumage mostly have markings on them, camouflaging the owl amidst dense foliage. The fossils of owls are dated back to over 65.5 million years. At present, there are about 250 species in the Owl family.

Where are Eagle and Owl found?

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.

Owls live in diverse habitats such as forests, mountains, plains, and deserts. The Snowy Owl lives in the frigid regions of North Pole. Species like Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl can be found in cities. Owls can be found in all countries of the world except Antarctica.

What do Eagle and Owl eat?

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.

Owls are carnivorous birds. Their diet depends on food sources in their environment. Owls eat insects, rodents, crabs, snails, small birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

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

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

Size of Eagle and Owl?

When it comes to size, 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.. The owls measure 0.4-2.3 feet in length with a wingspan of 1-6.6 feet. Elf Owl, which is the smallest in the family, is about 0.5 feet tall. Blakiston Fish Owl, the largest Owl species, is 2.3 feet tall.

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. while The weight of Owls varies for different species. Elf Owl weighs about 1.5 ounce, while the large North American Owl weighs about 8.8 pounds.

Where do Eagle and Owl nest?

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.

Owls do not build nests. They use holes in trees, quiet places in barns and buildings, caves, natural cavities in river banks, and nests of other birds to lay their eggs. The female Owl starts incubating the eggs when the first one is laid. She lays eggs two to three days apart. Consequently, the eggs do not hatch synchronously. In the nesting season, the female develops additional feathers, called brood patch, on her belly to provide warmth during incubation. The eggs hatch 32 days after incubation. The young ones fledge when they are six to eight weeks old.

How long do Eagle and Owl live?

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.

The average lifespan of Owls in the wild is five to 12 years. Larger Owls may live longer, sometimes up to 25 years. The oldest Owl, which was a female Great Horned Owl, turned 50 years in 2012. She lived in captivity at the San Francisco Zoo.

Are Eagle or Owl migratory birds?

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.

Not all Owl species are migratory. Some relocate to warmer regions during winters. However, some Owls remain in their territories even in winters. The Great Gray Owl and the Great Horned Owl of Canada are resident species. The Snowy Owl that lives in the North Pole migrates to Canada and USA during winters. In Europe, the Scops Owls migrates to the tip of the Sahara Desert. The Short-Eared Owl is another migratory Owl from India that travels long distances, sometimes even crossing oceans.

Do Eagle and Owl fly in flocks?

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.

A group of Owls is called a parliament. Owls are extreme loners and prefer solitary existence. They rarely flock aside the breeding season. They sometimes roost in small groups or in pairs for warmth in cold temperatures.

Are Eagle or Owl protected?

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.

Owls are protected in most countries like the USA, UK, India, Canada, and Japan. They do not enjoy protection in some countries, while in some others only the endangered species are protected.

Are Eagle or Owl endangered?

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.

Some species of Owls are endangered and face threat of extinction. These include Pernambuco Pygmy Owl, Siau Scops Owl, Forest Owl, Moheli Scops Owl, Congo Bay Owl, and Long-Whiskered Owlet. The population of Owls is threatened by loss of habitat, lack of food sources, hunting, and climate change.

Can Eagle and Owl fly?

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.

Owls are known to fly without making any sound. The comb-like design on the edges of their feathers and their large wings enable them to fly noiselessly. They fly slowly, without flapping their wings too much. Some species of Owls fly at a speed of just two miles an hour, while the faster species can reach 40 miles per hour.

Can Eagle and Owl swim?

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.

Owls are not natural swimmers. They do not have webbed feet. However, they can manage to swim if they happen to accidentally fall in water.

Mating patterns among Eagle and Owl

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.

Owls start mating when they are two to three years old. During the mating season, the male and female Owls perform mating dances. They also hoot mating calls that boost their bond and keep away other Owls from their territory. The male may get a prey as offering to the female to woo her. In some species, partners may engage in giggling and snapping of bills as part of mating ritual. The female may lay one to 15 eggs in a breeding season, however not all at once. It is her responsibility to lay eggs, incubate and hatch them. Once the chicks are born, the male may fetch food for them and give it to the female.

When is the mating season for Eagle and Owl ?

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.

The mating season for Owls is generally spring every year. However, some species mate during winter months.

Do Eagle and Owl mate for life?

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

Owls are devoted partners. They mate for life. They also use the same nesting site year after year.

How do Eagle and Owl sleep?

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.

Owls are nocturnal birds. They sleep either on trees or on the ground while standing and keeping their eyes closed. Most species are awake during the night when they hunt. They mostly sleep during the day.

Can Eagle and Owl be eaten?

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.

Humans are not known to have consumed Owls. The birds do not have much meat on them. Their taste is known to be unpalatable.

Can you hunt Eagle or Owl?

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.

Owls are typically not hunted. Only in cases when they cause trouble, people hunt them or capture them and release them in the wild. Hunting or harming Owls is not allowed in many countries.

Can you feed Eagle or Owl?

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.

Most countries do not permit owning or feeding of Owls. In captivity, the birds are fed rodents, chicken, meat, and worms.