Differences between Eagle and Sparrow

Eagle and Sparrow are two classes of birds that belong to the Accipitridae and Passeridae 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.

Sparrows are one of the most commonly found birds in the world. They are petite birds with a round head and small beak that is shaped like a cone. Their plumage is either brown or grey with white streaks. The feather on their belly is usually white. The birds have a long and stiff tail. An interesting fact about Sparrows is that they have a bone in their tongue. As these are perching birds, they have clawed feet with three forward-pointing and one backward-pointing toe. Sparrows are songbirds that make chirping sounds. There are over 140 species of these birds in the world. They are generally classified as Old World species and New World species. Sparrows are mentioned in mythology and the Bible. Their earliest fossils, found in caves in Israel, are dated back to over 100,000 years.

Where are Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows prefer thick forests, open fields, agricultural farms, and fringes of forests. However, a large population of Sparrows also live in the parks, gardens, and buildings of cities. The Old World species of Sparrows originally belong to Asia, Africa, and Europe. The New World species have been introduced in North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

What do Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are omnivores. They largely eat seeds and grains like cereals, wheat, rice, oats, and corn. They also eat insects and worms. Occasionally the birds eat human food refuse.

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

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

Size of Eagle and Sparrow?

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 size of Sparrows depends on the species. The average size is however 0.5-0.6 feet in length. Chestnut Sparrow is the smallest Sparrow with a length of 0.4 feet, while the Parrot-billed Sparrow is the largest with a length of 0.59 feet.

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 average weight of the Sparrow is 0.84 ounce. The weight of the Chestnut Sparrow is 0.5 ounce and that of the Parrot-billed Sparrow is 1.5 ounce.

Where do Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows build their nests in holes and cavities of small trees, in shrubs, and buildings. They prefer their nests to be closer to the ground. The nests generally look spherical and measure eight to 10 inches in diameter. The female and male partners construct the nest using straw, twigs, roots, leaves, grass, paper, thread, wool, and feather. The eggs are completely white, or bluish white, or greenish white with brown spots. Both partners incubate the eggs. The eggs hatch in 10-14 days. The young ones that are fed by both parents fledge in about two weeks.

How long do Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are known to live for four to seven years. Some species can even live up to 20 years. The House Sparrows live until 23 years in captivity.

Are Eagle or Sparrow 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 Sparrows are migratory. The ones from Canada, North America, northern parts of Europe, and east Asia migrate during winters. The House Sparrows typically do not migrate as they do not encounter harsh weather or scarcity of food in any time of the year. Among the migratory species, American Tree Sparrow migrates from North America and Canada to the USA, while the Savannah Sparrow travels from Alaska to the USA. In northern and central Europe, migration takes place among Eurasian Tree Sparrow that relocates to Africa. The Russet Sparrow is a species from Himalayas that spends its time in south-east Asia during winters.

Do Eagle and Sparrow 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 Sparrows is called a flock. The birds are highly sociable. They live in colonies of about 20 birds, which may even extend to about a 100. The birds are always found in groups, foraging, flying, and roosting together. Their nests are also built next to each other during the breeding season. Sparrows are also intelligent birds. They are known for cooperation and teamwork. The birds work together to find food, build nests, preen feathers, and remove lice and parasites from their skin. They chirp incessantly to let their group know about where they are. As Sparrows are tiny birds, living in large flocks also helps in intimidating the predator and also mobbing the predator if required.

Are Eagle or Sparrow 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.

Not all species of Sparrows are protected. For example, the House Sparrow is not protected in the USA. It has partial protection in the UK, where shooting it with a licence is allowed. The species is fully protected in Canada.

Are Eagle or Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are not endangered but their numbers are on a steep decline. Factors affecting the population of Sparrows are loss of habitat, scarcity of food, urbanization, radiation from mobile towers, pollution, use of pesticides in farmlands, and hunting.

Can Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows fly by taking off directly, flapping their wings, and folding their legs. Their average flying speed is 24-31 miles an hour. The altitude range they can fly at varies for different species. While most of them normally fly at around 500 feet, some fly at around 2,000 feet. During migration they fly 5,000-20,000 feet high and cover 15-600 miles in a day. Sparrows fly in flocks because they are tiny birds and flying in groups supports energy conservation. It will also help them spot and threaten predators. On the ground, Sparrows are commonly seen hopping. They jump forward and backward for scraping mud, leaves, or grass with their toes and search for food underneath.

Can Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are not regular swimmers. However, they can swim fast to escape from danger. Some species like the House Sparrow can even swim under water. Sparrows regularly bathe in water, sometimes even in a puddle. They wiggle in water to loosen up the dirt on their feathers and to control body temperature.

Mating patterns among Eagle and Sparrow

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.

Depending on the species, Sparrows start mating when they are five to nine months old. The birds mate in small colonies. During courtship, the male hops around the female with inflated chest, raised tail, and slouched wings. He also chirps and sings for her. The partners copulate until the female can lay eggs. They produce nearly four broods in a breeding season. The female lays one to eight eggs in a clutch. Both partners incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

When is the mating season for Eagle and Sparrow ?

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 sparrows depends on geography. It can range from March to August. The courtship can begin as early as January.

Do Eagle and Sparrow mate for life?

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

Sparrows mate for life. They remain monogamous throughout their life and return to the same nesting territory every year. When one of the partners is lost or dies, the surviving partner finds another mate within a few days.

How do Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows roost in large groups while perching on trees. They may even shelter inside tree holes and cavities. They draw together to stay warm on cold nights. Their usual sleeping posture is head tucked inside plumped up feathers.

Can Eagle and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are widely consumed by people. They are a delicacy in French, Italian, Japanese, and German cuisines. As the law in most countries provide protection only to some species of Sparrows, obtaining the bird meat for food is not restricted.

Can you hunt Eagle or Sparrow?

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.

Sparrows are hunted for their meat. They are considered a pest by farmers, who kill them to save their crops. Hunting Sparrows is allowed in some countries, while killing them with a licence is permitted in few others.

Can you feed Eagle or Sparrow?

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.

Sparrows can be fed with a mix of seeds, corn, millets, fruits, and insects.