11 replies to this topic

[clovel]

Hi - I'm trying to figure out whether this is a big hawk or a golden eagle in my backyard. I'm leaning toward hawk, but I just can't tell.

Any input appreciated - thanks!
 hawkoreagle1.jpg   75.91K   105 downloads  hawkoreagle2.jpg   83.4K   101 downloads

[spookyjimjams]

Where are you at? This is definitely a hawk, an eagle would have a heavy bill and be considerably larger.

[spookyjimjams]

I'm leaning toward Swainson's Hawk juvenile, depending on the location.

[creeker]

I agree with immature intermediate Swainson's Hawk. The buteo that resembles a falcon.

[BarnSwallow]

A golden eagle would be all dark - it would ha\/e none of that light feather edging and the pale fa(e. It also wouldn't hae the barred tail. Also, as said, it would be huge and bulky.

http://www.google.co...,r:2,s:12,i:187

[blue jay]

It's probably a swainsons hawk because golden eagles dwarf bald eagles, and that's not a golden eagle. Good job though.

[BarnSwallow]

Golden eagles don't dwarf balds at all. Here's a photo of both

http://animalvsanima...VS-Golden-Eagle

In Sibley's, it says that balds are 31" long, has an 80" wingspan, and are about 9.5 lbs. Goldens are 30" long, ha\/e 79" wingspan and are about 10lbs.

So balds are slightly bigger, goldens slightly hea\/ier. I' guessing a fe/\/\ale bald is bigger than a /\/\ale golden.

[TheBillyPilgrim]

Location would be helpful, but I would lean Swainson's on this guy as well.

[Doug Herr]

Location would be helpful, but I would lean Swainson's on this guy as well.

Same for me.

[psweet]

Regarding the size differences between eagles, in general I agree with BarnSwallow. However, it's worth pointing out that there is a lot of geographic variation in size in Bald Eagles, with smaller birds in the south and larger birds up north. Given that in much of the country, the only Goldens you see are migrants from up north, I can see how locally size could be a useful trick.

[JimBob]

Even though there is no location given by the OP, I agree with Swainson's.

[BarnSwallow]

That's a good point about the size differences. However, I still wouldn't say that a golden eagle would "dwarf" a bald. Wheeler's gies these size ranges, which include all sizes of balds:

Bald: length: 27 - 37", wingspan: 71 - 96"
Golden: 27 - 33", 72 - 87"

Goldens are seen so infrequently in the southeast, that I would think it would be a moot point.