You know a bald eagle's signature white head but raptors can be tricky, especially in flight. See several birds that look like bald eagles.
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Golden Eagle
As the only other type of eagle found in the continuous United States, it’s common to mix these birds up where their ranges overlap. Both birds have large powerful bills and sharp talons for grasping prey. Golden eagles are slightly larger with a wider wingspan. Note their smaller heads and golden colored neck feathers.
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Red-Tailed Hawk
Red-tailed hawks are widely considered the most common bird of prey in North America. With their long, broad wings and large powerful bills, it’s plausible you would think of an eagle when you see one in flight (or perched near a highway). And those namesake red tail feathers don’t change color until adulthood. But the bald eagle actually dwarfs the red-tailed hawk in overall size. There are dark and light morphs of these hawks to mix you up even more.
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Osprey
Though smaller than eagles, these raptors (known as sea hawks) can trick the eye because they have dark wings and white on their heads. Also, you are likely to see both osprey and bald eagles grabbing fish from the water for a meal.
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Ferruginous Hawk
This is one big hawk —in fact, it’s the ferruginous hawk is largest buteo found in the U.S. It’s hefty size means it could definitely be mistaken for an eagle. The white tail feathers and pale gray head on this big bird of prey also might fool you as it soars high in the sky.
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Turkey Vulture
You might spot both turkey vultures and bald eagles soaring overhead looking for their next meal. It’s worth noting that bald eagles also sometimes feed on carrion. Pay attention to the lack of feathers on the turkey vulture’s bald red head and the white bill. Vultures’ wings also look v-shaped in flight (eagles fly with their wings flat).
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Black Vulture
The other kind of vulture in the U.S. is dark in color and cuts an intimidating figure. You’ll often see black vultures roosting or hunting in groups. To identify this species, look for a dark colored bird with a bare black head and a black bill. It’s smaller overall than both the bald eagle and its vulture relative, with a shorter wingspan.
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Bonus: Juvenile Bald Eagle
The bird that looks the most like a bald eagle is a juvenile bald eagle! Many observers are tripped up when they see a bird of the right size, with similar features, when compared to our National Bird — but without the bright white head and tail feathers. It’s important to know that bald eagles’ head feathers are brown for the first several years of life.
