Grey Goshawk vs Bald Eagle
Accipiter novaehollandiae compared with Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Goshawk | Bald Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Accipiter novaehollandiae | Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 79.0 cm (31.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 52.4 cm (20.6 in) | 203.0 cm (79.9 in) |
| Weight | 572.0 g (20.18 oz) | 4300.0 g (151.68 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Primarily fish, also waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion. Hunts by swooping down to snatch fish … |
| Clutch Size | 1-5 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Bald Eagle
Large bodies of open water including coasts, rivers, and lakes with abundant fish and old-growth trees for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
Grey Goshawk
Bald Eagle
High-pitched, chattering whistle: a rapid 'kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik'. Surprisingly weak and thin for such a large raptor. Also gives a lower 'kwit-kwit' call near the nest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey Goshawk
Bald Eagle
North America from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Grey Goshawk
Bald Eagle
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey Goshawk
Bald Eagle
Adults have a dark brown body with a striking white head and tail. Juveniles are mottled brown and white, reaching full adult plumage at age five.
Large, hooked, bright yellow bill
About These Birds
Grey Goshawk
The Grey Goshawk (<em>Accipiter novaehollandiae</em>) is a medium-sized raptor of the family Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles & Kites), native to Australia and nearby islands. It occupies a range of habitats including forest and grassland, making it one of the more habitat-versatile members of its genus. Detailed plumage and behavioral descriptions of this species are limited in the available literature for this record, though the Grey Goshawk is notable for occurring in both a grey-and-white morph and a pure white morph, the …
Bald Eagle
The bald eagle is the national bird and symbol of the United States. Once endangered due to DDT pesticide use, it made a remarkable recovery and was removed from the endangered species list in 2007. These powerful raptors build the largest tree nests of any bird, some weighing over two tons.