Grey-headed Goshawk vs Bald Eagle
Accipiter poliocephalus compared with Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey-headed Goshawk | Bald Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Accipiter poliocephalus | Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 79.0 cm (31.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 42.1 cm (16.6 in) | 203.0 cm (79.9 in) |
| Weight | 260.75 g (9.20 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 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Grey-headed Goshawk only
None
Bald Eagle only
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-headed 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-headed Goshawk
Bald Eagle
North America from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Grey-headed Goshawk
Bald Eagle
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey-headed 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-headed Goshawk
The Grey-headed Goshawk (<em>Accipiter poliocephalus</em>) is a raptor of the family Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles & Kites), occurring in the forested islands of the southwestern Pacific. It is a forest-specialist, inhabiting lowland and montane forest environments where it is believed to hunt birds and small vertebrates through the canopy. Detailed plumage and behavioral descriptions of this species are limited in the available literature, though its common name reflects a distinctive grey head coloration that distinguishes it within its range. Geographic range …
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.