Crested Goshawk vs Bald Eagle

Accipiter trivirgatus compared with Haliaeetus leucocephalus

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Crested Goshawk Bald Eagle
Scientific Name Accipiter trivirgatus Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Order Accipitriformes Accipitriformes
Family Accipitridae Accipitridae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length 79.0 cm (31.1 in)
Wingspan 43.2 cm (17.0 in) 203.0 cm (79.9 in)
Weight 356.8333333333333 g (12.59 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 1-3 1-4
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length
Crested Goshawk
Bald Eagle 79.0 cm
Wingspan
Crested Goshawk 43.2 cm
Bald Eagle 203.0 cm
Weight
Crested Goshawk 356.8333333333333 g
Bald Eagle 4300.0 g
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Crested 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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Crested Goshawk

Bald Eagle

Song

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Crested Goshawk

Bald Eagle

North America from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Crested Goshawk

Least Concern

Bald Eagle

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Crested Goshawk

Bald Eagle

Plumage

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.

Bill

Large, hooked, bright yellow bill

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Crested Goshawk

The Crested Goshawk, <em>Accipiter trivirgatus</em>, is a medium-sized raptor belonging to the family Accipitridae, found across a broad range of forested habitats in South and Southeast Asia. It inhabits both lowland and montane forests, typically favouring areas with dense canopy where it can hunt prey with stealth. Detailed plumage and bill characteristics are not fully described in the data available here, though its common name references a distinctive crest. Clutch size is recorded at 1 to 3 eggs, consistent with …

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family