Tawny Eagle vs White-tailed Eagle

Aquila rapax compared with Haliaeetus albicilla

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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Tawny Eagle White-tailed Eagle
Scientific Name Aquila rapax Haliaeetus albicilla
Order Accipitriformes Accipitriformes
Family Accipitridae Accipitridae
Conservation Status Vulnerable Least Concern
Length 84.0 cm (33.1 in)
Wingspan 101.3 cm (39.9 in) 225.0 cm (88.6 in)
Weight 2299.0 g (81.09 oz) 5200.0 g (183.42 oz)
Diet -- Fish, waterfowl, and carrion. Often pirates food from other birds. Takes fish from the water …
Clutch Size 1-3 1-3
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length
Tawny Eagle
White-tailed Eagle 84.0 cm
Wingspan
Tawny Eagle 101.3 cm
White-tailed Eagle 225.0 cm
Weight
Tawny Eagle 2299.0 g
White-tailed Eagle 5200.0 g
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Tawny Eagle only

White-tailed Eagle only

White-tailed Eagle

Coastlines, large lakes, and rivers with mature trees or cliffs for nesting. Requires large undisturbed areas.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Tawny Eagle

White-tailed Eagle

Song

High-pitched, yelping 'klee-klee' and deep barking 'ra-ra-ra'. Less vocal than Bald Eagle but similar chattering quality. Gives gull-like wailing near nest in breeding season.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Tawny Eagle

White-tailed Eagle

Northern Europe and Asia from Greenland and Scandinavia to Japan. Reintroduced to Scotland and Ireland.

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

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Tawny Eagle

Least Concern

White-tailed Eagle

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

How to Tell Them Apart

Tawny Eagle

White-tailed Eagle

Plumage

Brown body with a paler head in adults and a distinctive short white wedge-shaped tail. Massive broad wings in flight. Juveniles are darker overall.

Bill

Very large, heavy, pale yellow bill

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

About These Birds

White-tailed Eagle

The white-tailed eagle is Europe's largest eagle and the fourth-largest eagle in the world. Once extinct in Britain, it has been successfully reintroduced to Scotland and Ireland through conservation programs. These powerful raptors can live over 25 years and form lifelong pair bonds.

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

Related Comparisons

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

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family