African Cuckoo-hawk vs White-tailed Eagle
Aviceda cuculoides compared with Haliaeetus albicilla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Cuckoo-hawk | White-tailed Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aviceda cuculoides | Haliaeetus albicilla |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 84.0 cm (33.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 52.9 cm (20.8 in) | 225.0 cm (88.6 in) |
| Weight | 261.0 g (9.21 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 | 2-3 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
White-tailed Eagle
Coastlines, large lakes, and rivers with mature trees or cliffs for nesting. Requires large undisturbed areas.
Song & Call Comparison
African Cuckoo-hawk
White-tailed Eagle
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
African Cuckoo-hawk
White-tailed Eagle
Northern Europe and Asia from Greenland and Scandinavia to Japan. Reintroduced to Scotland and Ireland.
Conservation Status
African Cuckoo-hawk
White-tailed Eagle
How to Tell Them Apart
African Cuckoo-hawk
White-tailed Eagle
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.
Very large, heavy, pale yellow bill
About These Birds
African Cuckoo-hawk
The African Cuckoo-hawk weighs about 261g and inhabits sub-Saharan African forests. Despite its hawk shape, it feeds mainly on insects, lizards, and chameleons.
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.