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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk	Bald Eagle
Scientific Name	Aviceda madagascariensis	Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Order	Accipitriformes	Accipitriformes
Family	Accipitridae	Accipitridae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	79.0 cm (31.1 in)
Wingspan	62.8 cm (24.7 in)	203.0 cm (79.9 in)
Weight	284.5 g (10.04 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	1-2	1-4
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk —

Bald Eagle 79.0 cm

Wingspan

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk 62.8 cm

Bald Eagle 203.0 cm

Weight

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk 284.5 g

Bald Eagle 4300.0 g

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌲 Forest

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk only

None

Bald Eagle only

🏖️ Coastal 🌾 Grassland 🌿 Wetland

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

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk

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

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk

Bald Eagle

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

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

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk

Least Concern

Bald Eagle

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

How to Tell Them Apart

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk

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

Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk

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

Bald Eagle vs Griffon Vulture

same-family

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

More Birds to Explore

More from Accipitridae

African Cuckoo-hawk Aviceda cuculoides African Fish-eagle Haliaeetus vocifer African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro African Harrier-hawk Polyboroides typus All Accipitridae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants