Bald Eagle vs Barn Owl
Haliaeetus leucocephalus compared with Tyto alba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bald Eagle | Barn Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Tyto alba |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Tytonidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 79.0 cm (31.1 in) | 35.0 cm (13.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 203.0 cm (79.9 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 4300.0 g (151.68 oz) | 350.0 g (12.35 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily fish, also waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion. Hunts by swooping down to snatch fish … | Almost exclusively small mammals, especially voles and mice. Hunts using extraordinary hearing to locate prey … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 2-16 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Bald Eagle
Large bodies of open water including coasts, rivers, and lakes with abundant fish and old-growth trees for nesting.
Barn Owl
Open farmland, grasslands, and marshes. Nests in barns, church steeples, tree cavities, and purpose-built nest boxes.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Barn Owl
An eerie, drawn-out rasping shriek 'shreeeeee' — not a hoot. Also gives hissing, snoring, and bill-snapping when disturbed. Chicks call with a persistent rasping hunger call.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bald Eagle
North America from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico.
Barn Owl
The most widespread owl and one of the most widespread land birds, found on every continent except Antarctica.
Conservation Status
Bald Eagle
Barn Owl
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Barn Owl
Pale golden-buff upperparts with delicate grey mottling. Pure white heart-shaped face and white to pale buff underparts. Ghostly white appearance in flight.
Pale pinkish hooked bill nearly concealed by the facial disc
About These Birds
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.
Barn Owl
The barn owl has the most asymmetrical ears of any owl, giving it the finest auditory localization ability in the animal kingdom. It can catch prey in complete darkness using sound alone. The barn owl's distinctive heart-shaped face acts as a parabolic dish, funneling sound to its offset ears.