Bald Eagle vs King Penguin
Haliaeetus leucocephalus compared with Aptenodytes patagonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bald Eagle | King Penguin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Aptenodytes patagonicus |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Sphenisciformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Spheniscidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 79.0 cm (31.1 in) | 95.0 cm (37.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 203.0 cm (79.9 in) | 64.0 cm (25.2 in) |
| Weight | 4300.0 g (151.68 oz) | 14000.0 g (493.84 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily fish, also waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion. Hunts by swooping down to snatch fish … | Primarily lanternfish and squid caught during deep dives. Routinely dives to 100-300 meters, sometimes exceeding … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 1 |
| 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.
King Penguin
Breeds on sub-Antarctic islands with flat or gently sloping beaches. Forages in the Southern Ocean.
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.
King Penguin
Uses individually unique complex calls for mate and chick recognition in noisy colonies. Produces a loud, musical trumpeting. Chick whistles are distinctive per family unit.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bald Eagle
North America from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico.
King Penguin
Sub-Antarctic islands including South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, Macquarie, and Falkland Islands.
Conservation Status
Bald Eagle
King Penguin
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
King Penguin
Dark blue-grey back with white belly. Vivid orange-gold auricular patches on the sides of the head and upper breast. Silvery-grey upperparts.
Long, slender, slightly decurved bill with orange mandible plates
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.
King Penguin
The king penguin is the second-largest penguin species, known for its striking orange-gold head markings. Unlike most penguins, king penguins do not build nests — they incubate their single egg on their feet. Their 14-16 month breeding cycle is the longest of any penguin species.