Great Horned Owl vs White-tailed Eagle
Bubo virginianus compared with Haliaeetus albicilla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Horned Owl | White-tailed Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bubo virginianus | Haliaeetus albicilla |
| Order | Strigiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Strigidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) | 84.0 cm (33.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 127.0 cm (50.0 in) | 225.0 cm (88.6 in) |
| Weight | 1400.0 g (49.38 oz) | 5200.0 g (183.42 oz) |
| Diet | Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. … | Fish, waterfowl, and carrion. Often pirates food from other birds. Takes fish from the water … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
White-tailed Eagle only
None
Great Horned Owl
Diverse habitats including forests, deserts, swamps, urban parks, and suburban areas. Nests in tree hollows, cliff ledges, and abandoned nests of other large birds.
White-tailed Eagle
Coastlines, large lakes, and rivers with mature trees or cliffs for nesting. Requires large undisturbed areas.
Song & Call Comparison
Great Horned Owl
Deep, resonant 'who-who-who-who-ooo': the classic 'hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo' territorial duet of a mated pair. Booms at dusk. Female pitch slightly higher than male.
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
Great Horned Owl
North and South America from subarctic Canada to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most widespread owls in the Americas.
White-tailed Eagle
Northern Europe and Asia from Greenland and Scandinavia to Japan. Reintroduced to Scotland and Ireland.
Conservation Status
Great Horned Owl
White-tailed Eagle
How to Tell Them Apart
Great Horned Owl
Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.
Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers
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
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most powerful and widespread owl in the Americas, earning the nickname tiger of the sky. It is one of the earliest nesting birds, often laying eggs in January when snow still covers the ground. Great horned owls are fierce predators, regularly taking prey up to three times their own weight.
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.