pygargue à tête blanche vs Common Kingfisher

Haliaeetus leucocephalus comparé à Alcedo atthis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut pygargue à tête blanche Common Kingfisher
Nom scientifique Haliaeetus leucocephalus Alcedo atthis
Ordre Accipitriformes Coraciiformes
Famille Accipitridae Alcedinidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur 79,0 cm (31.1 in) 17,0 cm (6.7 in)
Envergure 203,0 cm (79.9 in) 25,0 cm (9.8 in)
Poids 4300,0 g (151.68 oz) 36,0 g (1.27 oz)
Régime alimentaire Primarily fish, also waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion. Hunts by swooping down to snatch fish … Small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans. Hunts from a low perch over water, diving headfirst …
Taille de la couvée 1-4 3-10
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
pygargue à tête blanche 79,0 cm
Common Kingfisher 17,0 cm
Envergure
pygargue à tête blanche 203,0 cm
Common Kingfisher 25,0 cm
Poids
pygargue à tête blanche 4300,0 g
Common Kingfisher 36,0 g

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

pygargue à tête blanche only

Common Kingfisher only

Aucun(e)

pygargue à tête blanche

Large bodies of open water including coasts, rivers, and lakes with abundant fish and old-growth trees for nesting.

Common Kingfisher

Clear, slow-flowing rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds with suitable perching and nesting banks. Requires clean water with good fish populations.

Song & Call Comparison

pygargue à tête blanche

Chant

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.

Common Kingfisher

Chant

A sharp, penetrating 'chee' whistle given in flight, often the first indication of its presence. Short, shrill single note as it darts low over rivers. Contact call is a rippling …

Geographic Range & Migration

pygargue à tête blanche

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

Common Kingfisher

Widespread across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Northern populations migrate south in winter.

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

pygargue à tête blanche

Least Concern

Common Kingfisher

How to Tell Them Apart

pygargue à tête blanche

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.

Bec

Large, hooked, bright yellow bill

Common Kingfisher

Plumage

Brilliant electric blue upperparts and orange underparts. Blue-green crown with darker barring. White throat patch and cheek spots. A flash of blue in flight.

Bec

Long, straight, dagger-like dark bill — orange base on the lower mandible in females

About These Birds

pygargue à tête blanche

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.

Common Kingfisher

The common kingfisher is a dazzling jewel of waterways, its iridescent blue plumage caused by light refraction in the feather structure rather than pigment. These birds inspired the design of the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan — the shape of their bill was copied to reduce sonic booms when trains exit tunnels.

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