Golden eagles vs. bald eagles — how to tell the difference
By Gary Bogue
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 at 7:10 am in Bald Eagles, Golden eagles.
GOLDEN EAGLE NEST
In case you run across a golden eagle or a bald eagle in the wild, here’s what they look like:
GOLDEN EAGLE
These beautiful golden eagles can be seen just about anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area … sometimes even flying low over the middle of town. I know. Amazing. There are golden eagle nests in open space areas just about everywhere. Mount Diablo has a large population of these wonderful raptors. They can be seen in most of the East Bay Regional Parks. The above golden eagle is perched in a tree on Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County. Note the brown body, golden feathers on its head and blue-black beak.
BALD EAGLE
Bald eagles are usually seen flying or perched around one of the many lakes or reservoirs in the area. They are often seen at Lake Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore. There’s a nest there. Also at San Pablo Reservoir and Briones Reservoir. Note the white head, very dark body and large yellow beak which is much bigger than a golden eagle’s beak.
A bald eagle has even been spotted at Lake Herman in Benicia. They are definitely coming back. /Gary
SCREAMING BALD EAGLE
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August 26th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
as juveniles do either of these beauties have a light colored tail?
August 27th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Mike:
Immature bale eagle’s tail feathers look whitish and speckled from below. The immature golden eagle has a white band at the base of its tail feathers. Hope this helps. I suppose the immature bald eagle could fall into the “light colored tail” category. /Gary
March 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 am
Do bald and golden eagles hang together, or am I seeing a bald eagle with another (immature) bald eagle. They were on the same tree, different branches, in southern Oregon. I have a close up photo of the golden I could send if you let me know an e-mail address.
March 26th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Golden Eagle sighting in Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill boarder. I swear – the wing span must have been 4 feet. I saw the shadow first – then saw it fly overhead, and land in a tree. Nice yellow talons, a golden brown color, black and white tail feathers. I think it was a male.
By far, the biggest raptor I have ever seen.
April 15th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Hey, nice tips. I’ll buy a glass of beer to that person from that chat who told me to go to your site
April 27th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Many people mistake immature Bald Eagles for Golden Eagles. The characteristic white head and all white tail is not seen in Bald Eagles until they hit their 5th year.
Here’s a great chart to help you better differentiate between the two species: http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/articles/Identifying_the_Sub-Adult_B.pdf
July 19th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I saw a bald eagle at lake Herman today. It was very close and there is no doubt.
July 20th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Sean: Yours is the 4th report of a bald eagle seen at lake Herman. One had a trout. The bird(s) may have come from Briones reservoir near Orinda … there’s a bald eagle nest there and it’s not far … as the bald eagle flies. /Gary
July 10th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Yesterday I saw a brown bird on the roof across the street eating what looked like some other flying creature (it honestly looked like bat, but it could have been another bird). But it got far into its catch, it flew over to the power line and perched on that to finish it. Several swift breezes made him visibly have to work at staying there – seemed odd.
I got several pictures but it still look me a while to narrow it down to a Golden Eagle using this:
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/26/_/Golden_Eagle.aspx
I was still in doubt, but reading this blog, I am guessing it very well could have been a Golden Eagle. At least, to me it did not look like an immature Bald Eagle or one of the different hawks that were sorta close matches
July 10th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
Oh, I forgot to mention that this is in Eureka Valley in San Francisco. The habitat descriptions for Golden Eagles don’t seem to include urban settings, but we also have Peregrine Falcons downtown.
December 31st, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Thursday, Dec 30 about 10 am in Bethel Island, I saw a Bald Eagle overhead. Driving along Taylor Road, I doubted what I saw. The white head and tail are distinctive. So, the bird was kind enough to take a recon circle between the road and the slough of Bethel Islands Taylor Road/Taylor Slough. I could not deny what I saw. Clearly I saw a mature bald eagle fly overhead near my home in The Delta.
I am neither ornitholigist or registered birder. But, I do follow birds and do my homework. There can be no confusion between this bird and an osprey, golden eagle, or any other raptor. The spread white tail, the distinct white head and neck and the dark wings can be confused with no other bird I have observed on The Delta or the hills of The East Bay.
Research tells me that there is a nest between El Sobrante and Orinda in the EBMUD watershed. THis bird was headed generaly toward Mt Diablo, which could be either of the nests I suppose. But, I would love to think that there is another nest on the east side of the mountain.
Respectfully, H. Jack Hanna (no not of the ohio zoo) The Delta paddleboarder and boater.