Came across this today on backroad. Eagle eating some road kill and wouldnt move. Picture doesnt do justice to just how massive this bird was. No white markings on head. Once it did fly the wing span was well over 5 to 6 feet plus. I have seen bald eagles at my place but this was much bigger and different markings. I asked today and nobody really had a definite answer. It says golden eagles do not live in this area. I know bald eagles dont get their white head until maturing but this bird was certainly big enough to be mature. Anyone have a better idea?
Off Topic Golden or bald eagle
- Thread starter jerk bait
- Start date
Bay_Fishing
Well-Known Member
Each bald eagle is different in there own way. . Each successive molt being closer to adult plumage. Most birds attain the classic adult pattern between their 4th and 5th year.
The bird sanctuary in rowan does take calls about sittings of birds and can give you answers to your questions that the best of there knowledge. If I didn't have curious kids I wouldn't know some things lol butt shh don't tell them that.
The bird sanctuary in rowan does take calls about sittings of birds and can give you answers to your questions that the best of there knowledge. If I didn't have curious kids I wouldn't know some things lol butt shh don't tell them that.
HotPickle
Well-Known Member
Looks like a juvenile bald eagle to me.... there's a family of em near my in laws house with 3 juveniles, they look similar to this.
If you got a smart phone you enjoy using, download the Merlin app. It's by a bunch of ornithology students at Cornell, and it's a method of tracking birds. Helps with population estimates, endangered species, all kinds of wicked ecology stuff. My buddy's gf is workin on her Ph.D (way smarter than us illiterates) and got me a couple of us at work onto this. You can input general features you notice on the bird and help you figure out what it is.
If you got a smart phone you enjoy using, download the Merlin app. It's by a bunch of ornithology students at Cornell, and it's a method of tracking birds. Helps with population estimates, endangered species, all kinds of wicked ecology stuff. My buddy's gf is workin on her Ph.D (way smarter than us illiterates) and got me a couple of us at work onto this. You can input general features you notice on the bird and help you figure out what it is.
It's possible it could be a golden as there are a few still around. This may help as it clearly shows the varying stages a bald eagle goes through until they attain full adult plumage. Younger bald eagles are commonly mistaken for golden eagles which are very rare and on the endangered species list in Ontario.
www.featheredphotography.com
A Guide To Aging Bald Eagles And How To Distinguish Immature Bald Eagles From Golden Eagles
Almost five years ago I published a post entitled “A Guide To Aging Bald Eagles”. With over 71,000 views to date that post has been my most popular ever so I decided it was overdue for …
Last edited:
This was south of Woodstock. Way too big to be a young bald eagle in my opinion. This thing dwarfed the bald eagles I have seen here. A least 25 percent bigger. It had no fear of the truck at all. Calmly ate the roadkill. I wanted to get a better pic but didnt want to disturb it. My guess it's a golden eagle which do migrate through here apparently
pretty cool picture & encounter..
ya i agree thats not a bald eagle...
theres lots of bald eagles in the spring where i hunt in northern ontario..
years back LPB seen a pair of bald eagles perched in an willow tree on the causeway at first light icefishin the channels in march...they were a common occurrance in the spring..
my best ever encounter was with an absolute giant eagle moose huntin northern NFLD in remote timber below Gross morne mountains (dec. 2014)..me & my guide stumbled onto a moose carcass at 25 feet in thick bush when we spooked the huge eagle off feeding on a adult cow moose..I tried to lookup the eagle species online...not there..nothing related to the sheer size of this eagle
ya i agree thats not a bald eagle...
theres lots of bald eagles in the spring where i hunt in northern ontario..
years back LPB seen a pair of bald eagles perched in an willow tree on the causeway at first light icefishin the channels in march...they were a common occurrance in the spring..
my best ever encounter was with an absolute giant eagle moose huntin northern NFLD in remote timber below Gross morne mountains (dec. 2014)..me & my guide stumbled onto a moose carcass at 25 feet in thick bush when we spooked the huge eagle off feeding on a adult cow moose..I tried to lookup the eagle species online...not there..nothing related to the sheer size of this eagle
Teddy fincraft
Member
Looks like a immature bald to me & yes we do have goldens around in winter
jeffbrick
Well-Known Member
We have seen Golden Eagles on gut piles during the shot gun hunt (first week of December) in Perth County in past years. Seems to be when they are migrating through. The Goldens are noticeably bigger. Hard to say from the picture but it could certainly be a Golden. JB
B
big rod
Guest
This is a Juvenile Bald, my pic is a Juvenile Golden banded this fall at Holiday Beach.The Juv Goldens have a white tail. Goldens are NOT any bigger than a Bald as mentioned above.
This bird was almost twice that size. The pic I got does not do it justice. The feet dwafted those of that bird you are holding.
B
big rod
Guest
B
big rod
Guest
B
big rod
Guest
Nice pic, beauty bird.
Golden and bald eagles are pretty well the same size with same wing span and an immature bald will be full grown before molting into the white head look.
You can also tell it’s a bald by how the feathers on its legs don’t go all the way down to its feet.
Cool bird either way.
Last edited: