Chances are, you can easily recognize the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). After all, how many other birds can you think of that have those iconic brown feathers and white heads? However, when it comes down to a bald eagle size comparison, do you know just how big these birds of prey are? Keep reading, because you may just be surprised!
How Large Is a Bald Eagle?
A bald eagle’s wingspan reaches as wide as 8 feet.
©Chris Hill/Shutterstock.com
One thing that surprises people when they see a bald eagle in person is its size. Female bald eagles usually grow to weigh up to 14 pounds. That’s just a few pounds heavier than a gallon of paint and around three times as heavy as the average Chihuahua.
They also have a wingspan of up to 8 feet wide — that’s 2 feet longer than the size of a queen bed from head to foot. Females are around 25% larger than their male counterparts. Male eagles reach a maximum size of 10 pounds with a 6-foot wingspan. In terms of height, bald eagles can reach up to three feet tall. There’s no doubt that bald eagles are large birds. But how does the bald eagle’s size compare to humans and other common bird species?
Bald Eagle vs. Human
At three feet tall, the average bald eagle is nearly waist level with your average human. Their wingspans, however, are easily wider than a human is tall. In the United States, the average male height is 5 feet 9 inches, while the average female height is just over 5 feet 3 inches. Even the male bald eagle’s wingspan can be nearly a foot longer, while the female’s can be over 2 feet longer.
At a maximum weight of 16 pounds, a bald eagle is about the same weight as an average 4-month-old child. Although they may look small in pictures, a bald eagle’s feet are actually about the same size as a human’s hands. In fact, some bald eagles can actually wrap their talons completely around a human fist. Their large feet and talons allow them to catch and carry heavier prey, and birds this size need a lot of food.
Bald Eagle vs. Golden Eagle
Golden eagles are one of the largest raptors in North America.
©Vladimir Kogan Michael/Shutterstock.com
At a glance, golden eagles and bald eagles may seem similar in every way except color. However, there are actually some big differences. Take their wingspans, for example. The female golden eagle has a wingspan up to 7 feet, while the female bald eagle’s wingspan can reach 8 feet. Male golden eagles are smaller than the females, but there is only about a 10% difference in wingspan, which is not as pronounced as in the bald eagle. However, this means that male eagles of both species have similarly sized wingspans.
When it comes to weight, female bald eagles still have the advantage. Female golden eagles weigh up to 13 pounds, which is about a pound less than most female bald eagles and three pounds less than large individuals found in Alaska. The males of both species reach a maximum weight of around 10 pounds. Both species are the same height, reaching as tall as 3 feet.
Bald Eagle vs. Turkey Vulture
Despite their large size, turkey vultures usually weigh less than 5 pounds.
©Attis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons – Original / License
Although turkey vultures have a massive wingspan of 6 feet from tip to tip, this still isn’t as wide as the female bald eagle, at up to 8 feet. It is also about half a foot shorter than the male bald eagle’s wingspan.
Turkey vultures are adapted to coast on thermals, rather than actively flap their wings. As a result, they only weigh about 3.5 to 5 pounds. Female bald eagles weigh at least three times as much as turkey vultures, while males weigh at least twice as much. Height-wise, the tallest turkey vultures only reach around 2.67 feet, while bald eagles reach as tall as 3 feet.
Bald Eagle vs. Owl
Blakiston’s fish owl is the largest owl species in the world.
©feathercollector/iStock via Getty Images
With over 250 species of owls, comparing the size of a bald eagle to all owls can be challenging, especially since some owls are as small as 6 inches and half a pound, while others can be as large as 28 inches and nearly 9 pounds! However, even compared to the largest owls, the bald eagle is larger in every aspect.
The largest owl species is Blakiston’s fish owl. Weighing a maximum of 8.8 pounds, the Blakiston’s fish owl is 7.2 pounds less than the largest female bald eagle. However, it is only 1.2 pounds less than the largest male bald eagle. These owls’ wingspans can reach around 6 feet wide, which is 2 feet shorter than female bald eagles and half a foot shorter than male bald eagles. Blakiston’s fish owl only reaches 2.3 feet in height, which is significantly shorter than the bald eagle’s 3-foot height.
