Eagles vs Tigers: Who Has Bigger Claws?

Written by Emmanuel Kingsley
Published: May 31, 2022
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In many cultures and climes of the world, the eagle and the tiger are regarded as apex predators. While the eagle is a sky predator, the tiger shows its dominance on land. One specific feature that sets them apart is their sharp claws, as both animals depend heavily on their claws to have a successful hunt. In today’s article, we will compare the claws of these two great predators to discover which of them has bigger claws.

Comparing an Eagle and a Tiger

Eagles have a
EagleTiger
Size20 pounds in weight and 41 inches in lengthWeighs between 589 to 660 pounds and 120 inches in length
LocationRain forests with vast vegetations and canopy treesCan survive in many habitats around the world
Speed100 mph40 mph
Attack StyleAttacks its prey from the sky and uses the surprise tactics before making a quick kill. Stalks prey and gets as close as possible before pouncing for the kill, taking a quick bite on the head or throat of prey.
Claw size5 inches long4 inches long

Eagles vs Tigers: Who Has Bigger Claws?

The harpy eagle’s claws are bigger than a tiger’s.

©Alfredo Maiquez/Shutterstock.com

Eagles are known to have large claws. The harpy eagle, for example, has claws that grow up to 5 inches in length, bigger than the claws of a full-grown grizzly bear. The claws of the tiger, on the other hand, can grow up to 4 inches in length. While the tiger may surpass the eagle in other areas, the eagle is the clear winner in the battle of claws.

Eagles vs Tigers: Location

Eagles and tigers live in the wild, but their habitats are different. The eagle is found in huge rainforests with vegetation and canopy trees. On the other hand, the tiger can live in diverse kinds of habitats ranging from tropical forests, mangrove swamps, and savannahs to grasslands and rocky areas. 

Eagles vs Tigers: Size and Weight

Eagles are very different from tigers in this regard. The harpy eagle, for example, can weigh as much as 20 pounds and grow up to 41 inches. On the other hand, the tiger is the largest cat in Asia. They can grow up to 10 ft (120 inches) in size and weigh 660 pounds.

Eagles vs Tigers: Social life

Sea Eagle flying over water with fish in talons

Sea eagles are some of the largest birds in the world.

©iStock.com/Dgwildlife

Eagles are solitary birds. By this, we mean that they do not live in flocks. The breeding season opens up opportunities for eagles to socialize, but instead, they spend time defending their territories from other eagles. On the other hand, tigers are highly solitary, but the only exception is mothers and their cubs. They guard and protect their territories with their lives.

Eagles vs Tigers: Diet

Tigers and eagles are carnivores and consume meat. The tiger, however, feeds more frequently than the eagle. Eagles can surprisingly eat once a week, and they eat their food rather slowly, which sometimes decays before the next meal. However, the tiger eats more often and eats only fresh kills. 

Eagles vs Tigers: Strength

tiger running in snow

Tigers are very strong and have a bite force of 1,050 PSI.

©enky03/Shutterstock.com

Strength plays a prominent role in being an apex predator. The primary way the eagle’s strength is noticeable is through its grip force. The harpy eagle can exert over 110 pounds of pressure which can crush the bones of its prey; this is the same force exerted by the jaws of a rottweiler dog. Tigers, on the contrary, are immensely strong—their strength is quite visible in the use of their jaws and claws. This fierce-looking wild animal has a bite force of 1050 pounds per square inch, making it the deadliest feline. Its claws and paws can also do some severe damage.

Eagles vs Tigers: Attack Style 

Both animals come at their prey differently. The eagle often attacks from a soaring position and dives on its prey quickly. It swoops down at top speed with its huge claws to capture its prey, including monkeys, sloths, and fish

However, for the tiger, it lives and hunts on the land. Depending on its sight and hearing, the tiger kills its prey by stalking it for a long while. It gets as close as it can, remaining unnoticed before pouncing on its prey with a killer bite to the head or throat. The tiger depends on both its claws and jaws for a successful hunt.

Eagles vs Tigers: Which Is More Deadly To Humans? 

The tiger is the deadliest of the two. While it’s possible for an eagle to knock down a full-grown man, it can not inflict any injuries that could be considered fatal or deadly. The tiger, on the contrary, is known to be a killer. It is dangerous for a human to be around a tiger as it would most likely not hesitate to attack the human. There has been news of people killed by tigers in the wild, but no information about the eagle is rampant. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Alla Orlova


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