Did we spot, and photograph, a Bald Eagle in Phoenix today?

it's definitely not an osprey - no white on the head at all - an osprey's head is mainly white with a dark stripe behind the eye

and they very very rarely eat anything other than fish

the best resource for bird id is birdforum - if you post a pic in the id section someone will let you know what it is

e.t.a: pretty sure it's not any kind of eagle either - the legs look very hawk like to me but not familiar with north american hawks

a golden eagle is a much bulkier and powerfull looking bird - your bird's got legs like knitting needles!

It looks a lot like the juvenile bald eagle photos here: juvenile bald eagles

Comparing. My photo on the left, reference shot of juvenile bald eagle on right.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


beak doesn't look as heavy to me. and can't be juvenile bhe - your bird doesn't seem to show the white fringing to the feathers seen in the link ( a common ageing clue)


e.t.a: looking again maybe it does show the pale fringing

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


You have a bad source there SO. That is not a juvenile Bald Eagle. I've photographed them by the hundreds.

I identified the birds using The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Allen Sibley, ISBN 0-679-45121-8, page 113.

They messed up.

That bird you photographed does look exactly like an Osprey. When I lived in Idaho they were not only common near the river and lakes, but I'd see them out in the Arco Desert often when out. Perhaps an Osprey passing through, traveling between locations who grabbed a snack?

reply to post by SkepticOverlord



It's definitely not a Bald-headed Smeagol..

I understand why they thought that, but the beak is important. They can get the mottled whiteish featers on their breasts but nothing like the bird in your photos.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Coloring right but I thought it was too big for a juvenile bald eagle (about 3 feet from head to tail) - but - turns out raptors are the same size as their parents by the time they can fly. [wow. Didn't know that.] Great booklet with pics on Arizona Raptors.


NOTE - Says young Bald Eagles are often mistaken for Golden Eagles.

This site shows juveniles, some with apparent white chest.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


the pic on the right does look alot like the pic on the left, but neither one looks like the bald eagles i used to watch grow up, when they nested at my cabin. even when the are juveniles, they didnt have the puffy feathers go down that low on their legs. i used to watch these things pick up fish outta the water through binoculars less than 150ft away or so, and they didnt have feathers puff out like that near their talons.

but i never have seen a golden eagle personally, so i cant speculate too much about that possibility.

my best guess - red-tailed hawk

pic

My first thought was that it's body looked very much like an Osprey.
Then I saw the dark head and leaned more towards the red-tail hawk.
I wonder if S.O. has posted it on a bird forum yet? They'd probably know in one second what it was.
Looks almost identical to aynock's linked bird.

reply to post by DenyFlatulence


good point. you should just call up a bird watching club or something. i'm sure their phones arent blowing up or anything lol. i'm sure some bird expert would take a look just for kicks.

I'm finding photo's of a Ferruginous hawk that look quite similar. In fact some look the same as that example you posted I don't think is a juvenile Bald Eagle.

reply to post by DenyFlatulence


looks like someone beat him to it

birdforum id thread from today

Blaine91555
I'm finding photo's of a Ferruginous hawk that look quite similar. In fact some look the same as that example you posted I don't think is a juvenile Bald Eagle.

Also, the first sentence on the description of the Ferruginous hawk on wiki is:

This is the largest of the North American Buteos and is often mistaken for an eagle due to its size, proportions, and behavior.

But it is tough to tell from the pics. Any experts out there?

I got a call back from the Reach 11 Park Steward who said a nest of adult bald eagles is known to be about 10 miles north of the Reach 11 sanctuary. He's forwarding my photo to someone who would know better… but it's not improbable that a young bald eagle would be in the area (he said). He knew the structure on which the raptor was eating, and also immediately commented that it seemed too big to be a hawk.

Hopefully, an area expert will give some accurate info soon.

SkepticOverlord
Hopefully, an area expert will give some accurate info soon.

So did you determine if you already got an expert reply or not? I'm no ornithologist, but this person claimed to be one, though it's unclear if amateur or professional. Let us know what the area expert says, you got me curious.

Well, I saw 3 eagles yesterday when I drove around the corner to the store. They love to hang out by the dumpsters Sometimes the ravens will scare them away.

If it hasn't already been said, from what I can see -- it *could* be am immature bald eagle. Yesterday I saw an adult and two immature eagles. They tend to look a little mottled, and they don't have their white head feathers yet.

I've only seen one a handful of times, but a golden eagle is a sight to behold. The wingspan on those birds...oh man!

beautyndissonance
reply to post by SkepticOverlord

 

Sorry, but definitely not a bald eagle. I see them daily and it's not close. Could be an Osprey.

Definitely an Osprey, otherwise known as a Seahawk!



And no, it doesn't need to be near the "sea." It has a wide-ranging habitat.

It's that solid white appearing chest and abdomen that drives me away from juvenile Bald Eagle, but I suppose it could be. Their color does change quite a bit over time. I imagine Bald Eagles have a huge range. We have one nested near downtown, just down the block from my office. They are not to fussy and seem to be primarily scavengers, competing with Ravens for food, although they do take fish often.

MystikMushroom
I've only seen one a handful of times, but a golden eagle is a sight to behold. The wingspan on those birds...oh man!

Those were common when I was a kid in the area's in Utah and Southern Idaho where I grew up. They are beautiful to be sure. Sadly though they also loved chickens and other livestock which led to them almost being eliminated there. I saw a couple in Idaho just before moving up here and I had not seen any in a long while. Those and Chicken Hawks came close to being wiped out.

I also noticed before I moved that the Redtail Hawks had come back in large numbers in Idaho I started seeing them often towards the end of the 1990's, but Ospreys were common and competed for food I'm sure.