Eagle ID

This Eagle was close to a large group of bald eagles that included both juveniles and adults. It looked much to large and dark to be a juvenile bald eagle and I thought it might be a golden eagle? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Rick

Juvenile bald eagles, are the same size as their parents, even before they fledge. I don't know if golden eagles are larger than bald eagles, and obviously we can't judge the relative size of this bird, but it's appearance seems consistent with bald eagle chicks that I've seen.

It does look to be a 1st year Bald Eagle

Rick, Golden Eagles, both adult and juvenile, have the characteristic 'golden' nape and they never have the white markings on their undersides that juvenile bald eagles have. I read somewhere that juvenile bald eagles are actually larger than their parents but can't find that reference right now. I think the white markings on its chest give it away as a young bald eagle.

My understanding is that most young raptors weigh more than their parents when they fledge. They eventually lose their "baby fat" as they forage as wild birds. I don't believe they are physically larger than the adults, just weight from being fed so much to grow without much exercise.

Peter

Just a profile silouhette of the head should be enough to differentiate a bald from a golden. The bald's beak is much more massive than that of the golden eagle's.
As the bald's beak projects forward from the face it's upper and lower outlines are close to parallel before the heavy terminal curve begins. The golden's bill is more of a shorter triangle, it's base at the face. The upper and lower contours approach each other more quickly than do those of the bald and the upper beak curves downward smoothly into a far less massive "hook" than does the bald 's.

Dave Graham, Estelline, SD