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ID Please

Discussion

6 replies
Posted by Carlette Bragg on March 5, 2012 at 5:24 PM
Visited the Savannah Wildlife today and was able to take a photo of this rapture. Not a great shot, but enough that I hope someone can help me identify. I think it is a Golden Eagle. If so, this is an umcommon siteing in the south. Or is it a juvenile Bald Eagle? Please Help! :rolleyes:
Posted by Keith A Anderson on March 5, 2012 at 6:22 PM
I believe this is a juvenile bald eagle, Carlette. BTW, you didn't manage to post a 720 px image so, even though you put up a larger photo, unless you look closely it looks like you didn't post an image to view.
Posted by Carlette Bragg on March 5, 2012 at 6:33 PM
Thank you Keith! Here is the small image.
Posted by Brian Gatlin on March 5, 2012 at 6:41 PM
yes--immature Bald Eagle with extensive white on the underwing coverts and some on the body. immature Goldens show some white on the base of the primaries and tail.
Posted by Richard Ditch on March 5, 2012 at 6:55 PM
I agree with juv Bald Eagle. A nice bird to catch at 275mm!
Posted by David Graham on March 6, 2012 at 2:22 AM
Since I always harp on this feature of differentiation of bald and golden eagles useful even in silhouette when plumage differences are inapparent, I'll do so again. Even in this view the mass of the beak indicates this is a bald eagle. The golden has a smaller, less massive, and more "refined" beak. Google image's showing the profiles of the heads of these two species; I think ypu'll agree that this point of anatomical differentiation is striking.
Dave Graham
East River, SD
Posted by Nick Baldwin on March 6, 2012 at 9:59 AM
Absolutely juvenile Bald Eagle. and most likely the first year. They are darkest in the first year-before their first molt. after that it more mottled. in the 3-4 or someitmes 4-5 year the head and tail begin to show some distinction.
although many say they have seen Golden Eagles east of Miss. they are usually mistakenly seeing various iterations of the juvenile Bald Eagle. There are legitimate Golden sightings but few and far between particularly here in the southeast.
nice shot btw.