Confused for Hawks, Golden Eagles: The Adolescent Bald Eagle

By DON BARTLING

Contributing Writer

Often mistaken as hawks because of their mottled coloration and sometimes mistaken as Golden Eagles because they lack whiter feathers, this adolescent Bald Eagle perched above me while I took pictures. When I first saw this eagle and began taking pictures recently along the Kootenai River, I had thought I was getting a rare glimpse of a Golden Eagle. Golden Eagles are rarely seen in this area, preferring the more mountainous region of Western Canada, Western United States and Mexico.

Immature bald eagles have a mixture of brown and white feathers, with black beak and brown eyes in younger birds; some immature bald eagles have more mottling than others. Adult plumage develops when a bald eagle becomes sexually mature; it takes five years for bald eagles to attain a solid white head and tail feathers. Throughout the first five years prior to becoming fully mature, a bald eagle’s feathers, eyes, and beak gradually change color. The beak turns from black to yellow, the eyes from brown to pale yellow, body feather from mottled to dark brown, and head and tail feathers from mottled to solid white.

A two year old bald eagle has some white mottling on the chest; there is more yellow developing on the bill and the underside of the wings show extensive white feathers. The top of the head is a more golden brown than a one year old eagle exhibits and the eyes are a lighter shade of brown.

The photo of the three year old bald eagle has some white on the chest, the underside of the wings are developing more dark brown feathers. The top of the head is lighter than a two year old’s is and there is some white developing under the chin and on the neck. They have a dark eye stripe and the eyes are paler. The bill will show more yellow and the darkness at the tip is growing lighter.

The four year old bald eagle looks more like an adult, the head is nearly white with some paler brown feathers intermingling with the white. The eyes are much paler than they are when they are just yearlings. By now the bill is a solid yellow and does not show the dark tip as seen in the younger stages. The tails show whiter above and below. The body and wing feathers are nearly all dark including the underside of stomach.

Adult bald eagles have solid white tails plus the head and neck are also white. The eyes are very pale, almost white and the bill is a solid yellow and a bit brighter than a four year old bald eagle. The plumage of the chest, back and wings are now varying shades of dark brown.

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