Can someone please help me find out what this raptor is?

[redhen]

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do turkey vulters have a turkey or vulture head? because this one dosent have a head like that.....one day we saw it pearching on a pole in the field by our house and it had a regualr eagle or hawk type head....and it was all brown...a solid medium brown...very pretty...but too close for us!

 

[redhen]

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[chickensioux]

No, that doesn't sound like a turkey vulture then. They are black and look like a vulture up close, but in the air, look like a large raptor.

 

[redhen]

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well, thanks for the help anyways!

 

[gypsy2621]

Its a Golden Eagle

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Golden_Eagle.html

 

[KattyKillFish]

it could be either but it's more than likely a juvenile bald eagle since golden eagles are so much rarer... it's would be nice if it was a golden eagle! you'd have bragging rights for sure!

and yes, juvenile bald eagles can take up to 7 years to get their white head & tails.

 

[Baymen Moe]

My guess at first was vulture as well, especially the second picture. But as you said it has the typical hawk head. Most likely juvi bald eagle, unlikely a golden.

Bill

 

[Moonwalker]

A couple of years ago in TN, I was leading a trail ride and a Golden Eagle swooped down out of nowhere to grab a rabbit off the trail less than 50 ft in front of me! I think my horse thought it was after him and it looked about big enough! It must have had about an 8ft wingspan (seemed like 10 at the time!) Bald Eagles tend to be a bit smaller, around 6ft wingspan. If you have seen them in pairs, they are most likely adult Goldens. If they have been in a group of 3 or more, they are likely juvenile Baldies. And yes again, it does take 5 to 7 years for them to turn white. Also, Bald Eagles have bare, yellow legs and Goldies have feathered, brown ones.

 

[mom'sfolly]

You've got pictures of two different kinds of birds there. If you look at the wing angles and shading you can tell. I would say you have an immature bald eagle (white feathers come in around 3-5 years) or a golden eagle. I actually think it looks more like a golden, immature balds looks mostly dark brown or black, and a golden is a lighter brown with even lighter shading.

The second picture is definitely a turkey vulture. The others look like a golden eagle. It is absolutely not an osprey. Osprey from below tend to look very gull-like with very pointed wings.

Living near a river, and this time of year you could have lots of different kinds of birds passing through.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

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Thats what I thought too.. We have lots of those around here..