Eagles, hawks and falcons– all three fall in the raptor family of avians, with excellent defense and attacking mechanisms in their evolutionary adaptations. They even have similar dietary and habitat preferences. However, when we compare hawk vs eagle vs falcon, we do observe nuances that make us appreciate their beauty and elegance.
Falcons are bluer in appearance than the other two birds, and are the smallest. Because of a certain mechanism in their wing feathers, they can fly much faster than the other two. Falcons even have a tooth in their beaks! Want to know more? To discover further about the interesting lives of these 3 birds, let’s dive in and explore.
Contents
Hawk: Short Description
Source: @watu.nature
These amazing looking birds belonging to the family Accipitridae are called birds-of-prey for a reason. Their characteristic sharp looking eyes, hooked beaks and sharp talons, are always ready to find out the prey from the remotest places. There are numerous hawks sighted in different parts of America, the most common being Cooper’s hawk and Red-tailed hawks.
Hawks typically have a brown and white appearance, with a few species flaunting black stripes or spots as well. Hawks could be broadly categorized into two types: Accipitrines and Buteonines. Accipitrines are called true hawks, with leaner bodies and narrower wings. Buteonines are known as buzzards outside of America, and are larger than the Accipitrines.
Some species of hawks, like the Cooper’s hawks prefer not to migrate, instead spend all 4 seasons in North America. Most other species, common black hawks, for instance, migrate to South America seeking warmer conditions. All hawks have a voracious carnivorous diet.
Eagle: Short Description
Source: @baldeagle_fantasy
Surprisingly, the majestic eagles belong to the same family as hawks, that is, Accipitridae. Eagles are mostly African and Eurasian birds, but certain species of eagles, Bald eagles and Golden eagles, for instance, can be sighted in America as well. They are gigantic birds of prey, with the Giant Philippine Eagles being the largest, and South Nicobar Serpent Eagle the smallest in the world.
Typically, eagles have large, muscular legs with scissor-like talons, with an eyesight twice as sharp as that of humans. Eagles generally have a dark brown body, with a white chest. However, African fish eagles have a snowy white head, and Steller’s sea eagles have white parts on their flight wings. Eagles have a carnivorous diet, preferring small mammals and birds.
Falcon: Short Description
Source: @bonefish185
Falcons can be found everywhere in the world, except Antarctica. More than 20 falcons can be sighted in the forests, grasslands, deserts of America alone, and in total there are 40 different species hovering and swooping about in different corners of the world. Falcons can be recognized for their bluish-gray wings and brown-streaked chests, among other features.
Unlike hawks and eagles, falcons belong to a different family known as Falconidae. The ruthless falcons prefer to eat small birds mostly, ranging from pigeons, to ducks and shorebirds. Falcons are known for their incredible speed while flying, with a velocity fluctuating around a whopping 242 miles per hour! Believe it or not, falcons can see 8 times better than humans.
Hawk vs Eagle vs Falcon: How Are They Similar?
Hawks, eagles and falcons all are large birds that are predatory in nature, hence all three of them have been termed as raptors or the birds of prey. All three of the birds fall higher in the food pyramid because there are no other birds as large or ferocious as them. However, Great Horned owls could be enemies of certain falcons and hawks.
The three birds have carnivorous dietary preferences. They prefer to eat small birds, mammals and reptiles like rabbits, mice, squirrels, and woodpeckers. The 3 raptors have an amazing flight speed ranging from 190 km/hr to 390 km/hr. The beaks are hook shaped, and the talons are alarmingly large. Eyesight is extremely sharp and clear of all the 3 birds.
They contribute to the ecosystem by keeping the population of certain birds, fish and rodents, that are known to destroy crops, in check. Intelligence, cunningness and boldness are other common characteristics in these raptors. If humans had interacted with them more, they could be trained to carry out certain tricks. Bald eagles do flips, rolls and dives during courtship.
Female eagles look quite similar to the male ones, and differentiating becomes difficult. However, quite surprisingly, females are much larger and heavier, with more prominent talons and beaks. Hawk females are 25 to 33% larger than males, and falcons are one-third larger than their male counterparts. In conclusion, in the raptor families, females are usually larger.
Let’s Find Out The Differences
Despite a number of similarities, falcons, eagles and hawks are certainly quite different. The chief differences between them would be their size, color, vocalizations and behavioral patterns. Let’s take a look at which features make them stand apart from one another.
Physical Differences
Below are the ways the three birds differ in their physical features. They may look brown from a distance, but are they? When their physical features are observed closely, they show nuances.
Source: @jambophoto
Family
Hawks and eagles fall in the same family, as we have seen earlier, namely Accipitridae. Falcons, however, belong to a different family of birds called Falconidae. Traditionally, it was thought however that falcons belonged to the same order of birds, mainly because the birds have similar features like hooked beaks and sharp talons.
In reality, falcons are not at all related to Accipitridae birds, and are more closely related to birds like parrots and songbirds. In the past, peregrine falcons were called ‘duck hawks’ but that is a reflection of traditional culture, and not taxonomy.
Size: Length, Height, Weight, Wingspan
Falcons are 6 inches long, whereas hawks are 18 to 24 inches in length. When in a standing posture, falcons flaunt a height of 1.5 feet, and hawks 2 feet. Hawks are naturally larger than falcons when these two aspects are compared. Hawks also weigh a kilogram more than falcons, with a wingspan of 4 feet. Falcons have a wingspan of a little more than 40 inches.
When compared to hawks and falcons, eagles are much larger and heavier. These magnificent birds of prey are 36 to 43 inches long, and stand at a height of 3 feet maximum. Eagles are the heaviest between the three, weighing about 3 to 6 kg. And when these raptors spread their wings, it is a sight to behold— boasting an enormous wingspan of almost 7 feet.
Head Shape
Eagles have the largest head, among the three birds. Their heads are covered with large, disheveled white or dark-brown feathers, giving them a rogue but elegant look. Eagles also boast a golden sheen starting from their head down the back. Altogether, the heads of these birds are a distinct feature, making them look different from the other two birds.
Falcons and hawks have smaller heads than eagles, and the shape of the heads are quite different. Falcons have a small, rounded head, and most species have a black crown on top. Hawks, on the other hand, have a sleek and pointed, medium-sized head.
When closely observed, however, a hawk’s head and an eagle’s head may look similar from a distance. However, an eagle has an untidy appearance, whereas hawks appear to be more well-groomed. The main difference lies in the size of the head of the three birds.
Source: @micheygirl2
Eyes And Sight
Eyes of an eagle have yellow or white irises, depending on the species we are talking about. Golden eagles bear a distinct yellow iris, whereas bald eagles have white rings. Since we are talking about eagle eyes, let’s focus on their eyesight a little.
Humans have 20/20 vision, and an eagle’s eyesight is a whopping 20/5 vision, which means that they can see 5 times farther than human beings. They can spot their prey from 3 miles apart! Also eagle eyes are quite large, occupying most of their face, and they can rotate 360 degrees, independently of one another.
Falcons, like the peregrines, have impeccable eyesight, which is far superior to human eyes. Humans see this world with a frequency above 60 Hz, which means that if images move faster than this frequency, it would appear blurry to them.
However, a falcon’s eyes function at 100 Hz/sec, which gives them the uncanny ability to see their prey clearly even during fast flights. Falcons have dark eyes with yellow eye-rings that set them apart from the two other birds.
Hawks may have dark or yellow eyes, with white or yellow rings around them. They are some of the best hunters around, because they can see clearly from 100 miles away. Though humans have larger eyes than hawks, hawks have 8 times greater visual acuity than humans.
One outstanding difference between these three birds is that only eagles and falcons have a sharp night-vision, but not hawks. The reason why hawks do not hunt at night.
Color
Most eagles have brown plumage of different shades, ranging anywhere from lightest to darkest. They also have a characteristic white plumage on their head region or chest and belly region. They may also boast white streaks on their tails and back feathers, like in white-tailed eagles and Steller’s sea eagles.
In the case of hawks, the plumage has brown and white colors too. However, what sets them apart from eagles is that, all over the snowy-white chest and belly regions, streaks of black or brown run all the way down. These streaks are visible on the underside of their flight feathers too when they flaunt their full wingspan. This feature is predominantly visible in red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, and Eurasian sparrowhawks.
Two new colors which are not visible in eagles and hawks, are present in the plumage of falcons, and the colors are blue and gray. Besides brown and white, the beautiful falcons flaunt bluish-gray flight feathers. However, streaks of black and brown run on the chest and wings of falcons too, that make them look a tad similar to hawks.
Beak
The maxilla part of an eagle’s beak is longer than the mandible, overlapping the lower part by being hook shaped. The beak of an eagle is made up of keratin, the same chemical that is present in the nails of humans.To keep the beak neat and trim, it brushes its beak against rough surfaces.
The shape of the beak helps an eagle to catch prey and tear flesh from the body. The color of the beak also matters. Eagles may have yellow or black beaks, depending on species. Bald eagles have a yellow beak, whereas Golden eagles have a white beak with a black tip.
Hawks have hooked beaks just like eagles. Typically hawks have a gray-white beak, but certain species of hawks may have beaks of various colors. The red-tailed hawk, for example, has blue beaks, whereas Harris’ hawk has a yellow beak with a gray tip. Hawks use their beaks to tear the flesh of the prey.
Falcons have hook shaped beaks as well, where the maxilla is longer than the mandible. One feature that sets falcons apart from the two other birds is that there is a tomial tooth on the edges of the maxilla that looks like a triangular ridge. This tooth gives falcons a competitive edge over the two other birds of prey because it is used by the bird to pinch at the vertebra of the prey to paralyze it.
Falcons have gray-white beaks, with black tips, bordered with yellow or other colors. In comparison to the beaks of hawks and eagles, the beak of a falcon is much smaller in proportion to its head. Another thing that is different in falcons than other birds is that falcons kill their prey using their beaks, not talons. In the case of the other two birds, the other way round is true. This is one reason why falcons belong to a different family of birds.
Source: @info_irbj
Feet And Talons
Eagles have muscular feet, with long, sharp and hook-shaped talons that give them the ability of a ruthless hunter. Like their beaks, their talons are also made of keratin and it is believed that their talons keep on growing all throughout their life.
Eagles use their heavy talons to catch prey, hold them in place and then crush the skull of the prey. In fact they are so dependent on their talons for survival that If they ever lose their talons, they may not be able to forage anymore and may die.
Like eagles, hawks have muscular feet that possess 4 talons that are strategically positioned so that they can grasp objects with force. The talons are pointed and extremely sharp to hold the prey in place and tear the flesh apart.
However, in comparison to eagles and hawks, the feet of falcons are not as muscular. More than using the talons to pierce through the flesh, they are mainly used for grasping and pouncing the prey unconscious. Falcons use their beaks more than their talons to tear through the flesh.
Flight Speed
Feathers of hawk birds are quite soft and puffy, which make them look larger than they actually are. A young adult red-tailed hawk weighs only 800 gm, but appears to be quite dominating. Feathers of hawks have been seen to have a notch called ‘air-slot’ on the edge that helps the hawks to soar better, because they adore soaring. The soft feathers help them to fly fast at a speed of 190 km /hr.
Falcons have soft feathers too, but are not as puffy as hawk’s feathers, because puffiness will slow them down and they cannot afford that. Falcons fly at a speed of 390 km/hr, which is much higher than a hawk’s speed. Falcon feathers are also much thinner looking, with smooth edges, and without any notches as is present in hawk feathers.
Eagles fly at varying speeds. Bald eagles fly at 160 km/hr, whereas Golden eagles fly much faster at speeds of 320 km/hr. They do not flap their wings frequently, they either soar or glide instead at a speed of 45 to 52 km/hr.
As we have read before, keratin is present in the structure of their beak and talons. Keratin is also present in their feathers. Each eagle has 7000 feathers, with a mixture of contour, and primary, secondary and tertiary flight feathers.
Eggs Laid
Eagle eggs are dull white, with or without small specks on them. Bald eagles have plain white eggs, whereas eggs of Golden eagles have frequent brown dots of varying sizes all throughout. Eagles eggs will fit perfectly inside the cup of your palm, with a length of 6 to 8 cm, and a width of 5 to 6 cm. The eggs weigh around 110 to 130 gm.
Hawk’s eggs are almost always spotted or blotched in brown over off-white bodies of the eggs. The reason why hawk eggs are more colorful than eagle eggs could be because they have a tendency to conceal their eggs, probably to protect them from predators. Hawk eggs are 6 to 7 cm long, and 4 to 5 cm wide. Hawk eggs may weigh 30 to 60 gm.
Falcon eggs are the most colorful among the three birds. The whole body of the eggs is pink or brown, with dark brown or black specks. The eggs are 5 cm long, and 4.7cm wide, therefore concluding that falcon eggs are the smallest in size. The weight of the eggs vary around 52 gm.
Young Ones
Falcon babies are called eyases, and are cream-colored with feet larger than usual. Eagle chicks could be either brown, gray or off-white in appearance. Hawk offspring are pale and have a fuzzy look, with feet that are disproportionately larger than their body.
Lifespan
Eagles have a lifespan of an impressive 20 to 30 years, however it may fluctuate. Like crowned eagles live for 14 years, and bald eagles can live for 30 years. Average lifespan of a hawk is 12 years, and that of falcons is 10 years.
Behavioral Differences
The three birds behave quite differently when it comes to flying and migrating. Their mating rituals and nesting habits differ too. Further reading will clarify the differences.
Source: @hiro1225164
Hunting Pattern
Highly solitary in nature, eagles are often seen perched on trees, sometimes for 70% of the daytime. Though they have nocturnal adaptations, they like to sleep most of the night.
Hawks are quite independent creatures and are known to leave the nest only when they are 6 weeks old. They start to hunt when they get a bit older. Hawks are more nocturnal than eagles and prefer hunting during sunset. Hawks are usually gentle, but during predation, they are ruthless even to birds of their own kin.
Falcons are not very social and are seen in pairs only during mating times. They are active hunters all throughout the day, but are the most active at sunset and sunrise. Falcons catch prey during flight and like to ambush them.
Feeding Behavior
Eagles prefer an hour before sunset and an hour after sunset as their favorite times for foraging. They need about 250 gm of food every day, They prey on small birds and mammals mainly. Eagles aim for rabbits and squirrels, badgers and coyotes, even geese and cranes.
Hawks usually go for around the same diet as eagles, but they prefer reptiles, like snakes and lizards a lot. Some even go for bugs like crickets and grasshoppers. Falcons like to eat small birds mostly, including gulls, songbirds and pigeons.
Source: @jocelynandersonphotography
Flight Pattern
Eagles are by far the best fliers among the raptors. They have finger-like projections at the tips of their wings and while flying they spread their wings in a V-shape that helps them to soar, glide and hover.
Eagles do not flap their wings frequently because the wings are quite heavy. They glide or soar at extremely high speeds that can reach up to 190 km/hr while hunting. They also fly in a circular motion very high up in the sky, like most predatory birds do, either clockwise or anti-clockwise, taking advantage of thermal columns.
Hawks, like eagles, do circular-motion flying too, especially the ones that fly along the coastlines. Besides thermal columns, hawks also take advantage of updrafts caused by obstruction currents of air. Hawk’s wide wings help them to soar higher and higher with these thermals and updrafts.
Falcons have deep fovea in their eyes, where they experience the maximum visual acuity. When they are flying, they need to tilt their head at 40 degrees to get the best vision of their prey’s location, but when they do that, they experience air resistance that slows them down. In order to solve this conflict, they undertake a curved flight path and move their fovea sideways, so that they do not have to tilt their head.
Mating Rituals
Eagles perform like acrobats when it comes to mating rituals. Male eagles pick a rock or a stick and throw it in the air, and swoop down and catch it before it falls to the ground. Females do the same things, only the thing they carry and drop could be different, like a clump of clay.
Mating rituals of hawks involve acrobatic feats too. The male and the female start soaring or gliding in a circular motion, with their talons locked together. Aero-displays like dives and rolls are performed by falcons also, accompanied by preening and vocalizations.
Nesting
Eagles build their nests with large sticks, either on the ground or on the fork-shaped branches of trees. They line it with moss, seaweed and lichens. Nests are quite large, about 3 feet deep, with a diameter of 4 to 6 feet. Some nests could be even larger than this.
Hawks construct their homes on trees as well about 120 feet above the ground. Cliffs, tops of giant structures like towers, and leaves of giant cactus are other bizarre places where eagles’ nests could be found. Both the parents collect long sticks to make the nests, and then line the nest with green leaves or twigs.
Falcons nest on the ledges of cliffs about 165 to 660 feet above the ground. They will also nest on towers, abandoned nests of raven birds, tree cavities and on the ground.
Vocalization
Eagles are large birds, but their calls are usually quite low-pitched. They are mainly whistles and piping sounds. Hawks, on the other hand, give out harsh screams that resemble ‘kee-eee-arr’ sounds that last for 2 to 3 seconds. Falcons make short sounds like ‘ee-chup’, wails and creaks.
Listen: a) Eagle b) Hawk c) Falcon
Habitat and Distribution Differences
Source: @stevegeliot
Eagles, hawks and falcons migrate at different times of the year, and their habitat preferences vary when the patterns are observed more closely. Let’s take a look.
Range
There are 68 species of eagles and they are mostly found in Africa and Eurasia. Only 14 species of the total can be sighted in North and South America, and Australia. Hawks and falcons, on the other hand, are more evenly distributed across the world, but cannot be found in Antarctica.
Migration Habits
Hawks migrate in the spring and autumn seasons, and their migration time could be as long as 4 to 5 months. They start their migration journey as early as possible so that they can reach their destination on time. While flying, they stay away from large bodies of water to avoid disruptive winds.
Eagles are partial migrators, that is, most of the species prefer staying in one place for the whole year, if there is plenty of food and water supply. Their migration continues between March and April, and ends in May.
Falcon’s migration pattern is rather unusual and is often termed as a ‘leap-frog’ pattern. The species that live in the farthest north, fly to the farthest south of the world. The species that breed further south, winters only short distances to the north. They migrate between September and October in the fall, and between April and May in the spring.
Preferred Habitat
Hawks prefer open habitats like deserts, fields, mountainous, and moisture-laden areas. Eagles and falcons can live almost everywhere and are commonly sighted in deserts, forests and tundra regions.
Conservation Status
In 2007, bald eagles were taken out of the list of the Endangered Species Act, but they are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, though their population has shown an impressive recovery. Philippine eagles, on the other hand, is one species that is rarely sighted and there are only 500 of them currently across the world.
Red-shouldered and red-tailed species of hawks are quite low in population currently. In 1999, red-shouldered hawks were enlisted as a declining species by Wildlife Resource Conservation Priorities. Red-tailed ones are protected under the Migratory Bird Act. In the falcon family, American Peregrines were often listed as endangered in the past, but are not extinct.
Hawk vs Eagle vs Falcon: Table Summarizing Differences
Below is a table to summarize the physical, behavioral and distribution-wise differences between the three raptors.
| Features | Eagle | Hawk | Falcon |
| Family | Accipitridae | Accipitridae | Falconidae |
| Length | 36 to 43 in | 18 to 24 in | 6 in |
| Height | 3 feet | 2 feet | 1.5 feet |
| Weight | 3 to 6 kg | 2 lbs to 1.5 Kg | 0.33 to 1 kg |
| Wingspan | 7 feet | 4 feet | 40 in |
| Color | Brown, may have white heads | Brown, with streaks of brown on white | Blue and gray with streaks of brown |
| Head shape | Largest head, disheveled look | Medium sized, sleek and pointed | Small sized, round, black crown |
| Eyes | Yellow and white iris, 20/5 vision, night vision | Dark or yellow eyes, yellow or white eye-rings, no night vision | Yellow eye rings, 100 Hz/s eyesight, night vision |
| Beak | Yellow or black, keratinized, large | Gray-white beak, large | Gray-white beak, tomial tooth, small |
| Feet and talons | Large, muscular feet; uses talons to kill | Large, muscular feet; uses talons to kill | Feet are leaner, uses beaks to kill |
| Flight speed | 160 to 320 km/hr | 190 km/hr | 390 km/hr |
| Eggs laid | Largest, pale-white or plain-white (with or without brown specs) | Smaller than eagle eggs, off-white with brown specs | Pink or brown, with brown specs |
| Young ones | Brown, gray, cream | Pale | Cream |
| Lifespan | 20 to 30 years | 12 years | 10 years |
| Mating rituals | Throw sticks and rocks in mid-air, catch it before it falls | Soaring and gliding | Dives and rolls |
| Nesting | Tree tops | Cliffs, towers, cacti | Tree cavities, raven birds’ nests, cliffs |
| Range | Mostly Africa, Eurasia | Everywhere except Antarctica | Everywhere except Antarctica |
| Migration | Partially migratory, March to April | August to December (Fall), April to May (Spring) | September to October (Fall), April to May (Spring) |
| Habitat | Deserts, forests, tundra | Open field, mountainous areas | Deserts, forests, tundra |
FAQ
FAQs are a great way to clarify subtle differences when comparing two or more birds, and also enhance a bird enthusiast’s knowledge and curiosity. Below are some frequently asked questions about eagles, falcons and hawks.
Q: Between hawk, eagle and falcon, which is the largest?
Ans: Eagles are the largest of the 3 birds. They are 36 to 43 inches long, and stand 4 feet tall, with a 7 feet wide wingspan.
Q: Which is the most powerful bird between hawk, eagle and falcon?
Ans: Eagles are the most powerful. They have night vision, large, muscular feet and humongous beaks that make them invincible. They hold their prey down with their sharp talons and tear the flesh with their powerful beaks.
Q: Which raptor has the best eyesight, hawk, eagle or falcon?
Ans: Eagles have the best eye-sight. Their visual acuity is 8 times stronger than humans, and they can shift eye-focus very quickly. They can spot their prey 2-miles away.
Q: Between hawk, eagle and falcon, what is the main distinguishing feature?
Ans: Their overall size is the main difference. Eagles are the largest, with a large, disheveled head. Hawks are medium-sized with sleeker heads, and falcons are the smallest.
Thoughts
Hawk vs eagle vs falcon– all are ferocious, birds of prey. They have sharp beaks, excellent visual acuity, and powerful talons that keep them at the top of the food pyramid. They share similar habitat and dietary preferences, and the females of all three species are larger than their male counterparts. From a distance, they are also mostly brown in appearance.
However, a closer observation brings forth the nuances between the three raptors. Eagles are much larger and heavier, with a disheveled look. They live for 20-30 years, whereas the other two birds live for 10 to 12 years. Hawks and eagles mostly look brown, but falcons have blue and gray in their plumage too. Subtle differences make these three birds quite unique.
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