Golden Eagle?- Barr Lake SP

[Egret]

Is this a Golden Eagle? I saw it in the same tree as a Bald Eagle. It was clearly larger. Also the hooked bill. I also thought it could be a Dark-morph Swainson's Hawk (I saw several today). 

Chris Brobin

Manitou Springs

[Peter Ruprecht]

Chris,

I would say that the enormous beak and light mottling on the front make this an immature Bald Eagle.  Perhaps it's a female and the one that it was next to was a smaller male?

A Swainson's would be dramatically smaller and less bulky.  IMO, size isn't a great differentiator between Balds and Goldens, though they do have somewhat different shapes when perched and definitely when flying.

Peter Ruprecht

Superior

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[raptoresse]

Greetings Chris:

This is a juvenile, or first-year bald eagle. Dark head without golden hackles, large beak and the fact that it was hanging around near an adult bald eagle, likely hoping to scavenge on a kill from the adult.

Best,

Anne Price

[Egret]

Thanks. I think the size threw me off