The primary characteristic of eagles, hawks, falcons, kites and ospreys is that these are all huge-sized birds mainly feeding on vertebrates and mammals, many of which are large. Unlike the heavy build eagles, ospreys and kites are light-weighted raptors and can stay aloft for more extended periods. Each of these ravenous creatures has distinctly shaped wings to aid them in an acrobatic flight. Seeming to be quite similar, making their identification challenging, there are noticeable differences between the various kinds of predatory birds.Įagles are the largest of all predatory birds, with hawks and falcons relatively smaller in size. You might be contemplating which raptor ascended blisteringly from its high perch or which stooped down to powerfully grasp a potential prey, disappearing in a matter of seconds. If you’ve just begun your birding venture, being able to distinguish among the voracious creatures readily may seem quite daunting to you. It has since been moved to the Aquila genus.Amidst the small and medium-sized birds flying steadily in the air, sighting a massive, rapidly aviating creature, flapping its enormous wings as it effortlessly soars high up in the sky is not a rarity. As a result, there may be a major reclassification of the eagle subfamilies and genera at some point.įor example, Bonelli’s Eagle used to be in the Hieraaetus genus. The classifications below are up to date at time of publishing, including changes made within the last few years.Īs a disclaimer, new research has shown that some eagle species once placed into the same subfamilies are not as closely related as once thought. There are currently 68 different species of eagles. Harpy eagle 68 Eagle Species (within 23 genera) The eagles placed in this group vary, depending on who you ask. Harpy eagles are giant, forest-dwelling eagles. Other Genera: Buteogallus, and Pithecaphaga.Genera: Harpia, Harpyosis, and Morphnus.This group is also referred to as “true eagles.” Eagles in this group have feathers on their lower legs ending at their feet. Genera: Aquila, Geranoaetus, Hieraaetus, Ictinaetus, Lophoaetus, Lophotriorchis, Nisaetus, Polemaetus, Spizaetus, and Stephanoaetus.Booted Eagles, Hawk-Eagles, and Buzzard-Eagles You will often find them in coastal areas, although some can be found further inland. Fish Eagles or Sea EaglesĪs indicated by their name, eagles in this category are excellent fishers. These 3 proposed subfamilies are the following: 2. Others propose that this large subfamily should actually be broken into 3 smaller subfamilies. Some researchers classify all of the rest of the eagles under the subfamily Buteoninae. They often make their homes in deserts or forested areas where this prey is abundant. These eagles are pros when it comes to catching snakes and other reptiles. Genera: Circaetus, Dryotriorchis, Eutriorchis, Spilornis, and Terathopius.These group classifications are also not exclusive- so just because an eagle has been put into the “Snake Eagle” category, that doesn’t mean it won’t eat the occasional fish.Īlong the same lines, “Fish Eagles” or Sea Eagles” may also be found further inland. These groups are informal and not part of the official classification system. You will often see eagles divided into 4 different groups. There are 23 genera of eagles, subdivided into 68 different species of eagles.įor more information on each of these species, please keep reading. Guide to 68 Types of Eagles How many species of eagles are there?
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