Eagles in Oregon: When and Where to Find Them
There are more than 60 species of eagles that you can find throughout the world. However, only four species can be spotted throughout North America. Out of the four, you can spot two types of Eagles in Oregon.
Eagles are very common in Oregon, but it can be tough to spot them due to rapid urbanization. This has made Eagle spotting a bit tricky.
Still, with the know-how of where to look for them and some luck, you can spot Eagles in Oregon. In this article, we’ll discuss the species in depth and share when and where to spot them.
Eagle Species You Can Find in Oregon
The eagle species listed in the following can be found in Oregon. These are:
- Bald Eagle
- Golden Eagle
In the following sections, you’ll get a deep dive into these two species as we’ll be discussing interesting facts and information on these.
| Name | Length | Weight | Wingspan | Speed | Chances of Spotting One in Oregon |
| Bald Eagle | 28-40 inches | 6.5-15 pounds | 71-91 inches | 120-160 km/h | Moderate |
| Golden Eagle | 26-40 inches | 6.5-16 pounds | 71-91 inches | 320 km/h | High |
1. Bald Eagle
Length: 28-40 inches
Weight: 6.5-15 pounds
Wingspan: 71-91 inches
Commonly Found In
Due to the adverse effects of DDT poisoning, Bald Eagles almost became extinct just a century ago. Thankfully, proper rehabilitation steps taken by the government, as well as independent animal welfare agencies, have helped restore their numbers.
Bald Eagles can be spotted all across Oregon, and they’re mostly found around water bodies. The main reason behind this is their fondness for fish and that they live mostly on fish.
As Oregon belongs to the Pacific Northwest region, it’s possible to spot Bald Eagles in Oregon throughout the year. This is especially true for the western seaside areas of Oregon. As for the areas in eastern Oregon, the chance of spotting a Bald Eagle is higher in Winter.
Behavior or Characteristics
The Bald Eagle, also known as Haliaeetus Leucocephalus in scientific terms, isn’t one of the faster eagle species. When diving or hunting, the Bald Eagle can reach only up to 160 km/h, which is quite low compared to some other Eagle species, including the Golden Eagle.
That being said, it is one of the largest birds in North America. It can measure anywhere from 28-40 inches, while its wingspan can measure up to 91 inches.
These are rather easy to identify. Adult Bald Eagles have a brown body with a bright yellow beak. In contrast, their head and tail are white. Both male and female adult Bald Eagles have this color scheme.
On the other hand, young Bald Eagles have dark brown head and tail with a brown body.
While Bald Eagles live mostly on fish, they’re known to hunt mammals, waterfowl, as well as gulls. Sometimes they also harass lesser creatures for snatching their food.
Due to their size, these birds are mostly seen flying over treetops with a slow yet heavy rhythm.
One of the most fascinating things about these is that they make the largest nests in the world. The nests aren’t huge from the start. They start small, but each year a new layer is added to the existing nest. The largest Bald Eagle nest was recorded to measure 20 feet in height and weighed 3 tons!
Fun Fact or Interesting Fact
- Female Bald Eagles are bigger than males
- They return to the same territory each year and mate the same partner for life
- Bald Eagles tend to have a tendency to steal food from others
- They can live almost four decades in the wild and even longer in captivity
- Bald Eagle became the national symbol of America back in 1782
2. Golden Eagle
Length: 26-40 inches
Weight: 6.5-16 pounds
Wingspan: 71-91 inches
Commonly Found In
Golden Eagles are found throughout North America, and in many regions, it’s found throughout the year. During the summer, these birds move towards the colder, north-western regions. Due to the balanced climate of Oregon, Golden Eagles can be found year-round here.
This species of Eagle is known to nest in all sorts of environments. While they prefer high cliffs, they’ve been seen to nest on trees, towers, and even on the ground!
Behavior or Characteristics
Golden Eagles are very fast. In fact, they’re one of the fastest eagles out there, as they can dive at a blinding speed of 320 km/h while hunting.
Unlike Bald Eagles, the diet of Golden Eagles mainly consists of smaller mammals. This includes but isn’t restricted to marmots, squirrels, rabbits, and prairie dogs. There have been instances where Golden Eagles hunted down small deer, goats, and even bear cubs!
It’s very easy to tell Bald Eagles apart from Golden Eagles. Golden Eagles have brown feathers throughout their body, with hints of white on their wings. Unlike Bald Eagles, they’re covered in feathers from the top to even the bottom of their feet.
As Bald Eagles are completely brown in their juvenile period, it can be difficult to tell them apart from Juvenile Golden Eagles. The lack of feathers on their feet may come in handy in such instances.
Despite being one of the most capable and powerful predators in any ecosystem, Golden Eagles are shockingly quiet. Their calls sound more like whistles and are high-pitched and tough to hear.
Fun Fact or Interesting Fact
- Although they’re capable of defeating large mammals, they tend to stick to smaller ones like rabbits
- The level of white highlight on Golden Eagles varies greatly
- They’ve managed to avoid DDT poisoning as their prey doesn’t intake pesticide
- Golden Eagle is the national animal of Albania, Austria, Mexico, Germany, and Kazakhstan.
Conclusion
Spotting the Eagles in Oregon can be rather easy. Of the two types, you’re more likely to come across a Golden Eagle. However, as long as juvenile Eagles are concerned, telling Golden Eagles from Bald Eagles can be rather tough.
In such cases, the featherless feet of Bald Eagles can help you out. To increase the chances of spotting an Eagle, we’d recommend searching in the western parts of Oregon.
Featured Image Credit: Ingvar Grimsmo, Shutterstock
