{"id":10888,"date":"2022-04-05T19:11:24","date_gmt":"2022-04-05T19:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=10888"},"modified":"2023-03-24T02:48:39","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T07:48:39","slug":"osprey-vs-eagle-who-would-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/osprey-vs-eagle-who-would-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Osprey Vs Eagle: Who Would Win?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are many different kinds of raptors, or birds of prey. The eagle is perhaps one of the most well-known, and the osprey, at first glance, looks quite similar to an eagle. So, what are the similarities and differences between these two birds? How do they compare against each other? In a battle of osprey vs. eagle, who would win? In this article, we\u2019ll answer all of these questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Osprey Vs Eagle: Similarities and Differences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Forest-Wildlife-3.jpg\" alt=\"Osprey Vs Eagle: Similarities and Differences\" class=\"wp-image-10889\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Forest-Wildlife-3.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Forest-Wildlife-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Forest-Wildlife-3-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Forest-Wildlife-3-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Osprey<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you were to see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/eagle\/\">an eagle<\/a> and an osprey sitting side by side, you might think they were the same kind of bird. The truth is, ospreys and eagles have many similarities, but they also have some <a href=\"https:\/\/dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com\/2017\/11\/15\/seven-differences-between-osprey-and-bald-eagles\/\">distinctive differences<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look at those similarities and differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Similarities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Birds of prey: <\/strong>Both ospreys and eagles are birds of prey, also known as raptors. This means they both have sharp talons and beaks that allow them to hunt small animals and fish.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feather colors:<\/strong> Ospreys have brown and white feathers. While there are many different types of eagles that come in a variety of colors and patterns, many of them also have brown and white feathers, making them easy to confuse with ospreys.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Diet:<\/strong> Both ospreys and eagles hunt fish and other small animals. They are both opportunistic predators, though ospreys seem to prefer eating fish more than anything else.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Nest: <\/strong>Both eagles and ospreys build nests out of sticks, lining the bowl of the nest with softer materials such as grass, moss, and corn stalks.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Physical characteristics:<\/strong> Eagles and ospreys look pretty similar. Both have small heads, wide wingspans, sharp, curved beaks, and sharp talons, and both are larger than most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/birds-that-sound-like-eagles\/\">other birds<\/a> (including hawks, another bird of prey).\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Differences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Scientific families: <\/strong>While both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/hawk-vs-eagle\/\">eagles and hawks<\/a> belong to the order<em> Accipitriformes<\/em>, they belong to different families within that order. The osprey is a single species (with four subspecies) belonging to the family <em>Pandionidae<\/em>, while there are over 60 distinct species of eagle belonging to the family <em>Accipitridae<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Size:<\/strong> Eagles are generally larger and heavier than ospreys, and they almost always have wider wingspans. For example, the largest eagle in the world, the harpy eagle, can weigh up to 5 times as much as the average osprey, stand nearly a foot taller, and have a wingspan nearly two feet wider.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feather patterns: <\/strong>Though many eagles have the same brown and white coloring as ospreys, the feather patterns are typically much different. Ospreys have a distinctive pattern that includes a white head and chest, brown lines extending down the head and across the eyes, and a mottled brown pattern on the back and wings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Nest location:<\/strong> Ospreys frequently build their nests on top of manmade structures such as cell phone towers and power poles. Eagles rarely use manmade structures, instead building their nests near the tops of tall trees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Osprey Vs Eagle: Who Would Win?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Forest-Wildlife-4.jpg\" alt=\"Osprey Vs Eagle: Who Would Win\" class=\"wp-image-9570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Forest-Wildlife-4.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Forest-Wildlife-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Forest-Wildlife-4-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Forest-Wildlife-4-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Eagle<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Back to our original question: if an eagle and an osprey were to fight with each other, which one would win the fight? Let\u2019s compare ospreys and eagles in several key categories as we explore the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Size<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Eagles are typically larger than ospreys, though exact size can vary by species since there are many species of eagle and only one species of osprey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ospreys only weigh up to about 4.4 pounds and are anywhere between 21 and 33 inches tall. Their wingspans range between 59 and 70 inches wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eagles, on other hand, can stand up to 42 inches tall, weigh up to 20 pounds, and may have a wingspan up to 88 inches wide. Not all eagles are this large, and some may be smaller or nearly the same size as ospreys, which can lead to the two birds being confused and mistaken for each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Again though, in general, eagles are taller, heavier, and have wider wingspans than ospreys. This generally makes them stronger and more powerful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Speed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Both eagles and ospreys are speedy flyers, though ospreys may have a slight edge in this category since they are smaller and lighter than most eagles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bald eagles can fly at top speeds of about 30 miles per hour, while ospreys can achieve 30 to 40 miles per hour.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both birds can fly significantly faster while diving at prey. The osprey can dive at speeds of nearly 80 miles per hour; the eagle, throwing its added weight into the attack, can dive at up to 100 miles per hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So, in a chase, the osprey might be able to out-fly the eagle, though if they were both diving, the eagle might catch up to the osprey. In general though, ospreys can fly a little faster than eagles and can also maneuver more easily.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hunting Technique<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As noted in the above section, both eagles and ospreys tend to dive at their prey. Both have excellent eyesight that allows them to hone in on the exact location of the prey, track it as it moves, and grab it while flying at incredible speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ospreys have an extra ability in this regard. They primarily hunt fish, and while hunting, they can dive completely under the water to grab their target\u2013they can immerse themselves as much as 3 feet below the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When they have secured their prey, they launch themselves straight out of the water back into the air\u2013in essence, they go from swimming to flying with little or no transition. Eagles are unable to do this; they must swim to shore after diving into the water, and they cannot dive as deeply as ospreys.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overall<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Osprey territory often overlaps with eagle territory, so these two birds often encounter each other. These encounters rarely turn out well for the ospreys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Though ospreys can fly fast and dive deep, eagles are stronger and more powerful. Eagles frequently terrorize ospreys by stealing fish they have just caught, chasing them away from certain territories, and even attacking their nests and killing their chicks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eagles are much more aggressive than ospreys, making them more likely to pick a fight. And, because they are larger and stronger, they will most likely defeat the osprey if it decides to engage in the fight rather than fly away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So, in a battle between an eagle and an osprey, the eagle would probably win.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, there are always exceptions to the rule. Check out the following video of an osprey attempting to pick a fight with a bald eagle (please note, the footage starts around half a minute into the video after beginning with footage of some ducks).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"container-lazyload preview-lazyload container-youtube js-lazyload--not-loaded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=61dOu1qtMGg\" class=\"lazy-load-youtube preview-lazyload preview-youtube\" data-video-title=\"OSPREY VS EAGLE\" title=\"Play video &quot;OSPREY VS EAGLE&quot;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=61dOu1qtMGg<\/a><noscript>Video can&#8217;t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=61dOu1qtMGg\" title=\"OSPREY VS EAGLE\">OSPREY VS EAGLE (https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=61dOu1qtMGg)<\/a><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ospreys and eagles are both large, powerful birds of prey, but eagles tend to be larger and heavier, which gives them an edge in a fight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If these two raptors were to face off against each other, the eagle would likely win, though the osprey could probably escape the eagle by flying away rather than engaging in the fight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are many different kinds of raptors, or birds of prey. The eagle is perhaps one of the most well-known, and the osprey, at first glance, looks quite similar to an eagle. So, what are the similarities and differences between these two birds? How do they compare against each other? In a battle of osprey &#8230; <a title=\"Osprey Vs Eagle: Who Would Win?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/osprey-vs-eagle-who-would-win\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Osprey Vs Eagle: Who Would Win?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10889,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10888"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12764,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888\/revisions\/12764"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}