What is an Eagle? EagleĪn eagle is a medium to large bird of prey–in fact, eagles are generally considered the largest birds of prey in the world. Hawks silently stalk their prey from above, then dive-bomb at high speeds to capture it. Hawks hunt and eat a variety of different foods, including small mammals such as mice and rats, reptiles (including snakes), insects, fish, and sometimes smaller birds. In most cases, the female is slightly larger than the male.

Hawks range in size from seven up to 27 inches depending on species and sex. As noted, there are many different species even among those considered “true hawks ” perhaps as many as 200. Hawks live on every inhabited continent in the world. Sometimes other birds in the same family but belonging to different genera, such as harriers and buzzards, are also called hawks.įrequently, falcons, which belong to a completely different family, are also referred to as hawks because of their similar size and appearance to true hawks. True hawks belong to the scientific family Accipitridae and typically belong to the Accipiter genus. There are many different kinds of hawks, as well as other birds that are called hawks but technically belong to other families. What is a Hawk? HawkĪ hawk is a small- to medium-sized bird of prey. the eagle, two of the most commonly confused birds of prey in the world. In this article, we’ll compare the hawk vs.

What kind of bird is it, you wonder? There are many different large birds, and they are often confused for each other because they have similar appearances and color patterns.

You look up and see a large bird soaring on the breeze far above you.

Golden eagle vs bald eagle