Hawk vs. Eagle
Almost every large bird soaring over Ashby Lake gets called an eagle.
Most of them aren't.
Bald Eagles are enormous, with wings stretching over two metres across. They're often seen soaring effortlessly high above the lake or perched in tall white pines near the shoreline.
Hawks are much more common. Depending on the species, they tend to flap more, soar lower, and are considerably smaller.
The easiest way to tell the difference isn't colour-it's size. When you finally see a bald eagle beside a hawk, you'll wonder how you ever mixed them up.
The famous "eagle scream" in Hollywood movies almost never belongs to an eagle. Filmmakers usually use the call of a Red-tailed Hawk because real bald eagles have surprisingly high-pitched chirps.
Next time you're at the lake...
The next time someone points and says, "Look! An eagle!"
Take a second look.
It might be...
Or it might not.