Raptors are big birds of prey that hunt their own food on the wing. They swoop down to grab unsuspecting creatures upon which they feed, using keen eyesight and agile flight to locate and obtain food. Listed below are the largest birds of prey found in the United States, excluding the nocturnal species (owls), and New World vultures (vultures and California condors).
Bald Eagle, the Largest Bird of Prey in the US
The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is the national bird of the United States, and also the largest raptor. These giant birds of prey average about 31 inches in length, with an 80 inch wingspan, and a weight of just under 10 lbs. Feeding primarily on fish, Bald Eagles swoop down to grasp fish with their talons, as Ospreys do on occasion, but they do not dive into the water. They will also feed upon rodents and other birds that they can catch. Bald Eagles can be found, depending on season, in every continental state and in Canada and Mexico.
Golden Eagle, a Large Raptor Bird of America
The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is another huge bird of prey of the United States. Its average body length is about 30 inches, and its wingspan is around 79 inches, but the golden eagle is slightly heavier than the bald eagle, weighing in at around 10 lbs on average. Golden Eagles are massive birds of prey that feed primarily upon rabbits, hares, prairie dogs, and smaller rodents like squirrels in the United States. In addition to its inhabiting most of the continental US (excluding some of the Eastern parts of the country), this bird is also found in much of Asia, and some of Africa and Europe.
Osprey, a Big Fish-Eating Raptor Bird of America
The Osprey, also known as fish eagle (Pandion haliaetus) can be found in every continental US state, as well as on every continent except Antarctica. These large predatory birds reach an average length of around 23 inches, and weigh about about 3.5 lbs. They feed almost exclusively on fish, and can be seen swooping down to snatch fish with their talons, or diving into the water, only to emerge moments later to fly off grasping fish.
Ferruginous Hawk, Largest Bird of Prey in America of the Genus Buteo
The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) often reaches a length of around 23 inches, with a wingspan of 56 inches, and it usually weighs about 3.5 lbs. This is the largest hawk of the genus Buteo (which includes other common hawks of the United States, like the Red-tailed Hawk and Red-shouldered Hawk), and it is found primarily in the American Southwest, though it can be found as far north as Southern Alberta, and often down into Southern Mexico in the winter. This bird has a dark morph, which is dark brown, and a light morph, which is mainly white and red. Ferruginous Hawks prey upon rodents, birds, large insects, and snakes.
The above birds of prey are the largest raptors found in America. They are all apex predators, meaning that nothing else actively preys on them.
Thomas Wyatt - Tom Wyatt grew up in Virginia. He has been interested in the outdoors (fishing, birding, camping, and other such activities) since he was ...
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