Eagles are apex predators, recognized for their size, power, and commanding presence. As raptors, their diet consists entirely of meat, captured with formidable talons and tearing beaks. The direct answer to whether eagles eat smaller birds is yes, but this predation is typically a secondary food source driven by necessity or opportunity rather than a primary focus.
The Primary Food Sources of Eagles
The typical eagle diet is dominated by larger prey items that provide a substantial caloric return. For the Bald Eagle, the primary staple is fish, which can constitute over half of its total food intake. Their presence near large bodies of water, such as coasts, rivers, and lakes, reflects this preference for aquatic prey.
Other major components of an eagle’s diet include medium-sized mammals and carrion (scavenged dead animals). Golden Eagles, in contrast to Bald Eagles, rely heavily on terrestrial mammals like rabbits, hares, and ground squirrels. Consuming carrion, such as roadkill or winter-killed deer, is a significant survival strategy for both species, particularly when live prey is scarce.
Avian Predation and Opportunistic Hunting
When eagles prey on other birds, the behavior is defined by opportunistic hunting—taking advantage of the most available and vulnerable target. Birds are a regular part of the Bald Eagle’s diet, accounting for approximately 28% of their intake in some studies. This often involves birds encountered around the water, such as ducks, gulls, and geese.
Eagles focus on larger, less agile avian species, like waterfowl, which offer a better meal than a tiny, fast-moving songbird. They target slow-moving, injured, or sick individuals that are easier to capture. Predation also increases during nesting season when young birds, eggs, or inexperienced fledglings are easily accessed.
Eagles also engage in kleptoparasitism, the practice of stealing food from other birds. A Bald Eagle may harass an Osprey until the smaller bird drops the fish it caught, which the eagle retrieves. While they are capable of hunting smaller birds like gulls and coots, this activity is often driven by localized abundance or a lack of preferred prey.
Dietary Differences Between Major Eagle Species
The likelihood of an eagle eating smaller birds is strongly influenced by its species and the habitat it occupies. Bald Eagles, being “fishing eagles,” primarily hunt near water, making waterfowl and sea birds the most common avian prey in their diet. They are less likely to pursue small terrestrial songbirds unless they are nesting nearby.
Golden Eagles prefer mountainous or open country and are powerful hunters adapted to taking down terrestrial mammals. Their diet also includes a greater variety of medium-sized birds found in open habitats, such as grouse or pheasants. This broader range of live prey means they are more likely to consume smaller, non-aquatic avian species compared to Bald Eagles, especially when mammalian prey populations decline.