---
title: "Bald eagle vs golden eagle — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on weight. Compared on 5 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/bald-eagle-vs-golden-eagle/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Bald eagle vs Golden eagle

**Bald eagle vs golden eagle: Near enough equal on weight**

Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on weight.

A bald eagle and a golden eagle can be compared on 5 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | Bald eagle | Golden eagle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 3–6.3 kg | 2.8–6.7 kg |
| Length | 0.7–1 m | 0.66–1.02 m |
| Width | 1.8–2.3 m | 1.8–2.3 m |
| Top speed | 56–160 km/h | 45–320 km/h |
| Typical lifespan | 15–38 yr | 15–38 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on weight.
- Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on length.
- Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on width.
- Golden eagle is 1.5× bald eagle on top speed.
- Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on typical lifespan.

*Weight compared.*

- Bald eagle: 3–6.3 kg
- Golden eagle: 2.8–6.7 kg

## Bald eagle

The national bird of the United States, recovered from about 400 nesting pairs in 1963 to over 70,000 today.

## Golden eagle

One of the most widely distributed eagles, and a bird flown in falconry for two thousand years.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, bald eagle or golden eagle?

Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do bald eagles and golden eagles compare on length?

Bald eagle: 0.7–1 m. Golden eagle: 0.66–1.02 m. Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on length.

### How do bald eagles and golden eagles compare on width?

Bald eagle: 1.8–2.3 m. Golden eagle: 1.8–2.3 m. Bald eagle and golden eagle are near enough identical on width.

## Related pages

- [Bald eagle vs Canada goose](https://atoneplace.net/vs/bald-eagle-vs-canada-goose/)
- [Bald eagle vs harpy eagle](https://atoneplace.net/vs/bald-eagle-vs-harpy-eagle/)
- [Bald eagle vs wild turkey](https://atoneplace.net/vs/bald-eagle-vs-wild-turkey/)
- [Bald eagle vs domestic cat](https://atoneplace.net/vs/bald-eagle-vs-domestic-cat/)
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- [Golden eagle vs harpy eagle](https://atoneplace.net/vs/golden-eagle-vs-harpy-eagle/)
- [Canada goose vs golden eagle](https://atoneplace.net/vs/canada-goose-vs-golden-eagle/)
- [Domestic cat vs golden eagle](https://atoneplace.net/vs/domestic-cat-vs-golden-eagle/)
- [Bald eagle vs three-toed sloth](https://atoneplace.net/vs/bald-eagle-vs-three-toed-sloth/)

## Sources

- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)
- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]