Golden Eagle vs Rufous-tailed Hawk

Aquila chrysaetos compared with Buteo ventralis

Key Differences

Golden Eagle is Near Threatened while Rufous-tailed Hawk is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Golden Eagle	Rufous-tailed Hawk
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order same	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family same	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Aquila (True Eagles)	Buteo
Species	Aquila chrysaetos	Buteo ventralis

Evolutionary Relationship

Golden Eagle and Rufous-tailed Hawk share a common ancestor at the Family level: Accipitridae. (Hawks & Eagles)

View Family: Accipitridae

Conservation Status

Golden Eagle

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Rufous-tailed Hawk

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Golden Eagle	Rufous-tailed Hawk
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	85 cm	—
Average Weight	5.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Golden Eagle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Rufous-tailed Hawk

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Golden Eagle

Among the most powerful and widely distributed raptors in the world, golden eagles have wingspans reaching 2.2 meters and inhabit mountainous terrain across the Northern Hemisphere. Supreme aerial hunters, they use soaring flight and steep dives at speeds over 200 km/h to capture rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and occasionally young deer and foxes. In many cultures they have been central to falconry traditions spanning millennia.