Difference between Falcon and Eagle

Key Difference: Falcons are birds of prey that have long pointed wings and an intended (concave) beak. Eagles are large birds of prey; they are known for their larger size.

Falcon Falcons are birds of prey. They are small with a strong angular beak. An angular bend on their beak allows them to easily break their prey’s neck. They belong to the same genus; and have a notch on their beaks. Falcon scientific name is ‘Falco’, and it's category is Genus.

Eagle Eagles are known for their larger size, powerful build, and a heavier head and bill. Eagles are considered to be larger than any other birds of prey, except vultures. Eagles tend to be larger in size than kites and weight more. Some species of eagles weigh up to 18 lbs. Eagles are more likely to scavenge and have the ability to prey on larger animals, mainly due to their size. Also, eagles are classified into two different types of categories: land eagles and sea eagles. The latter tend to prefer coastal habitats and prey on fish and other marine life.

Some of the differences between the birds are listed below:

	Falcon	Eagle
Kingdom	Animalia	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata	Chordata
Class	Aves	Aves
Order	Falconiformes	Falconiformes
Family	Falconidae	Accipitridae
Species	More than 30 falcon species	More than 60 eagle species
Characteristics	Medium sized raptor bird, long pointed wings – gray on the upper and back sides, black and brown bars on its side, blue color eyes, feet colors are from green to yellow, sharp and hooked beak	Hooked beaks, curved talons, exceptionally keen eyesight, powerful wings, strong bodies, and feathered legs.
Color	They vary in color; mostly are black, white, silver and red	Vary in color: golden, blackish-gray, brown, etc. The bald eagle has a white feathered head and a white tail. Bills are usually light or yellow in color.
Gender differentiation	The difference between male and female falcon is not that evident, but the color and the pattern of the chest and throat are the best indicators.	The female are usually larger than the male.
Aggressive	They are not aggressive	They are very aggressive
Feathers	They have long, slender wings that are pointed at the end; the wings are wider in relation to their bodies.	The land eagles have legs feathered down to the toes. The sea eagles have legs feathered halfway down to the toes. The eagles have broad and rounded wings.
Eyes color	Black or very dark brown eyes color	Have different eyes colors
Prey	Small birds, such as doves and pigeons, depending on its habitat.	Varies on species; includes fish, snakes, medium-sized vertebrate, ground mammals and other birds. Catch their prey by grabbing and then crushing it with claw.
Hunting	Use a variety of techniques to seek, attach and kill prey. They dive and catch their prey by surprise, so the speed kills the prey instantly.	Mostly hunt by day. Most eagles grab prey without landing and take flight with it so the prey can be carried to a perch and torn apart.
Nesting	Nesting on man-made structures such as buildings and cellphone transmission towers.	Build nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs.
Eggs	Whitish eggs with dark brown markings that number between three to four.	Many species lay two whitish eggs.
Hatchings	Female lays 3 to 4 eggs, and both birds keep warm or hatch them for 4 to 7 weeks.	Covered with white down, the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched.