After an off-list discussion with Bob Ringler and purchasing yet another bird book (Sibley's - fifth printing), I have concluded that the eagle I saw on the Magothy several days ago was an immature Bald, NOT a Golden.
The drawings in Sibley's provide better illustration and a better discussion for distinguishing between immatures of these two than I have found in Zim, Peterson, etc. The key seems to be that the tail markings are not as definitive as the presence of white on the upper body. |