Bald Eagle Talons Clutching Fresh Caught Fish in Flight

Do Bald eagles have talons or claws?

A common question is whether bald eagles have talons or claws. A quick literature review suggests that claws and talons are similar in composition, form, and function. Technically, mammals, reptiles, and birds have claws that have very similar appearances. But the claws of a bald eagle and other birds of prey are called talons. This is to say that only birds of prey have talons, while other animals, including non-birds of prey, have claws. For instance, we say the claws of a duck or a dove, never the talons of a duck or a dove.

Bald Eagle Talons Clutching Fresh Caught Fish In Flight (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Pygargue à tête blanche, BAEA) near Homer, Alaska. Image copyright ©Christopher Dodds Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens. ISO 3,200, f/2.8 @ 1/5,000s. Manual Exposure mode. Join me for my Eagles Galore workshop every March. To learn more, CLICK HERE.