My wife and I walked past this juvenile Eagle yesterday across the street from the Gulf of Mexico in Miramar Beach Florida. I believe it is a Golden Eagle. He was just sitting on a step watching people walk by. I paused just enough to alert my wife and snap a picture with my iPhone.

That’s a pretty awesome picture.

Do immature eagles have banded tail feathers?

That's very cool that you were able to get that close.

However, I suspect that's a less than mature Cooper's Hawk.

I visited the Charleston Center For Birds of Prey and they have one that wanders about the property.

He will walk along with you chattering in Eagle speak.

quote:

Originally posted by Micropterus:
That's very cool that you were able to get that close.

However, I suspect that's a less than mature Cooper's Hawk.

Nailed.

Is this natural behavior for a eagle to just sit on a stair step close to the ground like that? The only time I have seen eagles of any type on the ground is when they are feeding on a carcass. Seems odd behavior.

At first I thought it might be a chicken, but then I notice, "he's taking the stairs", chickens cross roads. Nothing about them taking stairs... Nope.

Not too long ago, I went to Lake Of The Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains SP.
A Bald Eagle was sitting on a low branch of a tree a short distance from a group of excited tourists, who were taking selfies with the Eagle over their heads.
The eagle looked as if he thought they were nuts.

I do not believe that is an eagle. He is not big enough, and his bill is not heavy enough. Eagles, even young ones, are surprisingly large.

Great photo.

That is either an immature Cooper's Hawk or an immature Sharp Shinned Hawk.

Beautiful bird nonetheless.