In this article I’ll be going over 7 big birds that can be found across the state of Pennsylvania, so continue reading for a more detailed look at each bird below.

• Great Egret
• Bald Eagle 
• American Herring Gull
• Snowy Owl 
• Snowy Egret 
• Golden Eagle
• Turkey Vulture

7 Big Birds In Pennsylvania

1. Great Egret (Ardea Alba)

• Size: 80 -100cm
• Weight: 0.7 – 1.5kg
• Wingspan: 130 – 170cm

These egrets can be found in all of Pennsylvania when they happen to migrate through the state.

Great egrets are recognised by their extremly long necks, yellow bill, long black legs and mostly white plumage. Both males and females look very similar with the males being generally larger than the females.

Great egrets spend the majority of their time within marshes, ponds, shores and mud flats.

As for what they eat, it includes primarily consume fish along with crustaceans, amphibians, and small mammals. They will also forage around open areas.

Great egrets tend to live for around 15 years in the wild and around 22 years in captivity.

2. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus)

• Size: 90 – 108cm
• Weight: 3 – 6.3kg
• Wingspan: 180 – 250cm

Bald eagles are winter and fall residents in northwest and the eastern coastline of Pennsylvania while they are year round residents in southeast Pennsylvania. 

A bald eagle’s plumage consists of dark brown around its wing and body, with white feathers on its tail and head along with the trademark yellow beak and feet. Both male and female bald eagles look relatively the same.

As for where you can find these eagles, it will often be around lakes and reservoirs with lots of fish and surrounding forests. You’ll often find them around unfrozen lakes and hunting along coastlines, reservoirs, and rivers during the winter months

These eagles are birds of prey meaning they hunt other birds, medium sized mammals like rabbits, hares, other animals like reptiles, fish and even eat carrion when their options are limited. Sometimes bald eagles are recognised as fish eagles as their diet consists of fish and as meat is the only thing they eat these eagles would ultimately be regarded as carnivores too.

Bald eagles can live for around 20 years in the wild.

3. American Herring Gull (Larus Smithsonianus)

• Size: 60 – 67cm
• Weight: 1 – 1.5kg
• Wingspan: 120 – 160cm

These herring gulls can be found in southeast Pennsylvania year round and in the rest of the state when they migrate. 

American herring gulls are recognised by their gray wings, black tail feather, white feathers in the remainder of their body, yellow beak and reddish/orange legs. The females are typically a dirty light brown/gray color where it appears as if they’ve had mud sprayed across their feathers.

You’ll find these herring gulls around coasts and inland around rubbish tips, fields, large reservoirs and lakes.

In regards to what these gulls eat, it tends to be carrion, offal, seeds, fruits, young birds, eggs, small mammals, insects and fish.

American herring gulls are know to live for around 30 years on average, with the longest recorded hitting 49 years of age.

4. Snowy Owl (Bubo Scandiacus)

• Size: 52 – 71cm
• Weight: 1.1 – 2kg
• Wingspan: 125 – 164cm

Snowy owls can be found all throughout Pennsylvania in their non-breeding fall and winter months. 

These owls are recognised by their mostly white plumage with brown dots throughout the body. Females on the other hand are generally less white than the males as the brown spots encompass more of their body.

Snowy owls tend to spend their time within arctic tundra or open grasslands and fields, whilst avoiding forested areas. 

As for what they eat, it includes lemmings and a variety of small mammals. Nevertheless, they will still occasionally eat larger mammals like like hares, rats, rabbits, etc.

Snowy owls have been observed to live for around 28 years in captivity and between 10+ years in the wild.

5. Snowy Egret (Egretta Thula)

• Size: 56 – 66cm
• Weight: 350 – 390 grams
• Wingspan: 95 – 105cm

You can spot snowy egrets in southeast Pennsylvania when they breed and in the rest of the eastern region of the state when they migrate. 

Snowy egrets as their name would suggest are snow white birds with a long neck, black beak, black legs whilst also having a relatively large frame. Besides their sexual organs the only differentiating factors between males and females are that the males are slightly larger.

You’ll find these egrets by mudflats, beaches, and wetlands, but you can also see them forage in wet agricultural fields and along the edges of rivers and lakes. 

Snowy egrets eat a variety of foods from fish, insects, crustaceans which includes crabs, crayfish, frogs, snakes, snails, worms, lizards, rodents and more.

These egrets are known to live for around 5 – 6 years in the wild and upwards of 16 years in captivity.

6. Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos)

• Size: 70 – 82cm
• Weight: 3.7 – 5.3kg
• Wingspan: 190 – 212cm

Golden eagles can be found in all of Pennsylvania in their fall and winter non-breeding months. 

These eagles are recognised by their mostly light brown and dark brown plumage, yellow feet and black downwards pointing beak. Females once again are the larger of the 2 birds where males are roughly 33% smaller in size.

These eagles spend the majority of their time within open moorlands and mountains within the likes of Scotland, and many areas within north America

Golden eagles do eat carrion but, it isn’t their first choice of food when hunting for prey. If they do find a dead carcass they will eat it, with their general food choices consisting of smaller mammals, birds and sometimes larger prey.

These eagles are known to live for around 14 years in the wild whilst captive are even able stay alive till their early 30’s with the longest observed at 32 years old.

7. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes Aura)

• Size: 62 – 81cm
• Weight: 1.5 – 2 kg
• Wingspan: 1.6 – 1.8m

You’ll find turkey vultures across all of Pennsylvania in their spring and summer breeding season.

Turkey vultures have a plumage that is mostly brownish/black in color with silver/gray lining on the underside of their wings adding a contrast to their overall appearance. The face is pink/red with elements of black on the head topped of with a pale white beak.

These scavengers are mono-morphic so they do look the same with the only differentiating aspect being their sexual organs.

Turkey vultures are scattered throughout north America where they can be found staying within open and forested habitats where they will also stay within lower elevation mountain ranges.

Carrion is a turkey vultures primary food source but, they do also eat dead reptiles, birds, amphibians and invertebrates. As a whole these vultures do prefer fresher carrion but, like other vultures they can consume the same carcass over several days.

Turkey vultures are known to live for around 16 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity.