Eagle ID: How do you tell HM and HD apart?

How do you tell HM and HD apart? If, like me, you sometimes struggle to ID who you are watching, our camera operators and moderators have some great tips!

HD. Note the dark marks on his cere, his bold guyliner, and his trim feather collar. Are the cere markings permanent? We don't know. But temporary features can be very helpful for short-term ID!. H/T to Talon, Tulsa, and Glog!HD. Note the dark marks on his cere, his bold guyliner, and his trim feather collar. Are the cere markings permanent? We don't know. But temporary features can be very helpful for short-term ID!. H/T to Talon, Tulsa, and Glog!
HM! She lacks HD's cere markings, has a much larger beak, darker head feather vanes, a flatter head (possibly due to her larger supraorbital ridge) and looks like Mom! H/T to Talon, Tulsa, Glogdog, Pyrmum, and Pelmomma.HM! She lacks HD's cere markings, has a much larger beak, darker head feather vanes, a flatter head (possibly due to her larger supraorbital ridge) and looks like Mom! H/T to Talon, Tulsa, Glogdog, Pyrmum, and Pelmomma.
HD (left) and HM (right). HD stands for 'Hatchery Dad' and HM stands for 'Hatchery Mom'. We could change the nomenclature, but that is what we are using now. We can clearly see the ID cues mentioned in previous pictures: HD's smaller beak, guyliner, cere markings, and whiter head, and HM's larger beak, and flatter, darker head. She is also much larger and has a small circular mark on the right side of her face. Glogdog: "Since HM is larger, her folded flight feathers fold lower near her tail's end, and HD's flight feathers fold shorter near the tail tip." A fantastic ID tip for ID'ing them from behind!HD (left) and HM (right). HD stands for 'Hatchery Dad' and HM stands for 'Hatchery Mom'. We could change the nomenclature, but that is what we are using now. We can clearly see the ID cues mentioned in previous pictures: HD's smaller beak, guyliner, cere markings, and whiter head, and HM's larger beak, and flatter, darker head. She is also much larger and has a small circular mark on the right side of her face. Glogdog: "Since HM is larger, her folded flight feathers fold lower near her tail's end, and HD's flight feathers fold shorter near the tail tip." A fantastic ID tip for ID'ing them from behind!
I chose this photo because I had trouble with ID. HM or HD? It's HM! Talon pointed out her longer, flowing feather collar.I chose this photo because I had trouble with ID. HM or HD? It's HM! Talon pointed out her longer, flowing feather collar.
It's HD! Note his trim, relatively even feather collar and very white head.It's HD! Note his trim, relatively even feather collar and very white head.
HD or HM? This eagle's head looks very white, but the uneven feather collar, lack of dark cere markings, and just visible smoky eye mark her as HM. H/T to Camop Spish!HD or HM? This eagle's head looks very white, but the uneven feather collar, lack of dark cere markings, and just visible smoky eye mark her as HM. H/T to Camop Spish!
HM on a favorite perch. Her 'smoky eye' is less obvious than Mom's, but still visible. We can also see her larger beak! Note the squirrel in her right talon. Although both eagles show a preference for fish, north nest female eagle DNF is much more likely to bring mammals in than her mate. We'll see if the same is true here.HM on a favorite perch. Her 'smoky eye' is less obvious than Mom's, but still visible. We can also see her larger beak! Note the squirrel in her right talon. Although both eagles show a preference for fish, north nest female eagle DNF is much more likely to bring mammals in than her mate. We'll see if the same is true here.
HM! Like Mom, Mrs. North, and DNF, she sometimes has bad hair days! Her darker feather veins and head spots are visible in this capture.HM! Like Mom, Mrs. North, and DNF, she sometimes has bad hair days! Her darker feather veins and head spots are visible in this capture.

If you are still catching up on the saga of Mom, DM2, HD (Hatchery Dad), and HM (Hatchery Mom), you aren’t alone! We bought an even bigger Confusion Couch after our swaying cottonwood turned into a Tilt-A-Whirl this year. Some links:

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