[Jemian]

I know the picture claims “Old Abe” is a bald eagle, but it looks like a golden eagle to me.

WAR EAGLE! Although the pic is of a yankee unit, we got our eagle when a student brought his mascot/pet eagle back from The War. We all know the story of how it buzzed the field at half time and after touch downs. It was our WAR EAGLE!

[Daffynition]

I don’t know how authentic this story is of Old Abe & his origin :

http://users.ap.net/~chenae/oldabe2.html

[SJackson]

I know the picture claims “Old Abe” is a bald eagle, but it looks like a golden eagle to me.

Me too. As Daffynition correctly points out he was the source of the 101st Screaming Eagle. A bald eagle

Old Abe was also the JI Case logo till they were acquired a few decades ago.

While the Yankee Buzzard looks like a golden, I'd call him a golden, tradition seems to say he's bald. Wonder how he'd feel about that.

[SJackson]

On a more serious note, he’s often identified in serious publications as a golden, you’re correct.