Birds · Accipitriformes · Accipitridae

Harpy Eagle

Harpia harpyja

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

It is one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world, with hind talons up to 12.5 cm long — comparable to a grizzly bear's claws — able to exert several hundred pounds of pressure.

Weight

4 kg – 9 kg

Size

89 cm – 1 m

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

RainforestCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Near Threatened Bird Rainforest

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Fun facts

That force is enough to crush the bones of its prey instantly.
It feeds mainly on tree-dwelling mammals such as sloths and monkeys.
It lives in the canopy of lowland tropical forest from southern Mexico to northern Argentina.
anatomíaIts talons are comparable in size to a bear's claws, letting it take prey as large as sloths or adult monkeys.
sentidosIt can pick out a monkey moving through dense rainforest foliage thanks to a partial facial disc that sharpens its hearing, much like an owl's.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: The canopy of lowland tropical forest, from southern Mexico to northern Argentina
Birth weight: Born helpless and covered in down
Size at birth: Born helpless
Gestation / incubation: 52-56 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 3 eggs per clutch (most commonly 2, of which only the first to hatch survives)

Sources consulted: Dimensions.com; Animal Diversity Web; Eagle Directory; PBS Nature; A-Z Animals