Harpy Eagles

Basic Information

The Harpy Eagle is named after the harpies of Greek mythology, which were fierce wind spirits with the body of a bird and the face of a woman!

Scientists classify the Harpy Eagle in the family Accipitridae, which includes all eagles, hawks, kites, and Old World vultures!

The scientific name of the Harpy Eagle is Harpia harpyja, and it was given this name in 1758 by the famous scientist Carl Linnaeus!

A group of Harpy Eagles is called a “council,” though they rarely gather in groups since they prefer to live alone!

Harpy Eagles can live up to 35 years in the wild and even longer in zoos, with some reaching 45 years of age!

Adult Harpy Eagles are typically referred to as “males” and “females,” while their babies are called “chicks” or “eaglets.”

Harpy Eagles are carnivores, which means they only eat meat and are expert hunters of the rainforest!

The Harpy Eagle’s wingspan can reach up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) across, which is wider than most adults are tall!

Adult Harpy Eagles have no natural predators in the wild because they are at the top of their food chain!

Harpy Eagles are found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, from Mexico to northern Argentina!

Harpy Eagles are considered one of the most powerful birds of prey in the world!

Harpy Eagles can weigh as much as a medium-sized dog!

The Harpy Eagle is one of the largest and heaviest eagles in the world!

Harpy Eagles are sometimes called the American Harpy Eagle to distinguish them from other harpy eagle species!

Physical Characteristics

Harpy Eagles are one of the most powerful eagles in the world, with talons as long as a grizzly bear’s claws, up to 5 inches (13 centimeters)!

Female Harpy Eagles can weigh up to 20 pounds (9 kilograms), which is twice as heavy as male Harpy Eagles!

A Harpy Eagle’s legs can be as thick as a small child’s wrist, helping them carry heavy prey through the forest!

The crown feathers on a Harpy Eagle’s head can raise up like a fan when they’re excited or alerting others to danger!

Harpy Eagles have excellent eyesight and can spot a small animal from more than 650 feet (200 meters) away!

Harpy Eagle’s wings are specially designed for flying through dense forest, being shorter and broader than other eagles’ wings!

A Harpy Eagle’s feet can exert 530 pounds per square inch of pressure when gripping prey!

Harpy Eagles have special feathers around their faces that form a disk shape, helping them hear better by directing sound to their ears!

The black, white, and gray coloring helps Harpy Eagles blend in with the shadows and light filtering through the rainforest canopy!

The crested feathers on a Harpy Eagle can be up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) long!

A Harpy Eagle’s eyes are nearly as large as a human’s eyes, even though their head is much smaller!

The Harpy Eagle’s beak is hooked and over 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) long, perfect for tearing prey!

Harpy Eagles have special muscles in their legs that lock their talons shut, allowing them to grip prey without getting tired!

Harpy Eagles can turn their neck up to 180 degrees to help them spot prey in any direction!

Adult Harpy Eagles have a distinctive black band across their chest!

A Harpy Eagle’s feet are nearly as large as a human hand!

Behavior & Intelligence

Harpy Eagles are monogamous, which means they keep the same mate for their entire life!

Harpy Eagles communicate using a series of high-pitched screams that can be heard up to a mile away through the rainforest!

Adult Harpy Eagles stay in the same territory for their whole lives, defending an area of up to 25 square miles (approximately 9.65 square miles).

Harpy Eagles are most active during early morning and late afternoon, spending the hottest parts of the day resting in the shade!

Unlike many other birds, Harpy Eagles don’t migrate and stay in the same area year-round!

Harpy Eagles build their nests in the tallest trees of the rainforest, sometimes around 130 feet (40 meters) high!

Harpy Eagles are excellent parents, with both mother and father helping to raise their chick!

Harpy Eagles can fly silently through the forest thanks to special feathers that muffle the sound of their wings!

Harpy Eagles have been observed using the same nest for up to 20 years!

Young Harpy Eagles practice their hunting skills by catching falling leaves and sticks!

Harpy Eagles use different hunting techniques for different types of prey!

Harpy Eagles can remember the location of productive hunting spots and return to them regularly!

Harpy Eagles build their nests using dry sticks that they break off trees with their powerful beaks!

Harpy Eagles have been observed teaching their young specific hunting techniques!

Habitat & Survival

Harpy Eagles prefer to live in the emergent layer of rainforests, where the tallest trees poke above the canopy!

Harpy Eagles need large areas of unbroken forest to survive, as they don’t like to cross open areas!

Harpy Eagles can be found from sea level up to elevations of 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) in mountainous regions!

Harpy Eagles often use the same perches day after day when hunting, creating favorite lookout spots!

Harpy Eagles can survive in slightly disturbed forests as long as there are enough tall trees for nesting!

Harpy Eagles prefer areas with high populations of sloths and monkeys, their favorite prey!