Harpy Eagle, Powerful & Majestic

The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is the largest eagle in South America and one of the largest and most powerful birds of prey in the world. With their unusual crest of feathers, they resemble Harpies, the half woman, half bird characters of ancient Greek mythology.

Females, often twice as large as males, can grow to heights of 1m (3.3 ft.), have wingspans up to 2.5m (8.2 ft.), and may weigh 9kg (20 lbs.). Their legs are as thick as the wrist of a small child and armed with talons longer than those of the giant Grizzly Bear of North America.  (Editor's note: The Guyana Zoo has several Harpies you can see up close. These are the most incredible birds I've ever seen and must be seen to be believed! They are truly beautiful and awe-inspiring.)

Harpy Eagle

Harpia harpyja

Habitat and Diet

Found in virgin forests of Central and South America, Harpy Eagles search the canopies of undisturbed lowland tropical rain forest looking for their usual prey of sloths and monkeys (see sloths and primates in the online mammal guide) or other large arboreal animals. They are skilled hunters with enhanced hearing and acute vision; they can spot a 2cm object from 200m (219 yds.) away. However, their sense of taste and smell are poorly developed.

Family Life

Harpy Eagles mate for life and produce offspring every 2-3 years. Both parents incubate the one or two eggs; although in a pair, only the first chick survives. Both parents feed the eaglet for about six months, while the male does the majority of hunting.

Status in the Wild

These majestic birds are threatened particularly by habitat fragmentation and degradation. Many people also kill Harpy Eagles when the raptors threaten or attack domestic animals. They are often seen in the Kanuku* and Iwokrama Mountains, and populations in Guyana are apparently healthy because of the vast expanses of untouched tropical forests that they use as hunting grounds.

* The Kanuku Mountains are located in southwestern Guyana. Because of the relative abundance of Harpy Eagles in the Kanuku mountains, this area has been proposed as a site for one of Guyana's future National Parks.

Text courtesy of Calvin Bernard, Guyana Nature Foundation; editing by Iwokrama.