![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() When it comes to size, the harpy eagle is larger than a bald eagle. Is a harpy eagle bigger than a bald eagle? When a harpy eagle hits, its talons can exert hundreds of pounds of pressure at once, often killing its prey instantly. They are among the strongest of any eagle species, giving them the ability to kill and carry prey larger than they are. When they finally see prey, they can reach speeds of 50 mph and snatch large animals right from a tree. Some harpy eagles have been known to perch and wait for up to 23 hours at a time. Once they spot something, they can take off and catch animals (sometimes up to 20 pounds) that live in treetops. Instead, they sit perched in trees, waiting for movement in the canopy. Since a harpy eagle doesn’t have to worry about traveling great distances to find food, it isn’t really a part of its behavior to fly for long periods of time. How far and fast can a harpy eagle fly? Designed for agility, harpy eagles can fly up to 50 mph through dense canopy cover. The drawback is that they aren’t suited for the types of flying that other eagles participate in-notably, incredibly high altitudes and soaring long distances. With the added surface area of a harpy eagle’s wings, quickly turning or taking off is easier. If a bald or golden eagle attempted to maneuver through the canopy, a crash would likely happen. Relative to their size, the harpy eagle has a shorter wingspan, but broader wings, allowing them to be significantly more mobile than other species of eagles would be. Since the primary habitat of harpy eagles is under the canopy of rainforests, they need to be able to quickly maneuver and hunt prey through the twisting and tangled trees. This is actually an advantage that has to do with the habitat that harpy eagles live in. While harpy eagles have large wingspans (sometimes over 7 feet), they aren’t as long as other eagle species. Why do harpy eagles have such large wingspans?Īlthough, harpy Eagles have broad wings, compared to other eagles, their wingspans aren’t so long. They are fearless birds that farmers found threatening to their livestock. Aside from habitat removal from logging and raising cattle, they were killed off in large numbers. As rainforests decline, they are almost extinct in Central America and only have small regions in Panama. Currently, they are under continued threat as logging threatens their habitat, most notably in Central America. The eagles are most common in Brazil, where they can be found in almost every region at some time or another. As such, they are specifically adapted for their habitats and specific flying needs under the canopy. Their preferred habitat is large expanses of forests, and they rarely fly above the canopy or venture into larger, open areas. They live in the jungle and stick to the trees. Harpy eagles generally prefer the rainforests of Central and South America. The Best Nest Boxes Birds Will Actually Use for 2022 They can be up to 3 foot 6 inches in height (head to tail), but their height depends on their sex. Males are significantly smaller, only weighing up to 13 pounds in the wild (about a 35% difference between the sexes). Females can weigh up to 20 pounds, with some captive examples exceeding 22 pounds. This is rather common in most raptor species and allows the males to hunt more easily while the female defends the nest. ![]() They are sexually dimorphic, meaning the females are larger than the males. Harpy eagles are easily some of the largest flying birds in the world. Let’s look and learn: Harpy Eagle Wingspan & Size: How Big Are They? Harpy Eagle Wingspan & Size: How Big Are They? Harpy eagles have short, broad wingspans, up to 7 foot 4 inches. These amazing eagles are worth protecting and learning about. They are rare, even within their range, and are considered threatened by the IUCN. If the coloring wasn’t enough, harpy eagles have a plumed crest that can help to clearly identify them. Covered with slate-gray feathers on top with white feathers underneath, this bird is easily recognizable. Harpy eagles are some of the largest flying birds in the entire world. ![]()
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