Home › Aves › Accipitridae › Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)
SPECIES PROFILE
Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)
Harpia
IUCN STATUS
Vulnerable
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Southern Mexico to northern Argentina
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Lowland tropical rainforest
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Accipitriformes
FAMILY
Accipitridae
GENUS
Harpia
📋 Description
SIZE
Wingspan up to 2 m; females up to 9 kg
COLORATION
Grey and white with a black chest band and a striking double crest
ADAPTATIONS
Talons as large as a bear's claws; takes prey from the canopy
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Lowland tropical rainforest
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Southern Mexico to northern Argentina
REPRODUCTION
One chick every 2-3 years
DIET DETAILS
Sloths and monkeys snatched from trees
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Deforestation, shooting
💡 Interesting Facts
1
The most powerful eagle in the Americas, with talons the size of grizzly-bear claws.
2
A single pair needs many square kilometres of intact forest to survive.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Iwokrama Forest
Surama village
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
Year-round
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Visit a known nest tree with a local guide; the Iwokrama and Surama areas are famed for reliable sightings.
