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Harpy Eagle

Harpia harpyja

About

The Harpy Eagle is the most powerful raptor in the Americas and among the largest eagles in the world. Females can weigh up to 9 kg with talons as large as a grizzly bear's claws — up to 13 cm long, capable of exerting over 500 psi of crushing force. Named after the harpies of Greek mythology, it hunts monkeys, sloths, and other canopy mammals with devastating speed and agility.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Wingspan

176–224 cm

Length

89–107 cm

Weight

4–9 kg

Ecology

Habitat

Tropical lowland rainforest canopy, up to 900 m elevation

Diet

Tree-dwelling mammals (sloths, monkeys), large birds, iguanas

Distribution

Central and South America — Southern Mexico to Northern Argentina