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type Status Habitat

BIRD

THREATENED

SOUTH-AMERICA



The birds live in the rainforests of Central and South America. They prefer large expanses of uninterrupted forest and spend the majority of their time in the forest canopy. They are rarely seen flying over the canopy or in open spaces.

Harpy eagles eat monkeys, sloths, opossums, porcupines, young deer, snakes, and iguanas.




























On the hunt

Harpy eagles are fast, agile flyers. They fly low over the rain forest and use their great talons to snatch up monkeys and sloths that can weigh up to 17 pounds! These birds are patient hunters: a harpy eagle will perch silently for hours in a tree, waiting to drop on unsuspecting prey.

Powerful bird

The legs of a harpy eagle can be as thick as a small child's wrist, and its curved talons are longer than a grizzly bear's claws! It may not be the largest bird of prey (that title belongs to the Andean condor), but it is definitely the heaviest and most powerful of birds.

Threats in woods

You would think that the massive harpy eagle is invincible. But years of hunting, logging, destruction of nesting sites, and poaching have wiped out this bird in many areas.