What Are The Mind Boggling Facts About Harpy Eagles?

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Last Updated on July 3, 2020 by Ephraim Iyodo

One of the most common facts about harpy eagles is that they are the second largest species of Raptor inhabited by the rainforest.

They are powerful predators above other animals in their habitat. However, what else is there to know about these birds? See for yourself with the fact about these harpies.

Mind Boggling Facts About Harpy Eagles

The harpy eagle is a neotropical species of eagle.

They are the rainforest’s largest and most powerful raptor.

Harpy eagles are one of the largest eagle species in the world as well.

They can grow more than 1 meter long and have a wingspan of 7.5 feet.

American harpy eagle and Papuan eagle are the other names of a harpy eagle.

Harpy eagles live in pairs. They are diurnal birds and do their hunting during the day.

Diet And Predatory Ability

Harpy eagles can eat mammals and reptiles.

As the top predators in their food chain, the harpy eagles’ mainly feed on sloths, opossums, and monkeys. Similarly, they would also prey on other available food sources like macaws and iguanas.



Harpy eagles have sharp eyesight.

In fact, its eyesight is up to 8 times better than humans. When they do lock their sight on a potential meal, they cruise below the forest canopy and swoop in to catch their prey.


Female harpies can take on prey weighing more than 6 lbs, while the males would not engae prey over 5 lbs.

An adult female harpy eagle in her prime can grab their targets weighing up to 20 lbs in flight and carry it without landing.

Harpy eagles are opportunistic feeders.

The monkeys, sloths, other small reptiles could be the harpy eagle’s favorite meal, but they can also eat snakes and other smaller species of birds if necessary.

Harpy eagles often prey on bigger species of monkeys such as the saki monkeys, squirrel monkeys, spider monkeys, capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, and titi monkeys.

Interestingly, they would ignore smaller species of monkeys like marmosets and tamarins.

Sometimes, Harpy eagles are “sit-and-wait” predators which is common in forest-dwelling raptors; they perch for long periods on a high point near an opening, a river, or a salt-lick where many mammals go to feed for nutrients.



Harpy eagles use vocalizations in order to communicate with one another. They often produce “uahaaaau…uahaaaau…uahaaaau” while perching or sharp “wheeeee-wheeeee” call when the birds are close to their nest.

Harpy eagles would sometimes interfere in commercial businesses.

On rare occasions, harpy eagles would take and “steal” livestock such as chicken, lamb, goats, and even piglets.





Harpy eagles build their nests on high trees in the main fork for more stability. They love to put their nests on kapok trees since it’s one of the tallest trees and start the construction where at least its 16 to 40 meters high.

Size And Lifespan

From a distance, it’s almost impossible to tell if the harpy eagle is a male or a female because they have an identical appearance aside from their size.

Harpy eagles have the largest talons or claws of any living eagle. With these sharp talons, they can lift prey weighing more than or equal to their body weight.

A full-grown harpy eagle’s talon measures 5 inches long – which is much longer than a grizzly bear’s claw growing 2 to 4 inches only.

The harpy eagle’s legs and talons can apply over 110 pounds of pressure, immediately crushing the bones of its target.

The harpy eagle’s lifespan is 25 years.

All eagles usually live in the wild for around 20-30 years. Compared to most birds, the eagle’s lifespan is much longer.

If the eagles are in captivity, along with proper veterinary care and nutrition, their lifespan can be extended to 70 years.

Mating And Reproduction

The female harpy eagle takes a little while to develop into a fully-grown adult. It only reaches sexual maturity between 4 to 5 years old.

Harpy eagles know “family planning.”

Aside from the fact that harpy eagles are monogamous, they don’t mate until their offspring is independent. As a result, they can only lay eggs every two or three years.

The harpy eagle only lays eggs every 2-3 years.

Although they don’t lay very frequently, they aggressively defend their eggs and young. Both male and female harpy eagles are capable of incubating their eggs.

A harpy eagle’s egg is incubated for around 56 days. When the eaglet reaches 36 days old, it starts walking.

The harpy eaglet develops its feathers at the same time it develops flight at 6 months old. However, its parents will continue to provide food for the young for the next 6 to 10 months.

The harpy eagle couple habitually raises only one chick every 2 to 3 years. As a result, after the first chick hatches, the second egg could be neglected and frequently fails to hatch except if the first egg dies.

Usually, female harpies will lay one or two white eggs in a large stick nest. They build durable nests that measure 1.2 meters deep and 1.5 meters across and it would already last for several years.

Global Population And Ecological Niche



Harpy eagles control the population of mesopredators such as capuchin monkeys which prey extensively on bird’s eggs and which (if not naturally controlled) may cause local extinctions of sensitive species.

Harpy eagles don’t migrate.

Similar to its hunting strategy, harpies stay in one place and establish their territory instead of migrating. This is why deforestation is the harpy eagle’s archenemy.

According to scientists, a healthy population of harpy eagles represents a good ecosystem.

Since they are at the top of the food chain, the increase of their numbers will show and prove that the lower food chain is also healthy.

Threats And Predator Attacks



Although not actually known to prey on humans and only rarely on domestic stock, the species’ large size and nearly fearless behavior around humans reportedly make it an “irresistible target” for hunters.


Although harpy eagles are not endangered species, they are in the list of near-threatened species. In other words, they are in danger of extinction.


Ephraim Iyodo 11 months 0 Answers 1101 views 1

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