Wildlife
Harpy eagles are some of the world's largest and most powerful birds of prey. The largest eagles of the Americas, they are also mean fliers. They hunt in and around the canopy of Central and South America's rainforests, striking at animals with deadly precision - sloths and monkeys are particular favourites. The unfortunate victims are subdued with large, viscious talons that a grizzly bear would be proud of. Named by early South American explorers after the half-woman/half-eagle monster of Greek mythology, these legendary eagles are seldom seen in the wild.
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Magnificent harpy
Steve Backshall gets a hard-won glimpse of the world's most powerful eagle.
Steve Backshall gets a hard-won glimpse of the world's most powerful eagle.
Eagle attack
A powerful and aggressive harpy eagle mother attacks the film crew.
A powerful and aggressive harpy eagle mother attacks the film crew.
Botfly bother
Natural insecticide in local leaves wards off a deadly fly infestation .
Natural insecticide in local leaves wards off a deadly fly infestation .
Testing times
Nearing starvation, the harpy chick gets a meal just in the nick of time.
Nearing starvation, the harpy chick gets a meal just in the nick of time.
Curious teenager
At a year old, an adolescent harpy eagle is still unusually dependent on his parents.
At a year old, an adolescent harpy eagle is still unusually dependent on his parents.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Harpy eagle can be found in a number of locations including: Amazon Rainforest, South America. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Harpy eagle distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
RainforestDiscover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Near Threatened
Population trend: Decreasing
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a Neotropical species of eagle. It is sometimes known as the American Harpy Eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan Eagle which is sometimes known as the New Guinea Harpy Eagle or Papuan Harpy Eagle. It is the largest and most powerful raptor found in the Americas, and among the largest extant species of eagles in the world. It usually inhabits tropical lowland rainforests in the upper (emergent) canopy layer. Destruction of its natural habitat has seen it vanish from many parts of its former range, and it is nearly extirpated in Central America.
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Helpless young
Ambush predator
Tree dweller
Camouflage
Carnivorous
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Monogamous
Egg layer
Parental investment
Predator
Sexual dimorphism
Territorial