Meet the apex predator of the rainforest.

By Helen Pilcher

Published: Thursday, 27 April 2023 at 12:00 am

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The harpy eagle is one of the largest and most powerful raptors on Earth. Native to the rainforests of Central and South America, it is named after the harpies of Greek mythology; malevolent wind spirits with the face of a woman and the body of a vulture.

The harpy eagle is an apex predator. Its broad and relatively short wings enable it to fly almost straight up, so it can navigate the understory of the forest, and attack from below as well as above. Monkeys, sloths and opossums beware; the harpy eagle can snatch prey weighing up to 8kg. Its curved black talons, which can grow up to 13cm long, can exert over 50kg of pressure, so it kills its victims by crushing them.

Cloaked in demure shades of grey, the harpy eagle is crowned with a double crest of slate-coloured feathers, which fan out whenever the bird feels threatened. A smaller ring of lighter feathers around the face creates a disc that is thought to help focus soundwaves, while the bird’s eyesight is impeccable: it can spot an object less than 2cm in size from a distance of 200 metres.

The harpy eagle is bold, beautiful, and sadly under threat – its conservation status is classified as ‘vulnerable’ with logging, poaching and habitat destruction largely to blame.