The accolade of being the strongest bird of prey belongs to several immense eagles, including the harpy and crested eagles of Central and South America, Africa’s martial eagle, the Philippine eagle and the New Guinea eagle.
The harpy and Philippine eagles both reach a metre or more from meat-cleaver bill to tail tip, with wingspans double that. The fearsome duo’s legs are 3–4cm thick, armed with curved, dagger-like talons; their hind talons are up to 7cm long, comparable to those of a large brown bear.
Across the globe, this group of mighty raptors seize prey close to their own weight, including monkeys, sloths, porcupines, forest wallabies and small antelopes. Since a female harpy eagle weighs as much as 9kg (males are half this), she can pluck a full-grown howler monkey out of a tree.
But stories of eagles carrying away children worldwide are either hoaxes or myths.
Main image: A harpy eagle © Gabrielle Therin-Weise/Getty Images