Description
Life span: 25- 35 years
One of the biggest and most powerful raptors is the harpy eagle. The harpy eagle’s underside is mostly white with the exception of the black-striped tarsi feathers on the upper side, which is covered in slate-black feathers. A wide black line across the upper breast divides the white belly from the grey head. A double crest crowns the light grey head. The tail has three white stripes at the bottom and three bands of black at the top. The cere and bill are black or nearly black, the irises are grey, brown, or red, and the tarsi and toes are yellow. The plumage of males and females is the same. The tarsus can lengthen to a maximum of 13 cm (5.1 in).
Native Region/Habitat
From Mexico to Central America and into South America, the harpy eagle can be found all the way down to Argentina. They are found in the rainforest’s emergent stratum. The eagle may be found all over Brazil, where it is most prevalent.
Behavior
Two harpy eagles live together in pairs. They hunt throughout the day because they are nocturnal birds. In the canopy or on the ground, they prefer to hunt by themselves. Harpy eagles employ the perch-hunting strategy to scout for prey activity while momentarily poised between quick flights from tree to tree. The eagle dives to get its prey when it spots it. Harpy eagles occasionally “sit and wait” for prey, as is typical of raptors that live in forests; they perch for extended periods of time near an opening, a river, or a salt lick where many mammals congregate to feast on nutrients.
On occasion, they may hunt by flying inside or above the canopy. They have also been seen tail-chasing, which is a frequent predation technique used by hawks that hunt birds. Tail-chasing involves pursuing another bird as it is in flight while scurrying quickly between trees and branches. Voices are used by harpy eagles to communicate with one another.
As a pet/In captivity
Like the majority of carnivorous birds, the harpy eagle is not recommended as a pet. The majority of carnivorous birds in the US are protected by federal law and cannot be kept as pets, especially endangered species.
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