This Taloned Giant Is ‘Nature’s Greatest Killing Machine’

Efficiency is much better than strength when it comes to survival in the animal kingdom. However, the most fearsome creatures of them are the ones who have learned to combine the best of both qualities. These are nature’s greatest killing machines! They are thee predators that rank top of the food chain – the hunters that may never be the hunted.

It’s easy to imagine land animals like the tiger and big lions as the ultimate killing machines. However, when we think about birds, we may visualize beautiful and colorful creatures that hover around us with no care. While both theories may be accurate to some degree, there’s more to birds than meet the eye. This article will show you precisely why the harpy eagle is nature’s greatest raptor, not only in name but in action too.

Ready? Let’s get right into it.

Meet Nature’s Most Powerful Raptor – The Harpy Eagle

The world’s Guinness records rate the female harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) as the strongest bird of prey, capable of carrying the biggest animal away. It’s one of the fiercest birds and largest eagles globally, alongside the Steller’s sea eagle and the Philippine eagle.

The harpy eagle is so intimidating that it takes its name after the harpies of Greek and Roman mythology. Harpies were dangerous half-human and half-bird mythical monsters that tortured evildoers as they carried them to hades’ domain.

The national bird of Panama, the harpy eagle, is native to Mexico and Central America and goes all the way south to Argentina. This bird is the most densely populated in Brazil and is one of the deadliest birds. The harpy eagle has close relations with the crested eagle and the New Guinea harpy eagle.

Also called the American harpy eagle or royal hawk, this bird resembles a hawk, and that’s expected since they come from the same family— Accipitridae. With the hawk and eagle being diurnal and having many other similarities, it can be easy to mistake them. 

However, one significant difference between them is their size. The eagle is much bigger and stronger than the hawk, and they also differ in diet, sounds, and wingspan. Harpy eagles have a dark gray upper side, white underside, and ashy-gray heads. Their wings, backs, and breasts are slate-black. The harpy eagle has iconic black-striped white legs and a huge feathered crest that it raises manually when it faces a threat or gets excited.

What Makes The Harpy Eagle So Strong?

As the strongest raptor, the harpy eagle has developed astonishingly powerful features to achieve its rating. These characteristics include:

Super Sharp Talons and Strong Toes 

Talons refer to a bird of prey’s claws, which they use for numerous activities, including catching prey and defending themselves in a fight. It is easy for one to describe the harpy eagle’s talons as “razor-sharp.” As if that’s not enough, the harpy eagle has the largest talons among every living eagle in the world. At about 5 inches long, their talons are so big that you can compare them to a grizzly bear’s claws. You can also compare it to a rottweiler dog’s jaws, as they are strong enough to pull a weight of more than 110 pounds and crush the bones of a kill. Harpy eagles also have extremely strong toes as large as a human toddler’s wrists. With these characteristics, their primary prey (monkeys, sloths, and opossums) are very easy to snatch and kill.

Massive Size 

Harpy eagles are among the largest birds of prey in the world. They can grow as tall as 41 inches and weigh up to 20 pounds, with the females weighing more. They’re much bigger than the bald eagles, typically weighing around 14 pounds.

Increased Sensitivity

Another quality that keeps the harpy eagle at the top of the food chain is its extra-sharp senses. Their eyes are super sensitive, and they can see far distances about eight times more clearly than humans. This makes it easy to study their prey (even small ones) from miles away. Harpy eagles also have a sharp sense of hearing.

Speed and Strategy 

A harpy eagle can fly as fast as 50 miles per hour, and its ability to sneak up on its prey also makes it very dangerous.

The Biggest Threat to the Harpy Eagle

At the top of their food chain, harpy eagles do not appear to be a quick meal for any animal. However, they’re fast becoming rare and are facing extinction due to deforestation and shooting. They’re on the IUCN red list as vulnerable. Some people don’t believe that harpy eagles exist today because they are rarely seen. Unfortunately, hunters kill them for fun, while others destroy their habitat for farming, logging, and construction purposes.

More Harpy Eagle Facts To Know

You’ll be excited to learn these ten fun facts about the harpy eagle:

1.      Harpy eagles build their nests very high, usually at the top of the tallest jungle trees. They also construct their nests so large that they can contain an adult human.

2.      Although they have super eyes and sharp ears, harpy eagles have little or no ability to smell.

3.      Even if harpy eagles are killing machines, they’re not very aggressive towards humans. They are not friendly either.

4.      Harpy eagles can live up to 35 years and reach sexual maturity at ages 4 to 5.

5.      Female harpies tend to feed on larger prey.

6.      The harpy eagle doesn’t migrate. They will typically live and hunt in a place continuously for years.

7.      Harpy eagles carry common diseases, including the West Nile virus, aspergillus, yeast infection, avian pox, and Newcastle disease.

8.      Harpy eagles lay large white eggs every two to three years. This may be because they’re very doting and protective parents who love watching their chicks grow independent.

9.      Harpy eagles are loyal partners and mate for life.

10.  Harpies can go as long as a week without eating anything.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © GeMac/Shutterstock.com