The harpy eagle is a powerful bird of prey and one of the largest in the world. It has huge, strong talons that can compare to a bear’s claws and its legs can be as thick as a human’s wrist. It is the largest and most powerful raptor found in the rainforest,and among the largest extant species of eagles in the world.
image: reddit- u/probably_titus3
It usually inhabits tropical lowland rainforests in the upper canopy layer. With a wingspan of up to 2 meters, it’s a good navigator across Central and South America. The harpy eagle is the national bird of Panama.
source/image: wikipedia
A long tail, broad and rounded wings allow the harpy eagle to navigate the rainforests of South America. Like many forest raptors, its wings are well adapted to the forest canopy and enable it to dodge through branches.
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Harpies are so powerful, they snatch up monkeys and sloths than weigh up to 17 pounds,their rear talons are about 3-4 inches long – and that’s the same size as a grizzly bear’s claws!
The head is pale grey, and is crowned with a double crest. The upper side of the tail is black with three gray bands, while the underside of it is black with three white bands. The iris is gray or brown or red, the cere and bill are black or blackish and the tarsi and toes are yellow. The plumage of males and females are identical. The tarsus is up to 13 cm (5.1 in) long.
