Harpy Eagle: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Eagles · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. Harpy eagles have the largest talons of any living eagle. They've been recorded carrying prey up to roughly half their own weight.
2. Adult female harpies regularly grab sloths or big monkeys weighing 6 to 9 kg in flight, and fly off without landing.
3. A harpy's stick nest is often 1.2 m deep and 1.5 m wide, and a pair may reuse it for several years.
4. A harpy pair usually raises just one chick every 2 to 3 years. Once the first chick hatches, the second egg is left alone and usually never hatches.
5. Harpy dads help out: the male hunts much of the food, and he also sits on the eggs while the female goes hunting.

The quiz

1. Among living eagles, what does the harpy eagle have the largest of?

• Wings
• Eyes
• Talons (correct)
• Beak

Harpy eagles have the largest talons of any living eagle. They've been recorded carrying prey up to roughly half their own weight.

2. What does an adult female harpy do after grabbing prey in flight?

• Flies off without landing (correct)
• Lands to eat on the ground
• Drops it in the river
• Hands it to the male

Adult female harpies regularly grab sloths or big monkeys weighing 6 to 9 kg in flight, and fly off without landing.

3. How wide is a harpy eagle's nest commonly?

• 0.5 m
• 3 m
• 5 m
• 1.5 m (correct)

The nest is often 1.2 m deep and 1.5 m wide.

4. How often does a harpy pair usually raise a chick?

• Every year
• Every 2-3 years (correct)
• Every 6 months
• Every 10 years

A pair usually raises only one chick every 2 to 3 years.

5. What does the male harpy do while the female forages?

• Leaves the nest empty
• Sleeps on a branch
• Takes an incubating shift (correct)
• Hunts only at night

The male takes a turn sitting on the eggs while the female hunts.

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