Although the Harpy Eagle is massive, weighing 17–20 pounds, it is built very differently from many other large raptors. Despite their weight and the enormous size of their legs, feet, and talons, Harpy Eagles actually have a relatively short wingspan compared to birds like the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle. This compact wing structure is an adaptation for navigating and hunting within dense tropical forest canopies rather than soaring in open skies. Because of this, they rely less on gliding and more on powerful, controlled flight through trees. 

Like most eagles, the female Harpy is significantly larger than the male; sometimes nearly twice the size. Their physical strength is most evident in their legs and talons, which are among the largest and most powerful of any eagle. The rear talons can reach 4-5 inches in length, comparable to the claws of a Grizzly Bear, and are capable of exerting tremendous pressure. This allows the Harpy Eagle to be a highly efficient and formidable predator in their environment, often catching (and lifting) prey nearly equal to its own body weight. 

The journey to adulthood for Harpy Eagles is gradual, with juveniles going through four molts before reaching full adult plumage at four years of age.

Harpy Eagles are the National Bird of Panama and are an Ecuadorian symbol of biodiversity (alongside Andean Condors!). However, their wild populations are dwindling due to human activities such as deforestation and pesticide usage. 

The Peregrine Fund, a fellow conservation organization, launched the Harpy Eagle Release Project in 1989, working in collaboration with accredited partners to house these magnificent raptors. As part of this effort, a bonded pair was sent to Zoo Miami, where they hatched a chick in 2025. That chick – now full-grown – resides in The Charity Randall Foundation Eagle Hall at the National Aviary, representing a meaningful step forward in the conservation of one of the world’s most unique birds of prey. She’s the ONLY Harpy Eagle to reside in the United States’ Northeast.

The Steller’s Sea Eagle is a fierce, impressive raptor with chocolate-brown plumage and striking white shoulders and tail. With its deep, strongly arched bill and massive yellow feet, it’s no wonder that the Japanese call this bird O-washi (The Great Eagle). At nearly four-feet in length and an average weight of 13-20 pounds, Steller’s Sea Eagles are one of the largest eagle species in the world, outweighing both the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) and the Philippine Monkey-eating Eagle (Pithocophaga jefferyi), and with a wingspan (up to 6 – 8 feet) second only to its near-cousin the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). Not surprisingly, an adult Steller’s Sea Eagle has no natural predators.

The species is vulnerable to changes in its habitat and food supplies, however. This huge eagle needs an equally huge territory, so the Steller’s population (which is not large) is widespread and particularly sensitive to habitat loss due to climate change. Threats to already declining Pacific Salmon populations translate into potential prey shortages during the all-important breeding season.

Thank You to Steller’s Sea Eagle Habitat Sponsor: