12/23/2023 0 Comments Harpy eagle wingspanThe final result is a five foot wide and four foot thick nest that is reused for years. Large sticks are used to create a frame while soft mosses, furs, and seedpods to make it comfortable. Harpy eagles usually nest in large trees at high altitudes. This entails the harpy eagle scanning for prey upon branches perches and making quick decisive swoops and killing the prey with talons. The most common hunting technique is called perch hunting. They have even been known to kill larger creatures such as deer and eating them on branches closer to the ground. Large tree dwelling mammals make up the majority of their diet with sloths and monkeys being the largest portion of the harpy eagles diet with giant creatures such as the spider monkey being taken, killed, and brought back to the nest without so much as a break, an amazing feat of strength. Harpy Eagles are carnivores and are the apex predators in their environment as such nothing is above them in their food chain. At the age of four to six, the eagle will be sexually mature and ready to produce its own children. This continues from six months to a year with the parents slowly weaning the child off of this habit until it is capable of hunting for its own food. This also means that the now capable of flight eaglet will leave the nest, however, it will often return in order to get a free meal from its parents. At five months the chick will develop its coat of feather or fledge. After roughly one month the chick will be able to stand and might even be able to stumble around the nest. After this the male will begin to feed the chick and later in the parental cycle the female will take over that duty. A female will lay two eggs and after fifty six days of incubation one egg will hatch while the slower chick to hatch will be completely ignored and die. Harpy eagles are believed to mate for life and raise a new chick every two to three years. Harpy eagles also possess a double crest that will flatten or rise if the eagle is alarmed or startled. The bird has a jet black back with an all white belly except for a black band across the upper torso that gives way to the grey plumage of the head. Harpy eagles are related closely to both the New Guinea harpy eagle, and the crested eagle, the three species comprising the subfamily of Harpiinae, however, the harpy eagle is the only animal with the genus harpia. Named after the mythological creature the Harpy in Greek mythology this animal is defined by its powerful claws that are stronger than those possessed by a grizzly bear, powerful wings to bear prey its own weight, and a razor sharp beak to tear flesh. The harpy eagle is one of the largest eagles in the world and as such is an apex predator in its environment. This large bird of prey is labeled as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Large tree dwelling mammals predominantly, as well as large birds, and reptiles. Where in the World? Southern Central America and the northern half of South America- Mexico to Argentinaġ76 to 224 cm (5 ft 9 in-7 ft 4 in) wingspan
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