The name harpy eagle usually refers to the neotropical eagle,
Harpia harpyja (see below for other birds called harpy eagles). It is one of the largest and most powerful living eagles.
Length: 1 m (females are longer than males), wingspan: 2 m, weight: 8
kg (females are heavier than males). Coloration: dark grey overall, ash-grey head, and white belly. Both sexes possess an erectile crest of long feathers. The talons are up to 7 cm long.
This species is an actively hunting carnivore. Its main prey items are
tree-dwelling mammals such as monkeys, coatis, sloths, etc; it may
also attack other bird species.
Alternatively, the term Harpy Eagle may refer to several species
of large to very large tropical forest eagles, including the
above species plus the New Guinea Harpy Eagle (Harpyopsis novaeguineae), the Philippine (Monkey-eating) eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), the Black Solitary Eagle (Harpyhaliaetus solitarius)
and the Crowned Solitary Eagle (Harpyhaliaetus coronatus), and the
Guiana Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis).
