Common Kingfisher vs Harpy Eagle
Alcedo atthis compared with Harpia harpyja
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Kingfisher | Harpy Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Alcedo atthis | Harpia harpyja |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 17.0 cm (6.7 in) | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) |
| Weight | 36.0 g (1.27 oz) | 7500.0 g (264.55 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans. Hunts from a low perch over water, diving headfirst … | Arboreal mammals including sloths, monkeys, and opossums, which make up over 70% of the diet. … |
| Clutch Size | 3-10 | 2-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Common Kingfisher only
Harpy Eagle only
Common Kingfisher
Clear, slow-flowing rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds with suitable perching and nesting banks. Requires clean water with good fish populations.
Harpy Eagle
Tropical lowland rainforests, requiring large tracts of continuous forest with tall emergent trees for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Kingfisher
A sharp, penetrating 'chee' whistle given in flight, often the first indication of its presence. Short, shrill single note as it darts low over rivers. Contact call is a rippling …
Harpy Eagle
Rarely heard; emits mournful whistled screams 'wheee-oo' and low croaking grunts near the nest. Vocalizations poorly documented given its remote Amazonian habitat.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Kingfisher
Widespread across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Harpy Eagle
Central and South America from southern Mexico through Brazil and northern Argentina. Range is shrinking due to deforestation.
Conservation Status
Common Kingfisher
Harpy Eagle
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Kingfisher
Brilliant electric blue upperparts and orange underparts. Blue-green crown with darker barring. White throat patch and cheek spots. A flash of blue in flight.
Long, straight, dagger-like dark bill — orange base on the lower mandible in females
Harpy Eagle
Slate-black upperparts and head with a pale grey breast and white underparts with black barring. A distinctive split grey crest rises when the bird is alarmed.
Massive dark hooked bill, one of the largest of any eagle
About These Birds
Common Kingfisher
The common kingfisher is a dazzling jewel of waterways, its iridescent blue plumage caused by light refraction in the feather structure rather than pigment. These birds inspired the design of the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan — the shape of their bill was copied to reduce sonic booms when trains exit tunnels.
Harpy Eagle
The harpy eagle is among the most powerful raptors in the world, with talons as large as a grizzly bear's claws. It is the national bird of Panama. Deforestation poses the greatest threat to this species, as each breeding pair requires a vast territory of undisturbed forest.