Great Horned Owl vs Harpy Eagle
Bubo virginianus compared with Harpia harpyja
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Horned Owl | Harpy Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bubo virginianus | Harpia harpyja |
| Order | Strigiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Strigidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 127.0 cm (50.0 in) | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) |
| Weight | 1400.0 g (49.38 oz) | 7500.0 g (264.55 oz) |
| Diet | Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. … | Arboreal mammals including sloths, monkeys, and opossums, which make up over 70% of the diet. … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 2-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Great Horned Owl
Diverse habitats including forests, deserts, swamps, urban parks, and suburban areas. Nests in tree hollows, cliff ledges, and abandoned nests of other large birds.
Harpy Eagle
Tropical lowland rainforests, requiring large tracts of continuous forest with tall emergent trees for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
Great Horned Owl
Deep, resonant 'who-who-who-who-ooo': the classic 'hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo' territorial duet of a mated pair. Booms at dusk. Female pitch slightly higher than male.
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
Great Horned Owl
North and South America from subarctic Canada to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most widespread owls in the Americas.
Harpy Eagle
Central and South America from southern Mexico through Brazil and northern Argentina. Range is shrinking due to deforestation.
Conservation Status
Great Horned Owl
Harpy Eagle
How to Tell Them Apart
Great Horned Owl
Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.
Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers
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
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most powerful and widespread owl in the Americas, earning the nickname tiger of the sky. It is one of the earliest nesting birds, often laying eggs in January when snow still covers the ground. Great horned owls are fierce predators, regularly taking prey up to three times their own weight.
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.