African Fish-eagle vs Harpy Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer compared with Harpia harpyja
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Fish-eagle | Harpy Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliaeetus vocifer | Harpia harpyja |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 109.6 cm (43.1 in) | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) |
| Weight | 2782.0 g (98.13 oz) | 7500.0 g (264.55 oz) |
| Diet | -- | 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
Harpy Eagle
Tropical lowland rainforests, requiring large tracts of continuous forest with tall emergent trees for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
African Fish-eagle
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
African Fish-eagle
Harpy Eagle
Central and South America from southern Mexico through Brazil and northern Argentina. Range is shrinking due to deforestation.
Conservation Status
African Fish-eagle
Harpy Eagle
How to Tell Them Apart
African Fish-eagle
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
African Fish-eagle
The African Fish-eagle is a large raptor weighing about 2.8kg found near lakes and rivers across sub-Saharan Africa. Its loud, far-carrying call and fish-snatching hunting technique are iconic.
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.