Harpy Eagle vs Japanese White-eye
Harpia harpyja compared with Zosterops japonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Harpy Eagle | Japanese White-eye |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Harpia harpyja | Zosterops japonicus |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Zosteropidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) | 17.0 cm (6.7 in) |
| Weight | 7500.0 g (264.55 oz) | 11.0 g (0.39 oz) |
| Diet | Arboreal mammals including sloths, monkeys, and opossums, which make up over 70% of the diet. … | Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 2-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Harpy Eagle
Tropical lowland rainforests, requiring large tracts of continuous forest with tall emergent trees for nesting.
Japanese White-eye
Broadleaf evergreen forests, gardens, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable and common in East Asian gardens.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Japanese White-eye
Sweet, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee-tsee' whistle and soft melodic warbling. Flocks produce a continuous tinkling chorus. Alarm is a sharper 'tset'. Song is gentle and rhythmic.
Geographic Range & Migration
Harpy Eagle
Central and South America from southern Mexico through Brazil and northern Argentina. Range is shrinking due to deforestation.
Japanese White-eye
East Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.
Conservation Status
Harpy Eagle
Japanese White-eye
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Japanese White-eye
Olive-green upperparts with a bright white eye-ring. Yellow throat and undertail coverts. Greyish-white belly.
Thin, pointed, slightly decurved dark bill
About These Birds
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.
Japanese White-eye
The Japanese white-eye is a familiar garden bird across East Asia, beloved in Japan where it is called mejiro. These sociable birds form flocks outside the breeding season and are important pollinators of plum and cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, introduced populations in Hawaii have become invasive, competing with native honeycreepers.