Harpy Eagle vs Mountain Hawk-eagle

Harpia harpyja compared with Nisaetus nipalensis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Harpy Eagle Mountain Hawk-eagle
Scientific Name Harpia harpyja Nisaetus nipalensis
Order Accipitriformes Accipitriformes
Family Accipitridae Accipitridae
Conservation Status Vulnerable Near Threatened
Length 100.0 cm (39.4 in)
Wingspan 200.0 cm (78.7 in) 84.7 cm (33.3 in)
Weight 7500.0 g (264.55 oz) 2850.0 g (100.53 oz)
Diet Arboreal mammals including sloths, monkeys, and opossums, which make up over 70% of the diet. … --
Clutch Size 2-3 1-2
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
Harpy Eagle 100.0 cm
Mountain Hawk-eagle
Wingspan
Harpy Eagle 200.0 cm
Mountain Hawk-eagle 84.7 cm
Weight
Harpy Eagle 7500.0 g
Mountain Hawk-eagle 2850.0 g

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Harpy Eagle only

None

Mountain Hawk-eagle only

None

Harpy Eagle

Tropical lowland rainforests, requiring large tracts of continuous forest with tall emergent trees for nesting.

Song & Call Comparison

Harpy Eagle

Song

Rarely heard; emits mournful whistled screams 'wheee-oo' and low croaking grunts near the nest. Vocalizations poorly documented given its remote Amazonian habitat.

Mountain Hawk-eagle

Geographic Range & Migration

Harpy Eagle

Central and South America from southern Mexico through Brazil and northern Argentina. Range is shrinking due to deforestation.

Mountain Hawk-eagle

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Harpy Eagle

Near Threatened

Mountain Hawk-eagle

How to Tell Them Apart

Harpy Eagle

Plumage

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.

Bill

Massive dark hooked bill, one of the largest of any eagle

Mountain Hawk-eagle

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.

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