Harpy Eagle vs Wandering Albatross
Harpia harpyja compared with Diomedea exulans
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Harpy Eagle | Wandering Albatross |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Harpia harpyja | Diomedea exulans |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Diomedeidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
| Length | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) | 320.0 cm (126.0 in) |
| Weight | 7500.0 g (264.55 oz) | 9000.0 g (317.47 oz) |
| Diet | Arboreal mammals including sloths, monkeys, and opossums, which make up over 70% of the diet. … | Squid, fish, and crustaceans caught from the ocean surface, often at night. Follows fishing vessels … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Harpy Eagle
Tropical lowland rainforests, requiring large tracts of continuous forest with tall emergent trees for nesting.
Wandering Albatross
Open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere. Breeds on remote sub-Antarctic islands. Spends years at sea between breeding attempts.
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.
Wandering Albatross
At nesting colonies emits a loud braying 'waaah' and guttural grunts. Silent at sea for most of the year. Courtship involves ritualized mutual bill-clapping and moaning calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Harpy Eagle
Central and South America from southern Mexico through Brazil and northern Argentina. Range is shrinking due to deforestation.
Wandering Albatross
Southern Ocean circumpolar, breeding on South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Conservation Status
Harpy Eagle
Wandering Albatross
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
Wandering Albatross
Adults are mostly white with black trailing edges to the wings. Juveniles are chocolate brown, whitening progressively over 5-10 years. Pink bill and pale feet.
Very large pink bill with a hooked tip and visible tubular nostrils
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.
Wandering Albatross
The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to 3.5 meters. These oceanic nomads can circumnavigate the globe, covering over 120,000 km per year using dynamic soaring with minimal wing flapping. Pairs mate for life and may live over 60 years.