Last Updated on March 12, 2024 by themubbi63
The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) is one of the largest birds of prey in the Americas. In fact, it’s probably the largest eagle in the world now, at least as far as weight is concerned. Nowadays, it is mostly found in Brazil and some other parts of South America and has been extirpated from Central America altogether. Named after the spirits from Greek mythology, the harpy eagle is actually a very silent bird and doesn’t call ofen. It happens to be the national bird of Panama.
Harpy Eagle Height
So how big do these very big eagles get exactly? They get pretty tall actually. If you measured a harpy eagle standing up, it might range from 86.5 to 107 cm (2 feet 10 inches – 3 feet 6 inches).
This length is the measure of the eagle’s height from the top of its head to the talons. The wingspan, of course, is much larger and usually crosses 6 feet. A male and a female harpy eagle usually can’t be differentiated by height or wingspan. However, where weight is concerned, females tend to be heavier than the males.
| Animal | Inches | Centimeters |
| Harpy Eagle | 2 feet 10 inches – 3 feet 6 inches | 86.5 – 107 |
Harpy Eagle Weight
Like many big birds of prey, the female harpy eagles tend to be larger than the male ones. In fact, female harpy eagles who weigh between 13 and 20 lb (5.9 – 9.1 kg) might just be the heaviest eagles in the world. However, males are typically smaller, weighing between 9 and 11 pounds (4.1 – 4.9 kg).
This last fact is why the Steller’s sea eagle beats the harpy eagle for biggest eagle in the world. The average size of a Steller’s sea eagle is larger than that of the average harpy eagle.
| Animal | Pounds | Kilograms |
| Males | 9 – 11 | 4.1 – 4.9 |
| Females | 13 – 20 | 5.9 – 9.1 |
Harpy Eagle Wingspan and Talon Size
Harpy eagles have truly impressive wingspans. After all, their bodies can be pretty bulky and they’d need powerful wings to support them high up in the air. The average wingspan of a harpy eagle can easily clear 6 feet or 182 cm from tip to tip.
The wingspan of a harpy eagle ranges from 5 feet 9 inches or 176 cm to 7 feet 4 inches or 224 cm. However, the latter is an exception. Most harpy eagles would have a wingspan of about 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm).
The talons of the harpy eagle is also quite magnificent with males having talons of around 3.4 inches (8.6 cm) and females of around 4.8 inches (12.3 cm).
Harpy Eagle Hatchling Size
Given its truly wondrous size, it’s perhaps strange to think about how small and helpless baby harpy eagles are. Most hatchlings only measure 4 – 5 inches (10 – 13 cm) at the time of birth.
They also don’t weigh more than a few ounces. A baby harpy eagle would probably range between 3.7 and 4.1 oz (105 – 115 grams). They begin to put on more weight quickly and are quite big at just two months of age.
However, it takes them till their fourth year to develop a fully adult plumage and leave their parents for new territories of their own.
Harpy Eagle Clutch Size
Harpy eagles, like many other birds, mate for life. One harpy eagle clutch has two eggs. But the parents don’t actually raise two hatchlings at once. No, a pair usually only raises one baby every few years and the second egg is ignored. This results in the second egg never hatching in the first place.
Harpy eagles also build absolutely enormous nests. They can measure 4.9 feet (1.5 m) in diameter and be 3.9 feet (1.2 m) deep. They use this over several years and may add to it with time.
Harpy Eagle Size Comparison to Humans
Harpy eagles are some of the tallest birds of prey around. This would mean that when standing next to an average sized human, they’d probably be waist high.
An average human being is around 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall while the average harpy eagle is around 3 feet (91 cm) tall. The 6 and a half foot (198 cm) wingspan of the average harpy eagle would, of course, outstrip all but the tallest men.
Harpy Eagle Vs Bald Eagle Size Comparison
Both fall under the category of five biggest eagles in the world. While the harpy eagle is definitely bigger than the bald eagle where height and weight matter, the wingspan of the bald eagle might be more.
The American bald eagle has a wingspan of about 180 – 230 cm while the harpy eagle has a wingspan of 176 -224 cm. It’s a close one but the bald eagle wins this one. The height of a bald eagle is about 71 – 96 cm as compared to the harpy eagle’s 86.5 – 107 cm. There are some much bigger females but they’re outliers who don’t really affect the average that much. In weight too, the harpy eagle easily defeats the bald eagle.
| Animal | Height | Weight | Wingspan |
| Harpy Eagle | 86.5 – 107 cm (2.8 – 3.5 feet) | 4 – 9 kg (9 – 20 lb) | 176 – 224 cm (5.7 – 7.3 feet) |
| Bald Eagle | 71 – 96 cm (2.3 – 3.1 feet) | 3 – 6 kg (7 – 14 lb) | 180 – 230 cm (5.9 – 7.5 feet) |
Harpy Eagle Vs Steller’s Sea Eagle Size Comparison
If there is any eagle that gives the harpy eagle a run for its money, it’s the equally big and weighty steller’s sea eagle. With a mighty wingspan and tall stature, it’s probably a neck and neck competition. It’s found around coastal northeastern Asia.
The steller’s sea eagle has a wingspan of 8 feet (244 cm) which easily overshadows the 5.7 – 7.3 feet (176 – 224 cm) feet wingspan of the harpy eagle. The steller’s sea eagle weighs around 11 – 20 lb or 5 – 9 kg. This, along with its height of 2.8 – 3.4 feet (86 – 104 cm) puts the two bigs in more or less the same realm.
| Animal | Height | Weight | Wingspan |
| Harpy Eagle | 86.5 – 107 cm (2.8 – 3.5 feet) | 4 – 9 kg (9 – 20 lb) | 176 – 224 cm (5.7 – 7.3 feet) |
| Golden Eagle | 86 – 104 cm (2.8 – 3.4 feet) | 5 – 9 kg (11 – 20 lb) | 244 cm (8 feet) |
Conclusion
And that is all that you need to know about the size of a harpy eagle. I hope this article was useful and that you took something valuable from it.