How Big Are Harpy Eagles? (Wingspan + Size)

Eagles are one of the behemoths of the bird world, ruling the skies in their territories.

There are about 60 species of eagles in the world, and they live in nearly every environment, from high mountains to coastlines and lowland deserts. The harpy eagle is one of the largest, most impressive and powerful eagles in the world.

Here we answer the question in detail: How big is the harpy eagle?

The harpy eagle is the third heaviest eagle in the world and the second largest in length. With over 4 inches of talons, the largest of any eagle, these mammoth birds can lift their own body weight. This allows the harpy eagle to prey on spider monkeys, howler monkeys and sloths weighing up to 9kg.

The harpy is uncommon and is found in most of South America north of northern Argentina and all the way to Mexico, but is absent from much of western South America.

This ferocious hunter’s primary prey were tree-dwelling mammals such as monkeys and sloths, and it evolved remarkably well to catch them.

Read on to find out just how long the harpy eagle is, as well as many other interesting facts about this giant bird!

Harpy eagles are huge birds

Harpy Hawk Size and Weight

The harpy is roughly the third largest eagle in the world, which makes them one of the largest birds in the world.

Female harpy hawks are much larger than males, weighing about 6 to 9 kilograms (13 to 20 pounds). A remarkable female weighs 12.3 kg (27 lbs)! The male weighs about 4.4 to 4.8 kg (9.7 to 10.6 lb), which makes him over 35 percent smaller than the female.

In terms of length, harpy eagles measure about 86.5 to 107 cm (2 ft 10 in to 3 ft 6 in), making them the second longest hawks in the world. That’s pretty insignificant, though, since the largest eagles are all about the same size.

With their distinctive crown and flat, broad face, harpies appear somewhat humanoid from a distance. They’ve even been described as looking like “people in bird costumes” and may be responsible for many mysterious sightings.

Harpy eagle perched on a branch in the Brazilian rainforest

Eagle Wingspan

Harpy eagles have a wingspan of about 176 to 224 cm (5.9 to 7.4 ft). Likewise, females have larger wingspans than males. The harpy has a shorter wingspan than the Steller, Golden, and White-tailed Eagles because the harpy tends to be closer to the tree canopy and does not need to soar to the same heights as other eagles.

Harpy Talon

The harpies have huge claws. Female harpies have feet about the size of a human hand, with claws about 3 to 5 inches (7.62 to 12.7 cm) long. It’s about the same as a Kodiak bear!

These massive claws exert a force of around 55psi – or over 50kg of crushing force – on the victim. This easily penetrates the bones and flesh of most land animals.

Harpy eagle’s big claws

How big are harpy eagles compared to humans?

There is no doubt that horned eagles are huge birds. They are larger than golden eagles and bald eagles – the largest eagles in the Americas. Additionally, harpy eagles have thick, fluffy feathers and a large, flattened face, which makes them appear larger.

The female eagle’s legs are also very thick – about as thick as a human wrist.

This makes them appear larger – so large that they are sometimes described as looking like “a man in a bird suit”!

The harpy’s wingspan ranges from 176 to 224 cm (5.9 to 7.4 ft)—almost certainly larger than most humans are tall. A harpy in flight is a rare and spectacular sight, sure to come as a shock to anyone who hasn’t seen this gigantic bird in person.

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) in Ecuador, South America

How big an animal can a harpy grab?

Harpy eagles are very strong, with huge and powerful talons. Their main prey are arboreal animals, including sloths, howler monkeys and spider monkeys, which can weigh up to 9 to 10 kilograms.

A large female harpy eagle can capture, kill and transport a large monkey weighing up to 10kg. The harpy eagle has the highest carrying capacity compared to the Philippine eagle, golden eagle and crested eagle. The harpy eagle holds the Guinness World Record for the strongest bird of prey.

Few birds hunt such large prey, but other eagles have been observed hunting deer. Even so, the fact that the Harpy eagle can reliably target monkeys shows just how powerful this bird is, since monkeys are not easy prey either!

Harpy eagle bathing in Brazil

Why are harpy eagles so big?

Harpy eagles live in the lowland rainforests of Central and South America – an area that is home to many medium to large land mammals such as monkeys and tigers.

These are ideal prey for the large, tree-dwelling hawks, which the harpy eagle has evolved to take advantage of.

All eagles are big because they are apex predators – carnivores at the top of the food chain. Harpy eagles have no natural predators in the wild and have evolved to be agile and strong in order to hunt their preferred meaty prey.

While all hawks are carnivores, hunting primarily meat, the harpy eagle hunts particularly large prey, such as monkeys. Monkeys are smart, quick and strong – they are not easy to catch. That’s why harpy eagles have evolved the largest claws of any land animal—they’re almost as big as grizzly bears.

Harpy perched on a branch

Eagle eagle compared to other birds

Horned eagles are some of the largest eagles. In fact, by some measures, female harpy eagles may be the largest of all hawks, despite being very closely related to the Steller’s sea eagle and the Philippine eagle.

Among birds of prey, all eagles come after the vulture, which is much larger in every respect. The wingspan of the Andean condor is almost 1 meter longer than that of the harpy!

There is no doubt that the harpy eagle is a huge bird, but at least as tall as a child.

Their claws are the size of a human hand and as long as a grizzly bear. Harpy vultures are covered in dense down, with a distinctive crest and broad, flattened heads that make them appear very large.

Harpy eagles are often called the most powerful; birds of prey because of their ability to hunt monkeys. In contrast, despite their large size, the Andean condor feeds primarily on carrion. Few birds can kill such large prey as the harpy.

Harpies walking on the ground

Harpy Eagle Size FAQ

Is the harpy eagle the largest eagle in the world?

It’s hard to really name the world’s largest eagle. The heaviest harpy on record weighed 12.3 kg (27 lb), while the largest, the Steller’s sea eagle, weighed 12.7 kg (28 lb). The harpy is very large due to its thick plumage, huge talons and distinctive crest. They are definitely the biggest eagles in the world!

Can harpy eagles catch people?

Harpy eagles cannot pick up humans, but they can pick up babies. The average weight of a 1-year-old child is about 9 to 10 kg, which is about the maximum a harpy eagle can carry.

That’s about the same weight as a sloth or spider monkey. However, if a harpy hawk accurately aimed at the skull, it could kill an adult human — their talons have enough crushing force to crush a human skull.