The mythical and magical creatures of our favorite books, television shows, and movies can be incredible. In Harry Potter, we met intelligent centaurs, a three-headed dog, fire-breathing dragons, and adorable pygmy puffs. The Hunger Games tells the tale of a world filled with mockingjays, jabberjays, and tracker jackers. Then Game of Thrones brought deadly manticores, and more dragons (but new kinds!) into our lives. But how often do we actually dare to dream these types of animals exist? ‘No way’ we think, ‘too dangerous’ some worry, but what if there is, in fact, a mythical creature living among us? And no, it’s not a unicorn (sorry).
A New Discovery
In 1758, South American explorers couldn’t believe what they had seen high above the Mexican jungle floor. They guessed, drawing on Greek mythology, they had seen Harpyja (the predatory half-woman, half-bird monster). (1) The fast but silent animal appeared to them like a wind spirit with the body of an eagle. Seeking some type of name for this unknown creature, one explorer chose Vultur harpyja. The name, in some ways, stuck and today, we know this bird as the harpy eagle. (2)
Though Central Americans (primarily in northern Argentina, Mexico, Belize, and Panama) have long known about the Harpy Eagle, the bird is a relatively new discovery in America. First exhibited by the San Diego Zoo in 1940, the harpy drew crowds from across the country. As of 2019, the eagle has still only been successfully bred and displayed in the United States by the Miami and San Diego zoos, making viewing challenging! (1)
What Is A Harpy Eagle?
The harpy eagle is the most powerful and heaviest bird of prey; only exceeded in size by the Andean Condor. Their wingspan can reach up to 6.5 feet (2 meters), making them seem even larger in the air. Like other eagle species, female harpies are twice the size of males. For example, an average female may weigh 14 to 20 pounds, while a male may top the scales at only 12 to 8 pounds. Despite the size difference, harpies mate for life and may spend upwards of thirty years together. (1)
Harpies prefer to live in kapok trees, building their nests anywhere from 90 to 140 feet (27 to 43 meters) up in the air. These nests are also large, just like the harpy eagle, ranging from four to five feet across! Branches, bones, greens, and animal fur may all go into making the nest comfortable for the harpy eagle. (1)
The Future Of The Species
The physical presence of the harpy eagle is astounding, but the future of this great species hangs in the balance.
To survive, harpy eagles must be able to create their own territory over several square miles of forest. As the forests disappear, these birds have less space to call home. Harpy eagles are also non-migratory, so they struggle to relocate even if there is another nearby jungle. Therefore, ongoing deforestation has placed harpy eagles at a high risk of extinction. Recreational hunting, and the low birth rate of the birds (one eaglet every two years) is also suspected to play into their disappearance in the wild.
If your interested and want to do more for this fascinating, but diminishing species, check out the Peregrine Fund. Since 1989, the Peregrine Fund has been hatching and releasing harpy eagles back into the wild to keep these magnificent birds thriving!
