Baby pictures of Pag-asa, the first Philippine eagle born and bred in captivity.
His hatching on January 15, 1992 was a culmination of over a decade of research by the Philippine Eagle Foundation. He was named the Tagalog word for “hope” as a symbol for the survival of his critically endangered species.
Harpy Eagle. These South American birds of prey can grow up to 42 inches long, with a wingspan of 7.5 feet. Harpy Eagles weigh up to 20 pounds, with rear talons about 3-4 inches long.
Harpy eagles mate for life & have a lifespan of 25-35 years.
The harpy eagle is legendary, although few people have seen one in their native habitat. These great birds are named after harpies, the predatory “frightful, flying creatures with hooked beak and claws” of Greek mythology. This dark gray bird of prey has a very distinctive look, with feathers atop its head that fan into a bold crest when the bird feels threatened. Some smaller gray feathers create a facial disk that may focus sound waves to improve the bird’s hearing, similar to owls.
Like most eagles, the female “harpy” is almost twice as large as the male. The harpy eagle's legs can be as thick as a small child's wrist, and its curved, back talons are larger than grizzly bear claws at 5 inches (13 centimeters) long! The harpy may not be the largest bird of prey (that title belongs to the Andean condor), but this extraordinary creature is definitely the heaviest and most powerful of birds.
Harpy eagle with red howler monkey prey. The largest living forest dwelling eagle, they are like the jaguars of the canopy.
Mark Twain, The Diaries of Adam and Eve // Hozier, From Eden // Angela Carter, The Bloody Chamber // Frank Bidart, The War of Vaslav Nijinsky // Eagles, The Last Resort // Anne Sexton, Words for Dr. Y