A photo of a harpy eagle has lately gone popular on social media, with many people questioning if it is a real bird, a human dressed up in a costume, or a bizarre monster from a science-fiction film. Honestly, looking at those photographs, it might be any of them. However, it is merely a bird. Actually, it is the world’s biggest bird. Meet the harpy eagle, everyone!
The beautiful bird, also known as the American harpy eagle, is the largest and most powerful raptor found in rainforests. The gigantic bird might weigh anything from 8,5 to 20 pounds and had a wingspan of almost 7 feet. After one Reddit user recently published some images with the uncommon bird, the harpy eagle’s notoriety has expanded on social media. In less than a day, his collection received almost 100,000 upvotes.
Despite its internet notoriety, the species is listed as an endangered species. Being at the top of the food chain, the harpy eagle is a vicious predator. However, due to human intervention, particularly deforestation, their populations have plummeted.
There are less than 50,000 individuals surviving in the wild, with the majority of them residing in Brazilian jungles. It was given the name royal-hawk, which is befitting of its grandeur.