Harpy eagles live in forests. The forests are in Central America and South America. A harpy eagle is one of the largest eagles in the world. It is also one of the most powerful. Its wings can spread up to about 2 meters. That is 6.5 feet from tip to tip. A harpy eagle lives about 25 to 35 years.

A female weighs up to about 20 pounds. A female is bigger than her mate. How big are its claws? Its back claws are about as big as a grizzly bear's claws. A back talon is up to about 5 inches long. That is as reported by zoos and a museum.

A harpy eagle has a ring of feathers around its face, like an owl. This ring is called a face disk. Its feathers are thought to help carry sounds. They carry them to its ears. It has sharp eyesight. It uses its eyes to find animals in the trees.

A harpy eagle has relatively short wings. They help it steer between trees in thick forest. It flies between trees and branches with great skill. Harpy eagles eat monkeys and sloths that live in the trees. They also eat opossums and iguanas.

Harpy eagles build nests in some of the tallest trees in the forest. A nest is about 27 to 43 meters above the ground. That is 90 to 140 feet. A nest can be about 5 feet across. A female lays one or two eggs. But usually only one chick grows up.

Words to know

• talon: a bird's claw
• disk: flat round shape
• chick: a baby bird
• opossums: pouched mammals