Birds of prey, also known as raptors, include species like eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, and vultures. These birds have sharp talons and curved beaks that are well-adapted for hunting, killing, and eating other animals.
Raptors come in a huge range of shapes and sizes. The largest species have wingspans of over 10 feet! But which birds of prey are the true giants?
Wingspan and Weight
The two key measurements used to determine a bird’s size are its wingspan (the distance from wingtip to wingtip) and its weight. The largest birds of prey tend to have both long, broad wings and a heavy body mass.
Wingspan is important for flight and hunting. Long, wide wings allow large raptors to soar more efficiently. They also provide more surface area for catching thermal updrafts to help the bird stay aloft.
A heavy body weight correlates with the size of prey the bird can take down. Larger raptor species have more muscular legs and talons for gripping large animals. More body mass also means more power and force for pinning prey.
Heaviest Raptors
The heaviest living bird of prey is the Andean condor. This South American vulture can weigh up to 33 pounds, with a wingspan over 10 feet. Califronia condors, another New World vulture species, can also exceed 26 pounds.
After condors, the harpy eagle and Philippine eagle are considered the world’s heaviest eagles. Harpy eagles weigh 20-27 pounds, while Philippine eagles reach 18 pounds. Both species hunt large tree-dwelling mammals like sloths and monkeys.
The Steller’s sea eagle and white-tailed eagle are also quite massive, sometimes weighing over 20 pounds. Despite their size, these powerful birds can snatch up large fish and water birds.
Longest Wingspans
The Andean condor and California condor also have the longest wingspans of any raptor. As mentioned, their wings can stretch beyond 10 feet from tip to tip.
Other broad-winged birds of prey include several eagle species. The wedge-tailed eagle, golden eagle, martial eagle, and Steller’s sea eagle all have average wingspans of 7-9 feet across.
The cinereous vulture is another huge Old World vulture with wings reaching 8-10 feet. And the impressive harpy eagle from South America can boast a wingspan up to 7 feet wide.
The Top 5 Largest Birds of Prey
Based on their average weight and wingspan measurements, here are the 5 largest living raptor species in the world:
5. White-tailed Eagle
- Weight: 9-15 lbs
- Wingspan: 7.5-8.5 feet
- Range: Europe, Asia, parts of northern Africa
4. Steller’s Sea Eagle
- Weight: 14-20 lbs
- Wingspan: 7-8.2 feet
- Range: Russian Far East, Korea, Japan
3. Harpy Eagle
- Weight: 13-27 lbs
- Wingspan: 6-7 feet
- Range: Central and South America
2. Philippine Eagle
- Weight: 15-18 lbs
- Wingspan: 6.5-7.5 feet
- Range: Philippines
1. Andean Condor
- Weight: 24-33 lbs
- Wingspan: 10-11 feet
- Range: South America
Wingspan and Weight Measurements
This table summarizes the approximate wingspan and weight measurements of the world’s largest birds of prey:
Species | Wingspan | Weight |
---|---|---|
Andean Condor | 10-11 feet | 24-33 lbs |
California Condor | 9-10 feet | 18-26 lbs |
White-tailed Eagle | 7.5-8.5 feet | 9-15 lbs |
Steller’s Sea Eagle | 7-8.2 feet | 14-20 lbs |
Harpy Eagle | 6-7 feet | 13-27 lbs |
Philippine Eagle | 6.5-7.5 feet | 15-18 lbs |
Hunting Adaptations
The largest raptors have evolved incredible adaptations for hunting and taking down large prey. Here are some of their key features:
Powerful Talons
A raptor’s talons are its primary hunting weapons. Large eagles and vultures have enormous feet with razor-sharp claws up to 5 inches long. They use these massive talons to grasp prey firmly.
Strong leg muscles allow the birds to exert high pressure, 500+ pounds per square inch in large species. This deadly grip makes it nearly impossible for prey to escape.
Keen Vision
Birds of prey have some of the best vision in the animal kingdom. Many raptors can spot tiny prey from over a mile away. Eagles, condors, and falcons have two foveae (focal points) per eye for ultra-sharp binocular vision.
Special corneas and densely packed retinal cells give raptors visual acuity up to five times better than human eyesight. These adaptations help them scan the landscape and target prey from far distances.
Fast Flying Speeds
Despite their bulk, large raptors are capable of impressive flight speeds. When diving in attack, the peregrine falcon can reach 200 mph – making it the fastest animal on Earth!
Eagles, hawks, and vultures may not match the peregrine’s stoop speeds, but many can still clock around 100-150 mph in flight. Powerful chest muscles and aerodynamic wings allow them to swiftly chase down prey.
Prey and Hunting Methods
The raptor species with the biggest wingspans and weights often hunt large mammal and bird prey. Here are some examples of their impressive hunting skills:
Harpy Eagles
Harpy eagles use their massive talons to snatch up sloths, monkeys, porcupines, and opossums in the rainforest canopy. They will even try to lift medium-sized deer and pigs into the air!
Steller’s Sea Eagles
These hefty sea eagles patrol shorelines and waterways for fish, seabirds, and waterfowl. They often skim the surface and pluck prey directly from the water with their powerful talons.
Philippine Eagles
Also called the monkey-eating eagle, this giant raptor lives up to its name by preying on monkeys, civets, large bats and reptiles like monitor lizards.
Andean Condors
With their tremendous size and 9-10 ft wingspan, Andean condors can feed on relatively large carcasses. Groups will congregate at large animal carcasses like llamas, alpacas, or cattle.
Habitat and Range
Many of the world’s largest eagles and vultures inhabit mountain ranges and open areas that provide good soaring conditions for their large wingspans. Here are some key habitats:
Mountain Ranges
The Andean condor lives along the Andes mountains of South America. Steller’s sea eagles breed in mountainous habitats across eastern Russia and northeast Asia. The bearded vulture inhabits hills and mountains across southern Europe, Asia and Africa.
Coastlines
White-tailed eagles, Philippine eagles, and Steller’s sea eagles thrive near coasts and large lakes. These areas provide abundant fish and water bird prey. The Madagascar fish eagle also lives in coastal forests and utilizes ocean-derived food.
Tropical Forests
Harpy eagles and Philippine eagles hunt prey in tropical forest canopies. The harpy’s huge talons allow it to snatch arboreal mammals from the treetops. The crowned eagle inhabits African rainforests and preys on small primates.
Grasslands
The African martial eagle patrols open savannahs and grasslands for mammals like hyraxes, hares, and antelope fawns. Tawny eagles and greater spotted eagles forage for small game on the steppes of Europe and Central Asia.
Conservation Status
Some of the mightiest birds of prey face threats due to habitat loss, poaching, and lack of legal protection. Several are endangered species:
Critically Endangered
- Philippine eagle – 500-700 pairs left
- Madagascar fish eagle – 100-400 mature eagles remain
Endangered
- California condor – around 300 individuals in wild
- White-tailed eagle – 4,400-6,700 breeding pairs in wild
Near Threatened or Decreasing
- Steller’s sea eagle
- Bearded vulture
- Harpy eagle
Habitat protection and responsible breeding programs in zoos and wildlife refuges can help ensure the survival of endangered large raptors. Banning harmful pesticides like DDT has also allowed some populations like the California condor to rebound.
Conclusion
The Andean condor claims the titles of heaviest and largest wingspan among birds of prey. Eagles like the harpy eagle and Philippine eagle also rank high in both weight and wingspan metrics.
These magnificent raptors use their large size and specialized adaptations to hunt mammals, birds, fish, and carrion. However, habitat loss and other threats have made many massive eagle and vulture species endangered.
Conservation efforts aimed at protecting these birds’ natural habitats and reducing secondary poisoning will hopefully allow populations to stabilize and recover worldwide. With committed human effort, these regal hunters will continue soaring over mountains and coastlines for centuries to come.