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pazzesco:

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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 range from Mexico to northern Argentina and live in forested areas. Despite their wingspan, which can reach up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) across, harpies fly through their forest home with great agility. For nesting, harpies favor silk-cotton trees (kapok trees) and usually build nests 90 to 140 feet (27 to 43 meters) above the ground. They like to use trees with widely spaced branches for a clear flight path to and from the nest. Harpies use large sticks to create the nest's huge frame and line it with softer greens, seedpods, and animal fur to make it warm and comfortable. A harpy nest measures about 4 feet (1.2 meters) thick and 5 feet (1.5 meters) across, large enough for a person to lie across! Once built, an eagle pair may reuse and remodel the same nest for many years.ALT
The deadly talons of a harpy eagle can exert several hundred pounds of pressure (over 50 kilograms), crushing the bones of its prey and instantly killing its victim. A harpy also feeds on opossums, porcupines, young deer, snakes, and iguanas. Heavier prey is taken to a stump or low branch and partially eaten, since it is too heavy to be carried whole to the nest. Most of the harpy’s food is found in the rainforest canopy and understory instead of on the forest floor. The larger females tend to take sloths and monkeys; the smaller, more agile and faster males tend to take more quantities of smaller food items. This increases the pair's odds of eating on a regular basis.ALT

Harpy eagles mate for life & have a lifespan of 25-35 years.

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☆⌒  #FAVE  


☆⌒  #WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK  


☆⌒  #THIS IS THE AWESOMEST ANIMAL  


☆⌒  #THEIR HUGE POWERFUL TALON CLAWS OH MY GOD  

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  22. pazzesco posted this
    Harpy Eagle. These South American birds of prey can grow up to 42 inches long, with a wingspan of 7.5 feet. Harpy...

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