This article talks about my favorite raptors. It includes many HUGE birds that you would not want to come across. There are two special entries - Argentavis and Haast's Eagle - the largest flying birds that ever existed and sadly are now extinct.
Contents :
- Andean condor
- Argentavis
- African crowned eagle
- Bald eagle
- Bearded Vulture
- Blakiston's fish owl
- California condor
- Cinereous Vulture
- Eurasian eagle owl
- Ferruginous hawk
- Golden eagle
- Great grey owl
- Gyrfalcon
- Haast's eagle
- Harpy eagle
- Lappet faced vulture
- Martial eagle
- Pel's fishing owl
- Philippine eagle
- Secretary bird
- Snowy owl
- Steller's sea eagle
- Upland buzzard
- Wedge tailed eagle
- White tailed eagle
Andean Condor :
Scientific Name: Vultur gryphus
Population Status: Near Threatened
Body Length: 39-51 in
Wingspan: 8ft 10in - 10ft 6in
Weight: 11 - 15 kg
The Andean Condor is a species of South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the genus Vultur. Found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America, the Andean Condor has a wingspan of up to 3.2 m/10.5 ft ,the largest for any raptor.
It is a large black vulture with a ruff of white feathers surrounding the base of the neck and, especially in the male, large white patches on the wings. The head and neck are nearly featherless, and are a dull red color, which may flush and therefore change color in response to the bird's emotional state. In the male, there is a wattle on the neck and a large, dark red comb or caruncle on the crown of the head. Unlike most birds of prey, the male is larger than the female.The condor is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carrion. It prefers large carcasses, such as those of deer or cattle. It reaches sexual maturity at five or six years of age and nests at elevations of up to 5,000 m (16,000 ft), generally on inaccessible rock ledges. One or two eggs are usually laid. It is one of the world's longest-living birds, with a lifespan of up to 100 years old in captivity. The Andean Condor is considered near threatened by the IUCN.
Argentavis :
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| Reconstruction of A.magnificens |
Scientific Name: Argentavis magnificens
Population Status: Extinct
Body Length: 4.1 feet
Wingspan: 23 feet
Weight: 70-78 kg
Argentavis magnificens (literally "magnificent argentine bird") is the largest flying bird ever discovered. This bird, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known from three sites from the late Miocene of central and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils have been obtained. The estimate span was 7 – 7.5 m, height ca. 1.5 m and the mass aprox. 72 kg.
African Crowned Eagle :
Scientific Name: Stephanoaetus coronatus
Population Status: Near threatened
Body Length: 31- 39 in
Wingspan: 4ft11in - 5ft11in
Weight: 3.8 kg
The African crowned eagle is one of the deadliest hunters in the African sky, and it likes to make sure all of the nearby creatures clearly understand their power. This bird is typically a dark brown or black with a white undercoat. The wings of this bird are short and rounded for added maneuverability for hunting. When in flight, the wing and tail feathers of this bird have a tannish tip with black bars, giving it a look that distinguishes it from other eagles. This bird is one of the largest birds of prey, between 30 to 40 inches in length, 5 to 6 feet from wingtip to wingtip, and weighs between six to 10 pounds. The females of this species, and most other birds of prey, are typically larger than the males. The large size of this bird, coupled with its adept flying ability, allows it to hunt some of the largest prey for any bird of prey.The diet of the African crowned eagle mainly consists of mammals, particularly hyraxes and antelope.However, when hunting in pairs, these birds are also known to hunt large reptiles, birds, and mammals (including monkeys).
Bald Eagle :
Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Population Status: Least concernBody Length: 28- 40 in
Wingspan: 5.9 - 7.5 ft
Weight: 3 - 6.3 kg
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting.The Bald Eagle is an opportunistic feeder which subsists mainly on fish, which it swoops down and snatches from the water with its talons. It builds the largest nest of any North American bird and the largest tree nests ever recorded for any animal species, up to 4 m (13 ft) deep, 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wide, and 1 metric ton (1.1 short tons) in weight.Sexual maturity is attained at the age of four to five years.The adult is mainly brown with a white head and tail. The beak is large and hooked. The plumage of the immature is brown.The Bald Eagle is both the national bird and national animal of the United States of America.
Bearded Vulture :
Scientific Name: Gypaetus barbatus
Population Status: Least concernBody Length: 37–49 in
Wingspan: 7.6 -9.3 ft
Weight: 4.5 -7.8 kg
The Bearded Vulture , also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey, and the only member of the genus Gypaetus. Although dissimilar, the Egyptian and Bearded Vulture each have a lozenge-shaped tail – unusual among birds of prey. It eats mainly carrion and lives and breeds on crags in high mountains in southern Europe, the Caucasus, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Tibet, laying one or two eggs in mid-winter that hatch at the beginning of spring. Populations are resident.
Blakiston's Fish Owl :
Scientific Name: Bubo blakistoni
Population Status: Endangered
Body Length: 24- 28 in
Wingspan: 63- 74 in
Weight: 3.36 -4.46 kg
Blakiston's Fish Owl, is a fish owl, a sub-group of eagle owls who specialized in hunting riparian areas. Its habitat is riparian forest, with large, old trees for nest-sites, near lakes, rivers, springs and shoals that don't freeze in winter. Blakiston's Fish Owl is the largest living species of owl. The average measurements of Blakiston's Fish Owl surpass the average measurements of Eurasian Eagle owl in the three major categories: weight, length, and wingspan, making Blakiston's the overall largest species of owl. Superficially, this owl somewhat resembles the Eurasian Eagle-Owl but is paler and has relatively broad and ragged ear tufts which hang slightly to the side. The upperparts are buff-brown and heavily streaked with darker brown coloration. The underparts are a paler buffish-brown and less heavily streaked. The throat is white. The iris is yellow (whereas the Eurasian Eagle-Owl typically has an orange iris). The Eurasian Eagle-Owl and Blakiston's Fish Owl both occur in the Russian Far East.
California Condor :
Scientific Name: Gymnogyps californianus
Population Status: Critically Endangered
Body Length: 43- 55 in
Wingspan: 8.2- 9.8 ft
Weight: 7- 14.1 kg
The California Condor is a New World vulture, the largest North American land bird. This condor became extinct in the wild in 1987 but has been reintroduced to northern Arizona and southern Utah , coastal mountains of central and southern California, and northern Baja California. The plumage is black with patches of white on the underside of the wings and the head is largely bald, with skin color ranging from gray on young birds to yellow and bright orange on breeding adults. Its huge 3.0 m (9.8 ft) wingspan is the largest of any North American bird, and its weight of up to 12 kg (26 lb) makes it nearly equal the Trumpeter Swan, the largest among native North American bird species. The condor is a scavenger and eats large amounts of carrion. It is one of the world's longest-living birds, with a lifespan of up to 60 years.
Cinereous Vulture :
Scientific Name: Aegypius monachus
Population Status: Near Threatened
Body Length: 39- 47 in
Wingspan: 8 ft 2 in–10 ft 2 in
Weight: 7.5- 14 kg
The Cinereous Vulture is a large raptorial bird that is distributed through much of Eurasia. It is also known as the Black Vulture, Monk Vulture, or Eurasian Black Vulture. It is a member of the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers. It is one of the two largest old world vultures. The Cinereous Vulture is a Eurasian species. The western limits of its range are in Spain and inland Portugal, with a reintroduced population in south France. They are found discontinuously to Greece, Turkey and throughout the central Middle East. Their range continues through Afghanistan eastwards to northern India to its eastern limits in central Asia, where they breed in northern Manchuria, Mongolia and Korea. The Cinereous Vulture is believed to be the largest true bird of prey in the world. Like all vultures, the Cinerous Vulture eats mostly carrion. The Cinereous Vulture feeds on carrion of almost any type, from the largest mammals available to fish and reptiles.
Eurasian Eagle Owl :
Scientific Name: Gymnogyps californianus
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 22- 30 in
Wingspan: 63–74 in
Weight: 1.75–4.2 kg
The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is a species of eagle owl resident in much of Eurasia. It is one of the largest species of owls.The great size, bulky, barrel-shaped build, ear tufts and orange eyes make this a distinctive species. The ear tufts of males are more upright than those of females. The plumage coloration, across 13 accepted subspecies, however can be somewhat variable. The upperparts may brown-black to tawny-buff to pale creamy gray, typically showing as dense freckling on the forehead and crown, stripes on the nape, sides and back of the neck, and dark splotches on the pale ground colour of the back, mantle and scapulars. A narrow buff band, freckled with brown or buff, often runs up from the base of the bill, above the inner part of the eye and along the inner edge of the black-brown ear tufts. Eagle Owls are distributed sparsely through rocky areas but can potentially inhabit a wide range of habitats.This eagle owl mainly feeds on small mammals in the 200–2,000 g weight range, such as voles, rats, mice, rabbits and hares.
Ferruginous Hawk :
Scientific Name: Buteo regalis
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 20- 27 in
Wingspan: 48- 60 in
Weight: 0.9– 2.3 kg
The Ferruginous Hawk ,is a large bird of prey and belongs to the broad-winged buteo hawks. This species is a large, broad-winged hawk of the open, arid grasslands, prairie and shrub steppe country; it is endemic to the interior parts of North America. It is used as a falconry bird in its native range.Adults have long broad wings and a broad gray, rusty, or white tail. The legs are feathered to the talons, like the Rough-legged Hawk. Light morph birds are rusty brown on the upper parts and pale on the head, neck, and underparts with rust on the legs and some rust marking on the underwing. Dark-morph birds are dark brown on both upperparts and underparts with light areas on the upper and lower wings.The preferred habitat for Ferruginous Hawks are the arid and semiarid grassland regions of North America.The Ferruginous Hawk primarily hunts small to medium-sized mammals but will also take birds, reptiles, and some insects.
Golden Eagle :
Scientific Name: Aquila chrysaetos
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 26- 40 in
Wingspan: 5ft 11in- 7ft 8in
Weight: 5.1 kg(avg.)
The Golden Eagle is one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes. Golden Eagles use their agility and speed combined with extremely powerful feet and massive, sharp talons to snatch up a variety of prey (mainly hares, rabbits, marmots and other ground squirrels).Golden Eagles maintain home ranges or territories that may be as large as 200 km2 (77 sq mi). They build large nests in high places (mainly cliffs) to which they may return for several breeding years.
Great Grey Owl :
Scientific Name: Strix nebulosa
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 24- 33 in
Wingspan: 56 in
Weight: 0.58- 1.9 kg
The Great Grey Owl or Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) is a very large owl, distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Adults have a big, rounded head with a grey face and yellow eyes with darker circles around them. The underparts are light with dark streaks; the upper parts are grey with pale bars. This owl does not have ear tufts and has the largest facial disc of any raptor.Much of its size is deceptive, since this species' fluffy feathers, large head and the longest tail of any extant owl obscure a body lighter than that of most other large owls.Great Grey Owls rely almost fully upon small rodents, with voles being their most important food source. Locally, alternative prey animals (usually comprising less than 20% of prey intake) include hares, moles, shrews, weasels, thrushes, grouse, Grey Jays, small hawks and ducks.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), sometimes known as the Eaglehawk (a slight misnomer, as it is among the largest raptors) in its native range, is the largest bird of prey in Australia, and is also found in southern New Guinea. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. Because of both its tail and its size—it is one of the largest birds of prey in the world—it can be identified at a glance as a "Wedgie" even by the non-expert.Wedge-tails are found throughout Australia, including Tasmania, and southern New Guinea.
Gyrfalcon :
Scientific Name: Falco rusticolus
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 20- 26 in
Wingspan: 49 - 64 in
Weight: 1.2 - 2.1 kg
The Gyrfalcon is the largest of the falcon species. The Gyrfalcon breeds on Arctic coasts and the islands of North America, Europe, and Asia. Individual vagrancy can take birds for long distances. The Gyrfalcon is dispersed throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere, with populations in Northern America, Greenland, and Northern Europe. Its plumage varies with location, with birds being coloured from all-white to dark brown. For centuries, gyrfalcon has been a precious hunting bird, highly valued among the Vikings. It is the national symbol of Iceland. Avian prey can range in size from redpolls to geese and can include gulls, corvids, smaller passerines, waders, and other raptors (up to the size of Buteos). Mammalian prey can range in size from shrews to marmots (sometimes thrice the weight of the assaulting falcon), and often includes lemmings, voles, ground squirrels, and hares.
Haast's Eagle :
Scientific Name: Harpagornis moorei
Population Status: Extinct
Body Length: 50 - 55 in
Wingspan: 8.5- 9.8 ft
Weight: 10 -15 kg
Haast's Eagle is an extinct species of eagle that once lived on the South Island of New Zealand, commonly accepted to be the Pouakai of Maori legend. The species was the largest eagle known to have existed. Haast's Eagles preyed on large, flightless bird species, including the moa, which was up to fifteen times the weight of the eagle. It is estimated to have attacked at speeds up to 80 km/h (50 mph), often seizing its prey's pelvis with the talons of one foot and killing with a blow to the head or neck with the other. This eagle's massive size may have been an evolutionary response to the size of its prey, as both would have been much smaller when they first came to the island, and would have grown larger over time due to lack of competition. Haast's Eagle became extinct around the year 1400, when its major food source, the moa, were hunted to virtual extinction by Maori, and much of its dense-forest habitat was cleared.
Harpy Eagle :
Scientific Name: Harpia harpyja
Population Status: Near Threatened
Body Length: 34 -42 in
Wingspan: 5 ft 9 in- 7 ft 4 in
Weight: 6- 9 kg
The Harpy Eagle is a Neotropical species of eagle. It is the largest and most powerful raptor found in the Americas, and among the largest extant species of eagles in the world. It usually inhabits tropical lowland rainforests in the upper (emergent) canopy layer. Destruction of its natural habitat has seen it vanish from many parts of its former range, and it is nearly extirpated in Central America. The upper side of the Harpy Eagle is covered with slate black feathers, and the underside is mostly white, except for the feathered tarsi, which are striped black. There is a broad black band across the upper breast, separating the gray head from the white belly. The head is pale grey, and is crowned with a double crest. Rare throughout its range, the Harpy Eagle is found from Mexico (almost extinct), through Central America and into South America to as far south as Argentina. Its main prey are tree-dwelling mammals and a majority of the diet has been shown to focus on sloths and monkeys.
Lappet faced Vulture :
Scientific Name: Torgos tracheliotos
Population Status: Vulnerable
Body Length: 37–45 in
Wingspan: 8.2–9.5 ft
Weight: 4.4 to 9.4 kg
The Lappet-faced Vulture is a mostly African Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is not closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures, and does not share the good sense of smell of some members of that group. This species is patchily distributed through much of Africa, though it is absent from much of the central and western parts of the continent and declining elsewhere in its range. Lappet-faced Vulture is blackish above with a strongly contrasting white thigh feathers. The black feathers on the back of African vultures are lined with brown, while Arabian birds are dark brown rather than black above. The underside can range from pure white to buff-brown. Like many vultures, it has a bald head.The Lappet-faced Vulture is a scavenging bird, feeding mostly from animal carcasses, which it finds by sight or by watching other vultures. Big game animals, up to the size of elephants, are preferred as carrion, since they provide the most subsistence at a sitting.
Martial Eagle :
Scientific Name: Polemaetus bellicosus
Population Status: Vulnerable
Body Length: 31–38 in
Wingspan: 6 ft 2 in–8 ft 6 in
Weight: 3–6.2 kg
The Martial Eagle is a large eagle found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa.The adult's plumage consists of dark grey-brown coloration on the upperparts, head and upper chest, with slightly lighter edging to these feathers. The body underparts are white with blackish-brown spotting. The underwing coverts are brown, with pale flight feathers being streaked with black.The Martial Eagle can be found in most of sub-Saharan Africa, wherever food is abundant and the environment favourable. The Martial Eagle is one of the world's most powerful avian predators and, among African raptors, only the Crowned Eagle is comparable in predatory dominance. The diet of the Martial Eagle varies greatly with prey availability and can be dictated largely by opportunity.
Pel's Fishing Owl :
Scientific Name: Scotopelia peli
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 20–25 in
Wingspan: 5 ft
Weight: 2–2.35 kg
The Pel's Fishing Owl (Scotopelia peli) is a large species of owl in the Strigidae family. It feeds nocturnally on fish and frogs snatched from the surface of lakes and rivers. The species prefers slow moving rivers with large overhanging trees to roost and forage from.[2] It nests in hollows and the forks of large trees. Though two eggs are laid, only one chick is raised. It is found throughout a large part of sub-Saharan Africa, but it is generally rather local, uncommon and absent from drier regions. The main prey of Pel's Fishing Owl is, of course, fish. They can take fish weighing at least 2 kg (4.4 lb) but a majority of fish caught are much smaller, regularly weighing 100–200 g.
Philippine Eagle :
Scientific Name: Pithecophaga jefferyi
Population Status: Critically Endangered
Body Length: 2.82 to 3.35 ft
Wingspan: 6 ft 0 in to 7 ft 3 in
Weight: 4.7 to 8 kg
The Philippine Eagle , also known as the Monkey-eating Eagle, is an eagle of the family Accipitridae endemic to forests in the Philippines. It has brown and white-coloured plumage, and a shaggy crest .It is considered the largest of the extant eagles in the world in terms of length, with the Steller's Sea Eagle and the Harpy Eagle being larger in terms of weight and bulk. Among the rarest and most powerful birds in the world, it has been declared the Philippine national bird. It is critically endangered, mainly due to massive loss of habitat due to deforestation in most of its range. Killing a Philippine Eagle is punishable under Philippine law by 12 years in jail and heavy fines .The Philippine Eagle's nape is adorned with long, brown feathers that form a shaggy crest. These feathers give it the appearance of possessing a lion's mane, which in turn resembles the mythical griffin. The eagle has a dark face and a creamy-brown nape and crown.The tree squirrel-sized Philippine flying lemurs, are the preferred prey in Mindanao .The primary prey for the eagles seen in Luzon are monkeys, birds, flying foxes, giant cloud-rats which can weigh twice as much as flying lemurs at 2 to 2.5 kg (4.4 to 5.5 lb and reptiles .
Secretary Bird :
Scientific Name: Sagittarius serpentarius
Population Status: Vulnerable
Body Length: 44 to 60 in
Wingspan: 75–87 in
Weight: 2.3- 4.5 kg
The Secretarybird or Secretary Bird is a very large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of the sub-Saharan region. It appears on the coats of arms of Sudan and South Africa .The Secretarybird is instantly recognizable as having an eagle-like body on crane-like legs which increases the bird’s height to as much as 1.3 m (4 ft) tall. This bird has an eagle-like head with a hooked bill, but has rounded wings. Prey may consist of insects, mammals ranging in size from mice to hares and mongoose, crabs, lizards, snakes, tortoises, young birds, bird eggs, and sometimes dead animals killed in grass or bush fires.
Snowy Owl :
Scientific Name: Bubo scandiacus
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 20–28 in
Wingspan: 49–59 in
Weight: 1.6 to 3 kg
The Snowy Owl is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. This yellow-eyed, black-beaked white bird is easily recognizable. It is one of the largest species of owl and, in North America, is on average the heaviest owl species. The adult male is virtually pure white, but females and young birds have some dark scalloping; the young are heavily barred, and dark spotting may even predominate. Its thick plumage, heavily feathered taloned feet, and colouration render the Snowy Owl well-adapted for life north of the Arctic Circle.Snowy Owls nest in the Arctic tundra of the northernmost stretches of Alaska, Canada, and Eurasia. They feed on a wide variety of small mammals such as meadow voles and deer mice, but will take advantage of larger prey, frequently following traplines to find food.
Steller's Sea Eagle :
Scientific Name: Haliaeetus pelagicus
Population Status: Vulnerable
Body Length: 33 to 41 in
Wingspan: 6.4 to 8.2 ft
Weight: 6.8 to 9 kg
The Steller's Sea Eagle is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It lives in coastal northeastern Asia and mainly preys on fish and water birds. Steller's Sea-eagle is the biggest bird in the genus Haliaeetus and is one of the largest raptors overall. The Steller's Sea Eagle is dark brown to black over the majority of its body, with strongly contrasting white on the lesser and median upper-wing coverts, underwing coverts, thighs, under-tail coverts and tail. Steller's Sea Eagle breeds on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the coastal area around the Sea of Okhotsk, the lower reaches of the Amur river and on northern Sakhalin and the Shantar Islands, Russia. The Steller's Sea-eagle mainly feeds on fish. Their favored prey in river habitats are salmon and trout.
Upland Buzzard :
Scientific Name: Buteo hemilasius
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 23–26 in
Wingspan: 57–64 in
Weight: 1.3 kg
The Upland Buzzard is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. This is the largest buzzard, though it is equaled in size by the North American Ferruginous Hawk. Pale morph has lightly marked whitish head, nape and underparts with large brown spots irregularly distributed in upper breast and abdomen. Flanks and sides of the belly dark, tail with greyish centre and dark sides, tail bands prominently dark, with heavier sub-terminal band. Tarsi is fully (or at least three-quarters) feathered brown. Dark morph bird has the upper parts, lower body and wing coverts solid dark, with the flight feather pattern similar to pale morph.It is found in Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Wedge Tailed Eagle :
Scientific Name: Aquila audax
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 32 and 42 in
Wingspan: 6 ft 0 in and 7 ft 7 in
Weight: 3 -5.77 kg
The Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), sometimes known as the Eaglehawk (a slight misnomer, as it is among the largest raptors) in its native range, is the largest bird of prey in Australia, and is also found in southern New Guinea. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. Because of both its tail and its size—it is one of the largest birds of prey in the world—it can be identified at a glance as a "Wedgie" even by the non-expert.Wedge-tails are found throughout Australia, including Tasmania, and southern New Guinea.
White Tailed Eagle :
Scientific Name: Haliaeetus albicilla
Population Status: Least Concern
Body Length: 26–37 in
Wingspan: 5.8–8.0 ft
Weight: 4–6.9 kg
The White-tailed Eagle also called the Sea Eagle, Erne and White-tailed Sea-eagle — is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers. It is considered a close cousin of the Bald Eagle and occupies the same ecological niche, but in Eurasia. This species has broad "barn door" wings, a large head and a large thick beak. The adult is mainly grayish-brown except for the slightly paler head and neck, blackish flight feathers, and distinctive white tail. All bare parts are yellow in color, including both the bill and the legs. The White-tailed Eagle's diet is varied, opportunistic and seasonal. Prey specimens can often include fish, birds and mammals.
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