Harpy Eagle Skull BC-043
$155.00

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A harpy is a creature of Greek mythology that was half woman and half winged predator and whose duty was to carry the souls of the dead to their afterlife. Early explorers noted the harpy eagle's resemblance to these fabled feared creatures and named them accordingly. The largest and fiercest of the New World raptors, Harpy Eagles can weigh up to 18 pounds and have a 6.5 to 7-foot wingspan. They use their relatively short, broad wings to maneuver through the vast pristine expanses of uninterrupted forests of Central and South America. They hunt their preferred prey of sloths, large birds, and monkeys from high in the canopy, silently and swiftly plucking their hapless victims from their treetop perches.

Female eagles can be almost twice the size of their male counterparts. She is able to carry half her body weight while flying, so an 8-10 pound monkey makes a convenient package to carry to her nest over 100 feet high. She will use her giant hooked beak to quickly render the toughest carcass into bite-sized morsels to feed to her nestling, which may remain with both its parents for 2-3 years. Harpy eagles are among the most critically endangered birds of prey and are the national bird of Panama.