Everyone who has spent any time with me knows how much I love animals.
I think the animals of this world are amazing creatures, each in their own specific way. No matter how large or how small, every one of them has a specific reason and purpose on this planet. I am grateful to all of them for the work they do in keeping the biosphere of Earth well-balanced.
They are all beautiful in this way.
And yet. Every so often, nature gives us a rather odd beast to look at. I mean, as the old saying goes: “Beauty is only skin deep.” True beauty lies within.
Take the harpy eagle, for example.
If you think the platypus is a weird character, wait until you get a load of the harpy.
The harpy eagle, towers over other birds. They can be almost 4 feet tall. And, they have a wingspan of up to 7 feet.
The harpy eagle often gets mistaken for a person in a bird costume. This massive bird features a feathered crest that resembles a hairstyle. It has human-like eyes. And then there are its enormous talons as big as human hands.
If that were not enough, it has a really strange call. When it “speaks” the sound that comes out sounds eerily like human laughter.
They are big and they are powerful too. And they don’t just snack on fruits and vegetables. No way. Harpy eagles are apex predators and their diet consists mainly of sloths, monkeys, and other medium-sized mammals. They are known for their strong talons, which can exert a pressure strong enough to crush bones. I’m not taking Louis to South America; be sure of that.
However, one cool fact about them is that they are monogamous birds, typically nesting high up in tall trees where they raise one or two chicks at a time. They live for a long time too. The harpy eagle has a lifespan of 35 to 45 years. Once they find a partner, a bonded pair may stay together for 35 to 40 years.
Harpies build massive nests out of sticks. They are the size of a double bed and can be 100-165 feet from the ground. One nest contains more than 300 branches. Harpy Eagles continually bring fresh green twigs to the nest to keep it clean from parasites and insects.
And how about those muscles? Females are larger than males. In her prime, an adult female Harpy Eagle can grab targets weighing up to 20 pounds in flight and carry them without landing.
Okay. The big cool fact is this: The Harpy Eagle is recognized as a keystone species. The presence of this bird indicates that all species in the ecosystem are in total balance. I did not know there are keystone species in the science world, but yes. There are. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/role-keystone-species-ecosystem/
The Harpy Eagle is not only the National Bird of Panama. It is also the emblem of the Colombian Air Force, the Ecuadorian symbol of biodiversity, and could be found on the Venezuelan ten bolivare bills. Last but not least, the Harpy Eagle was the inspiration behind the design of ‘Fawkes,’ the Phoenix in the Harry Potter film series.
So here’s to the harpy eagle.
Weird. Maybe.
Wonderful. Yes.
And so we are very lucky to be in the midst of such great and amazing beings.
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“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” — Albert Einstein
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“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” — John Muir
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“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Harpy, the weird eagle.
