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Harpy Eagle


Harpy Eagle
Photo Information
Copyright: Ricardo Kuehn (ryyck) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 24 W: 0 N: 176] (994)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-09
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon A60
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-09-14 12:42
Viewed: 2249
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)

Status: Conservation dependent

Population Trend: Declining.

Other Names: Thrasaetus harpyia

Distribution: Neotropical. Southern MEXICO (formerly north to Veracruz, but now probably only in Chiapas) south locally through Caribbean Central America to COLOMBIA east to VENEZUELA and the GUIANAS and south through eastern BOLIVIA and BRAZIL to extreme northeastern ARGENTINA (Misiones); formerly in western COLOMBIA and western ECUADOR, but nearly extirpated in that region.

Movements: Locally migratory or nomadic in Brazil (Sick 1993), but apparently not in other areas (Venezuela, Panama).


Habitat and Habits: Lowlands and foothills. Generally gallery rainforest, but can also survive in isolated patches of forest and late second-growth where it is not persecuted. Seldom soars over the canopy or over open spaces. Not particularly wary, but nevertheless very inconspicuous, despite its great size.


Food and Feeding Behavior: Sloths, monkeys, agoutis, armadillos, deer, large birds (including guans, curassows, and macaws), large lizards, and snakes. Hunts from a perch in the canopy. sometimes at the edge of a river, or makes short flights from tree to tree with surprising agility, looking (and listening) for prey. In Brazil, it has attacked dogs, chickens, lambs, and kids (goats), but there are no reports of them pursuing children, despite the fears of some rural people (Sick 1993).


Breeding: Nest is a huge platform of sticks with a shallow central cup, placed in a high crotch of a huge emergent tree (often Ceiba) in forest. Eggs 1-2, white, usually with brownish nest stains. Only one eaglet survives to fledge.


Conservation: Endangered (perhaps Critically Endangered) in Mexico and Central America, where it has been extirpated in most of its former range. Vulnerable in most of South American portion of range. Collar et al. (1992, 1994) and BirdLife International categorized this species as Near Threatened. Generally rare everywhere in inhabited areas, but sometimes common away from human settlements in the Amazonian region. Trophy shooting of birds is a chronic problem throughout its range, particularly on the periphery of its range, where such persecution is often a by-blow of deforestation. Indeed, most records of its occurrence are based on birds that were shot for one reason or another. The capture of birds (particularly juveniles) for pets or curiosities is also a pervasive problem.


Source: http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/SpeciesResults.asp?specID=8040

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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To oscarromulus: Fotos de Avesryyck 1 09-14 13:20
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • shal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 287 W: 71 N: 499] (2086)
  • [2006-09-14 12:54]

Hey Ricardo,
An excellent post for the collection on TN :)
great tight crop and great composition :)
Much appreciated,
Welcome to *1000 :D
Cheers,
Vishal Sabharwal

What a GREAT close-up.
How did you do this?
The tongue, the beak, even its wing is so well focused.
Sharp, unusual, view of a flying predator.!!!
Excellent work.
Best regards,
Mario.

Good macro and nice sharpness on the eye, would look stunning if beak was in focus too. Good notes however.

Hello Ricardo,
very impressive shot, and unusual POV and framing. Thanks for sharing,

Sergey

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1479 W: 18 N: 3030] (11110)
  • [2006-09-15 14:38]

I think you got a bit too close there :-) I hop you have all your fingers. This must be the last thing a small mammal sees. Excellent details, scary POV and just a great action shot

TFS

Karan

PT All out today

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