Home » , , » Papuan Eagle

Papuan Eagle

10:00:00  , ,  
Harpyopsis novaeguineae
Meet the Papuan Eagle, a large bird of prey that happens to be the only member of its genus, Harpyopsis. They do actually belong to a subfamily that contains three other birds, including the South American Hapry Eagle, and the Papuan Eagle is also sometimes referred to as the Papuan Harpy Eagle because of that close relationship.

You could probably guess that the Papuan Eagle lives in Papua New Guinea. They are endemic to the island of New Guinea, and are one of its top predators. They feed primarily on Phalangers, which are a type of tree-dwelling Marsupial. The Eagles fly above the canopy, spot the Phalangers, and then swoop in and take them right from the trees.

Papuan Eagles are listed as Vulnerable because they only live in one location on the entire planet, because that location is undergoing habitat loss, and because the Eagles are hunted for their feathers, reducing their population size.
IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : New Guinea
Size : Length up to 3ft (.9m), Wingspan up to 5ft (1.6m)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Accipitriformes
Family : Accipitridae -- Genus : Harpyopsis -- Species : H. novaeguineae
Image : Hector Ceballos-Lascurain

Related Posts:

  • Northern Hawk-owlSurnia ululaThe Northern Hawk-Owl has a range that spreads across North America, Europe, and Asia, yet they are one of the least studied birds-of-prey out there. They live only in the far north, in remote areas, and a single … Read More
  • White-winged Vampire BatHappy Halloween everyone! I figured that, in the spirit of the holiday, we would learn about one of the iconic animals associated with it-- the Vampire Bat!Now, there are actually three different species of Vampire Bat, all o… Read More
  • Indo-Pacific Humpbacked DolphinSousa chinensisIndo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphins have a large range that stretches along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, as well as around Australia and the Western Pacific. They prefer shallow waters, usually sticking around … Read More
  • New Zealand Sea LionNew Zealand Sea Lions, also sometimes called Hooker's Sea Lions, are the rarest and most vulnerable Sea Lions in the world. It is estimated that only 10,000 still remain, no thanks to decades of human hunting, being scooped u… Read More
  • Obdurodon tharalkooschildObdurodon tharalkooschildSome newly discovered fossils have been all the rage this week-- gigantic extinct Platypus! The modern Platypus is a strange enough creature, but this prehistoric version takes it to a new level!As yo… Read More