HARPY EAGLE 



view. It has a loud, shrill, prolonged screecE, 

 several times repeated, which it utters both when 

 flying and perching. An adult was seen sitting 

 on an upper branch, crossing the trail, of a high 

 tree near the Monkey-cap palm grove, in April, 

 1924. One was seen twice at Barro Colorado 

 Island, each time with a snake held by the neck 

 in its claws, on April 3 and April 4, 1926. 



14. Thrasaetus harpyia (Linnaeus) 

 Harpy Eagle 



Sexes alike. Length, 965 mm. (38.00 in.); 

 tail, 405 mm. (16.00 in.). Head and neck all 

 around ashen gray; remaining upper parts and 

 chest brownish black; tail mottled ashen and 

 dusky crossed by four imperfect black bands and 

 tipped with white; remaining under parts white 

 with the feathers of under tail coverts elongated 

 and plume-like. Bill black ; feet yellow. 



Young. Above ash gray marbled with black; 

 tail with about five broken black, bands; head, 

 neck, and under parts white, the longer crest 

 feathers and chest tinged with ash gray; under 

 surface of wings ashy barred with black. 



A magnificent eagle with a conspicuously long 

 crest and a frill on center of hindneck. Its 

 wing spread about seven feet, flight sluggish and 

 heavy. Kills prey as large as sloths, pigs and 

 fawns. Seen over Monkey-cap palm grove near 

 Fort Sherman, in May, 1924; it lit on the top- 

 most branch of a tall tree. 

 i37 



