Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!
I came across this magnificent eagle the other day and decided to research it and make a post for the amazing @melinda010100 and the #featheredfriends tag.
We do have lots of hawks and owls around our property but I never see the hawks unless they're high in the sky and I only know about the owls because I hear them every night.
I think something like this eagle here would chase them all away though!
I'm talking about the great Harpy Eagle, it's found in the rain forests of Central America and of course like so many wonderful animals it's endangered.
This guy is massive with a wingspan of 7.5 feet and weighing over 20 pounds and stands 42 inches tall!
Here are a few of them standing beside their caretakers:
That gives you an idea of just how big these birds are. They are killing machines too of course and snatch monkeys and sloths out of trees for dinner. Which means they could also pick up human babies and toddlers. Yikes!
Their talons are an incredible sight at 3 to 4 inches long:
The caretakers and trainers say that a person has to be very careful not to irritate or make the birds angry!
They have a very unique appearance, many people find them to be creepy:
I'd love to see them on our property, maybe they could thin out the dang coyotes so the deer would come back. As far as being a trainer for one of these...I don't know about that.
If they're that easy to upset and they don't like their dinner or whatever, what's to keep them from taking your head off? lol...am I being a coward? Would you guys want to be a trainer for a Harpy?
I wonder what the insurance rates for a Harpy trainer are like?
Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
Texas
PS- I accidently saw this on facebook, I'm not really on fb but Mrs. J. gets on there for entertainment purposes and I happened to see this great shot of a Mountain Lion.
Of course an insultive argument was going on about how this photo came about..some said the only way to get him up in a tree like that was because he was hunted by a pack of dogs.
The other argument was that the photographer had stalked him and waited for hours to get the shot..and that commenter swore on his mother's grave that it was the truth. lol.
Regardless of the situation, an amazing shot came out of it. I just hope it wasn't a hunter who got him treed and then shot him. I choose to believe it was the photographer waiting for hours in the freezing cold!
O crap... that bird can take off with a whole sheep 😱
lol..I think it really could take the lambs for sure!
Big bird! We have them here too, eagles. A majestic thing...Wouldn't want one hunting me though.
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Oh you could swat that thing away like it was a fly sir galenkp! lol. Those guys are so big they'd be picking off Koala bears if they were in Australia. Are you on your trip?
Yes, I'm actually sitting down in the hall about to watch the graduation ceremony.
Wow you are such a multi-tasker! I've been outside all day working on the house, just got on steemit for the day so I'm a little behind!
Man of many talents I am... 🙂
That's an understatement but I agree! I just got on here for the first time again today taking a break, I haven't been off steemit this much since I joined but if I don't get the work done the Mrs. J will get the axe out. She's already threatened to cut steemit off. lol.
Haha, well I'm fortunate bin that Faith has never said anything like that. I get it though. You have to take care of business.
Harpy Eagles 🦅 are really huge and these are beautiful creatures no matter some of them have a Scary appearances. Thank you so much for sharing this post with us. Stay blessed.@janton, I have to agree that
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Howdy sir chireerocks! I agree. I think you have good taste in birds. lol...thanks so much for commenting!
I am doing great,thank you so much for asking. In my opinion most of us observe Birds more closely. Have a blessed time ahead.
Well I didn't observe them very well until I got on Steemit and then I started paying attention because of all the bird posts! lol. Hope you had a great weekend sir chireerocks!
Good to know that you've shifted your focus towards Birds after joining Steem. Content Discovery can inspire us to see things with different perspective.
Yes, i had a great week. Thank you so much for asking.
Have a wonderful time ahead and stay blessed.
Thank you sir chireerocks, blessings to you too!
Welcome and thank you so much. 🙂🙂
They are Magnificent animals! Here we only have the tiny birds...Bald Eagles nest out by Keystone Lake. There is a large nesting area just below the dam, that is actually closed, except some viewing areas for pictures.
Nice post!
:)>They better tell those dang Okie rednecks up there that they eagles can't be hunted!
Tastes just like spotted owl....
:)>lol! Now that's just mean!
Smoked with a just little garlic butter sauce....
ROFLOL!
:)>lol.
With corn on the cob, and baked beans....
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Very interesting, thanks sir smithlabs. You may not be as much of a dirtbag as people say.
Or much worse, LOL!
:)>Magnificent bird. I love eagles, but these ones, I have never seen. Great research done @janton. Well done 👏👌👍🙏
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These birds are astounding aren't they? They rule the skies where ever they fly! Would you like to be a trainer or handler of one? lol.
Astounding is the right word@janton. Trainer, lol, no😃
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That thing could almost pick you up! lol.
I wouldn't be surprised if it did, lol, gigantic thing😊
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Nice story and anazing pictures. This bird has an interesting face...
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Howdy silver.art! Thanks so much, I was pretty amazed at the face of this eagle myself. I'm so glad you like the post and thanks so much for commenting!
Your account has been compromised, more info here: https://steemit.com/spaminator/@spaminator/fiftysats-botnet-more-victims-found
You need to remove yourself off any voting trails and then monitor it for any votes that you did not cast yourself. If you see your account upvoting anything you didn't vote for, you will need to change your keys.
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Thanks so much for the warning guiltyparties!
I've never seen an eagle, but that one sure does look like some kind of beastie..
Howdy sir wales! Yes indeed, this one would freak me out a little, it would look like a small plane flying!
Wow! That is truly an amazing bird! I see bald eagles regularly, but having one of those sitting out in a tree would be intimidating. Thanks so much for posting this into the #Featheredfriends community!
And that lion photo is incredible, however he got it!
!Tip
!Trdo
Howdy Melinda! I'm glad you liked it, I was just amazed at that thing. That would be something to spot one of those Harpys in a tree wouldn't it? wow. 42 inches high.
It is that face that I find incredible! It looks more like an animal than it does a bird.
Howdy Melinda! Believe it or not I just got on steemit for the first time today because I've been doing work on the outside of the house tryin to get it ready for an insurance company inspector.
But anyway yes, I totally agree, it's face is so unusual and I guess that's why it freaks people out. lol.
Really big eagle!!😲🦅
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Howdy jenina619! I agree. You wouldn't be scared by it though, would you? How would you like to be one of it's handlers?
If I was a handler/trainer of Harpy Eagles janton, I would right into meditation and always be a Zen Master. But then I don't want a career change just yet.
On a side note janton, have you every seen the movie "The Eagle Has Landed?" It has Hugh Jackman in it. I can't think of the name of the English man. It is a real story.
I so agree about being a Zen trainer, you would need to be! I haven't seen that movie as far as I know, surprising because I see almost all the war movies especially if they are major films.
Sorry janton, the term "the eagle has landed' is said at the end of the movie that is really called Eddie The Eagle. It is a fun heartfelt movie, I love it.
Oh yes I remember when that came out! I didn't see it but I will if I get a chance!
Wow our resident Fish Eagle looks tame compared to this big bird of the skies, actually a cute face @janton with wicked talons.
Yes if only people did not interfere with nature, perhaps some birds that thin out the population of other animals in nature we would not have over population in certain species.
Mountain lion photograph also stunning, another animals that assists in keeping over population down, another animal humans do not wish to share territory with.
Howdy joanstewart! Oh yes, I've seen photos of the Fish Eagle, I think it was papilloncharity that had some of those photos, a great bird. So true about the natural order of things and keeping overpopulation under control. Thanks so much for commenting!
Wow! Giant eagles! A child could ride on their backs!! They have funny faces!!
You have the skill of finding strange photos!!
Howdy sir kaminchan! Yes they are very different than other birds. Their faces look more like animals than birds, I guess that is why people freak out about them. lol. They caught my eye when I was looking for something online so I had to look them up.
Nice picks!! I like them faces! Not scary at all, but strange!
Wow!what great photography!
Love it!
Howdy olivia08! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post, do they have big eagles in your country?
Hi, @janton!
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Howdy Janton! That mountain lion photo is outstanding and I like to believe it was a photographer, because if it was a hunter, the photo would be very different. You know it would be one of those trophy photos, that I absolutely dispose!!! Isn't this so much more beautiful? You got to love photographers, lol.
Well and now about the Harpy Eagle, wow! I had no idea eagle can be so big! And yes, he looks kind of demonic too, lol. Nevertheless, he is a beautiful bird! How these guys can train them is a mystery to me. I guess they have to make sure they are fed well, lol.
lol..yes on all points, if a photographer took that photo then it was worth facing the bitter cold weather and I would spoil that eagle if I was a trainer, he'd be extremely well fed!
Oh for sure, photographers go great lights to take amazing picks like this! But I think your eagle would be okay on KETO, just perfect for him 😂
lol..I think that's true, good thinking Miss Lena, a natural for him!
Ah harpy eagles are magnificent. A professor I had earlier this year worked in Belize on harpy eagle conservation. Unfortunately the species arent doing well, as they are very often shot by people who are afraid of them :( I am glad to see a post celebrating what amazing creatures they are.
Howdy passerine! That's very interesting about Belize and I'm sorry that they aren't doing well, the articles I read all said that. I don't understand people shooting them though. I mean, I know they are huge but they aren't going after humans are they? Thanks so much for commenting!
There is a lack of education/understanding about the harpy eagle and locals think the eagles steal their chickens and will try to kill children too. Out of the 17 eagles that my professor's team released, at least 13 were shot and killed :( a positive outcome of his work in Belize is his founding of a nonprofit conservation organization in Belize that has a big focus on education, so hopefully there is more understanding for these birds now than there was back then.
Howdy today passerine! God bless him for doing that important work there. The numbers are shocking, 13 of the 17 were killed? wow. That's astounding. Thanks so much for the wonderful explanation!
Wow really big bird
I agree sir yousafharoonkhan, thanks so much for commenting!
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Howdy steemitboard and thanks for keeping track, I like those numbers!
WOW...looks like something right out of Narnia!
lol that's true it really does!
Feather horns! haaa :D
Haha..it does look like horns doesn't it? No other bird looks like that thing!
Ha! It looks like one of the Knights Who Say "Ni!" from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I'd love to see one of those in action!
When I lived in Spain, I got to see an endangered "eagle owl" released. It was strikingly beautiful, particularly the emerald green eyes.
Howdy again sir fotosdenada! That owl sounds wonderful, it sounds like you had many great experiences in Spain. And you didn't have to suffer through long winters!
Wow! I had no idea that an eagle could be that big. That face is definitely not one that I would like to see at night and now that I am going to bed, I hope I don't have nightmares. LOL! You find the most incredible, jaw dropping photos and I am happy that you share them with all of us. What an amazing photo of the mountain lion and the snow adds much more drama to it.
Howdy again Butterfly! Thanks for the kind words and I agree that the eagle's face is so unusual, it scares alot of people where it habitates and then they shoot them. The biggest reason that it's endangered. Very sad. Makes you wonder about us humans.
WOW! Beautiful
Howdy buckaroo and thanks so much for commenting!
I’ve never seen eagles that big and would not want to train one. They could pick your eye out.
The fourth photo of eagles from the last one looks like the mothman( of West Virginia folklore).
Oh, I've seen images of the mothman, you are right it does! lol..no wonder the poor bird scares some people!
Wow!
Nice story!
Howdy apnigrich I'm glad you liked it and thanks for commenting!