Buzz
There’s something about birds of prey that captures our attention—perhaps it's the primal fear we have that one might swoop down and attack, or maybe it's simply because these majestic creatures are rarely seen by most in the Western world. Either way, raptors are undeniably fascinating, and here we present a list of some of the largest, most powerful, and awe-inspiring predators across the globe.
10. Martial Eagle
The Martial Eagle is Africa's largest eagle, boasting a wingspan of 2.6 meters and weighing as much as 6.2 kilograms. Its spotted underbelly makes it easily identifiable. A highly aggressive hunter, it preys on a wide range of animals—from Guinea fowl and other birds to baboons, lion cubs, and even antelopes! While capable of taking down animals much larger than itself, it typically avoids doing so, as it cannot carry such large prey to a tree, and hunting on the ground can be perilous with other predators nearby.
Regrettably, the Martial Eagle occasionally preys on lambs and young sheep, which has led farmers to view it as a nuisance. As a result, many of these majestic eagles are shot or poisoned by farmers, and today, this once-abundant bird is seldom seen even in areas where it was once common.
9. Steller’s Sea Eagle
A larger and lesser-known cousin of the iconic American Bald Eagle, the Steller's Sea Eagle is native to Russia and Japan. It primarily feeds on fish but will also hunt larger birds, such as cranes and swans (which can be formidable prey), and even young seals. It is also a scavenger, consuming whatever dead animals it can find. Thankfully, humans are not part of its diet.
The Steller’s Sea Eagle holds the title of the heaviest eagle in the world, weighing as much as 9 kilograms, with a wingspan stretching nearly 2.5 meters. Its beak is the largest and most powerful of any eagle. Sadly, this magnificent bird is endangered, with its population dwindling due to lead poisoning. The eagles ingest lead when feeding on animal carcasses left by hunters. Despite its impressive size and strength, a single lead pellet is enough to kill a Steller’s Sea Eagle.
8. Blakiston’s Fish Owl
Blakiston’s Fish Owl is considered to be one of the largest owls in the world. Native to Siberia and Japan, this impressive bird boasts a wingspan of 2 meters and can weigh as much as 4.5 kilograms. As its name suggests, it primarily preys on fish, although it occasionally hunts mammals and birds as well. Contrary to the belief that these owls are social, they are typically solitary or found in pairs, gathering in larger groups only when food is scarce, such as during harsh winter conditions.
7. Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is found across North America, Eurasia, and northern Africa and is regarded as one of the most formidable aerial hunters on the planet. It primarily preys on rabbits, hares, and large birds but has also been known to hunt foxes, young sheep and goats, and even adult deer and caribou. In Kazakhstan, Golden Eagles, known as berkut, are trained by nomadic hunters to take down wolves. They also hunt and feed on other birds of prey.
While Golden Eagles are strong enough to kill a human, they have never been documented attacking adults. In certain parts of Europe and Asia, legends exist about Golden Eagles snatching children, with the remains allegedly discovered in the birds' nests. These majestic eagles can weigh up to 7 kilograms and boast a wingspan of 2 meters. Female Golden Eagles are typically larger and more aggressive than their male counterparts. Fossil evidence from Europe suggests that these eagles were even larger in prehistoric times, thousands of years ago.
6. Philippine Eagle
The Philippine Eagle is one of several large eagle species specially adapted to hunt in densely forested environments. Found only in the Philippines, this awe-inspiring bird has become a national symbol. Weighing up to 7 kilograms and with a 2-meter wingspan, it is easily recognized by its stunning feathered 'mane.' The Philippine Eagle primarily hunts monkeys, flying lemurs (colugos), large bats, and occasionally pigs and dogs. Despite rumors of them snatching children, there is no confirmed record of these eagles attacking humans.
The Philippine Eagle is a protected species, and killing one results in a prison sentence of up to twelve years in the Philippines. Despite this protection, it remains one of the most endangered birds on the planet, with only about 200-400 eagles remaining in the wild today.
5. Harpy Eagle
Often regarded as the most powerful eagle in the world, the Harpy Eagle weighs up to 9 kilograms and can measure up to 105 centimeters in length. Its talons are longer than those of a bear, and it possesses such strength that it could easily break a man's arm or even pierce through his skull if it chose to. Thankfully, Harpy Eagles have never been known to attack humans, unless defending their nests. In some areas of southern Mexico, Central, and South America, rumors circulate that Harpy Eagles snatch small children, though these claims have never been substantiated. Their diet mainly consists of monkeys, sloths, and large birds like macaws, with the occasional iguana or boa.
With a wingspan of around 2 meters, the Harpy Eagle's wingspan is much shorter than expected for a bird of its size. This adaptation allows it to fly effectively through dense forests, where a larger wingspan would hinder maneuverability and increase the risk of accidents. Unfortunately, Harpy Eagles are endangered in many parts of their range due to habitat loss. In some regions of Mexico, they are so rare that locals consider them almost mythical.
4. Bearded Vulture
The Bearded Vulture, also known as the Lammergeyer, is one of the largest yet least recognized raptors in the world. Found across Europe, Asia, and Africa, it can weigh up to 8 kilograms and boasts a wingspan of over 3 meters. Predominantly scavengers, these vultures are known for their remarkable behavior of picking up bones from carcasses and dropping them from great heights onto hard surfaces like cliffs or rocks. After the bones break, they feast on the highly nutritious marrow inside. Bearded Vultures are also known to kill tortoises, dropping them from the same heights to break open their shells. According to legend, the Greek playwright Aeschylus met his death when a tortoise was dropped onto his head, allegedly by a Bearded Vulture mistaking his bald head for a rock.
Bearded Vultures typically avoid eating rotten flesh, a distinguishing trait that sets them apart from most other vultures. Some reports claim that they sometimes hunt live prey, including larger animals like chamois and wild goats. However, since they aren't built to kill large prey, their method is to knock these animals off cliffs, letting the fall take their lives so the vulture can later feed on their carcasses. This technique is also attributed to other mountain-dwelling raptors, such as Golden Eagles and Andean Condors, though only the Golden Eagle has been definitively confirmed to use this method.
3. African Crowned Eagle
The African Crowned Eagle is found in the rainforests of tropical Africa, measuring around 90 cm in length with a wingspan of 2 meters. Despite its size, it is known to hunt prey weighing up to 35 kilograms! This formidable and aggressive eagle is often referred to as 'the leopard of the air' by locals. Its primary weapon is its powerful talons, capable of crushing the skull of a monkey (its preferred prey), instantly killing it and sometimes causing its eyes to pop out of their sockets. Even the largest monkey, the mandrill, is not safe from this eagle's attack, though it usually targets juvenile mandrills.
Other common prey for this eagle includes hyraxes, Guinea fowl, agwantibos (a nocturnal primate), chevrotains, and even small antelopes. In prehistoric times, the Crowned Eagle also preyed on our australopithecine ancestors; the talon marks of this eagle have been found on the skulls of juvenile hominins that are over two million years old.
Even today, Crowned Eagles view small humans as potential prey. Human infant skulls have been discovered in their nests, and there are reports from Zambia of a seven-year-old child being attacked by a Crowned Eagle on his way to school. The child sustained severe injuries to his head, chest, and arms when the eagle attempted to carry him off but was stopped when a woman intervened, killing the bird. Later investigations revealed that the eagle was a juvenile, meaning it wasn’t protecting a nest, and the attack was purely predatory in nature.
2. Eurasian Eagle Owl
The Eurasian eagle owl, found in the forests and mountains of Asia and Europe, is often referred to as the 'nocturnal counterpart to the Golden Eagle.' This comparison is fitting, as the Eurasian eagle owl is one of the largest and most powerful owl species, weighing up to 4.3 kilograms and boasting a wingspan of 2 meters. Though their diet mainly consists of rodents, rabbits, and hares, these owls have been known to hunt larger prey, including foxes and roe deer. They are also infamous for preying on other raptors, both day and night hunters, including some species of eagles.
In North America and down to Argentina, the Eurasian Eagle Owl is replaced by the Great Horned Owl. Though smaller than its Eurasian relative, the Great Horned Owl is notable for being one of the few owl species known to have killed a human. Some ornithologists also claim that smaller owls, when defending their nests, have caused the death of humans by attacking them until they fell from trees.
1. Lappet Faced Vulture
Lappet-faced vultures, native to the African savannahs and Arabia, are often overlooked when it comes to the largest flying birds, but they rival American condors in size. With a wingspan stretching up to 3 meters and weighing as much as 14 kilograms, they are formidable creatures. Their beaks are notably larger, sharper, and more powerful than those of condors, as Lappet-faced vultures are not just scavengers but opportunistic predators. They have been known to bring down young gazelles and antelopes and even target flamingo colonies.
These vultures also raid the nests of other birds, stealing eggs and young. Due to their size and strength, Lappet-faced vultures are often the first to feed on a carcass, pushing other scavengers out of the way. Their aggression extends to attacks on jackals and smaller vultures, ensuring they finish their meal unchallenged. Even cheetahs tend to avoid this vulture's powerful beak, recognizing the danger it poses.
