The largest bird-of-prey in the world is called the largest raptor and highest up on the food chain. These birds have amazing skills, talents and abilities. Here’s a list of the largest raptors and largest birds of prey on the planet.
1.Andean Condor
The Andean condor, which can weigh up to 15 kg (or 33 lbs) is the largest raptor on the planet. Chile’s national bird prefers to fly in windy places. The condor used to nest on the edge of a rock and they can also act as scavengers. Condors can live up to 50 years in the wild, while they can live much longer in captivity. Unfortunately, the condor population is declining due to poaching and poisoning by ranchers and hunters. Patagonia’s bird specie is also a symbol of power, liberty, and health. The South American bird is a member of the family Cathartidae, and the only one in the genus Vultur.
2.Eurasian Black Vulture
Eurasian Black Vulture (also known as the monk vulture or Cinereous) is one of the largest birds. It can weigh in at 14 kg and measure 1.2m long by 3.1m across its wings. It is also part of the Old World vultures group that includes buzzards and kites as well as hawks of all types. It is believed to be the world’s largest true bird-of-prey. It can grow to 98-120cm (3 ft 3in-3 ft 11in) in length and a 2.5-3.1m (8 ft2in-10 ft2 in) wide wingspan. It eats fish and reptiles. It has a distinctive black appearance with the whole body being brown, except for the head which is pale in adults. Adult vultures have brown eyes and a blue-grey body.
3.Lappet-Faced Vulture
The Lappet-faced Vulture, which is known for its large head and huge bill, is one of the most powerful raptors. The appearance of the bird species is a combination of dark feathers and a large neck and skin that’s bare. It can grow to 100-105 cm (39.5-401.5 inches). It has a wingspan measuring 2.6m (8.4ft). It was once a prey species for small reptiles, fish and birds and is also known as a scavenger. The average lifespan of this bird species is between 20 and 50 years. It can be found in areas such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. This bird species thrives in desert or semi-arid areas that have few trees and little grass.
4.California Condor
California Condor is North America’s largest flying bird. It mainly lives in forests, rocky shrubland, and oak savannas in California, Arizona and Utah, as well as Baja California, Mexico. It has a black plumage and white spots on its underside. It has a large head and skin that varies in colour from yellow on young birds to bright orange on breeding adults. It can also reach speeds up to 88 km/h (55.5 mph) at elevations up to 4,600m (15,000ft). It can cover 150 miles per day to find dead animals to scavenge. The species it preys on include cattle, deer and sheep, as well as smaller mammals such as rodents, rabbits, and rodents.
5.Steller’s Sea Eagle
The Accipitridae family includes the Steller’s sea Eagle, which is the largest of all the eagles in the world. Peter Simon Pallas first identified it in 1811. It was later transferred to the genus Haliaetus in 1849 by George Robert Gray. Haliaetus pelagicus, scientifically known as Haliaetus pelagicus, is a species that lives in estuaries and coastal areas. It has a dark brown to black appearance on the body, howvever, crown, shoulders, tails and tails. Their distinctively large, yellow beaks are complemented by sharp, yellow-coloured talons. It is found on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia and throughout the Sea of Okhotsk.
6.Harpy Eagle
Harpy Eagles were most commonly seen in Mexico, Central America, and northern Argentina in South America. Because they require large trees and wide territories to thrive, the bird species prefers canopy treetops in lowland tropical rainforests. The nests were constructed on high trees. You can reuse the same nest by adding more materials. It has a grey head with a double crown of feathers on its crown and a long, curved shark beak. However, the chest, back, and upper wings are charcoal in colour. The belly is white. The adult harpy Eagle can grow to 35-41 inches (89-105 cm).
7.Himalayan Vulture
The Himalayan Vulture, also known as the Himalayan Griffon, is an Old World species that belonged to the Accipitridae Family. This Old World vulture is the second-largest and has a life expectancy of between 20 and 30 years. It has a bald, white head with wide wings. The tail feathers are short. The neck ruff has a yellow bill and is white in colour. The contrast between the dark flight feathers and the whitish-colored body and wing coversts is striking. It can be found on the Himalayas, on the Tibetan plateau (Indian, Nepal, Bhutan, central China, and Mongolia). It can reach speeds of 48 km/h.
8.Bearded Vulture
The bearded Vulture, also known as the lammergeier or ossifrage, is one of the largest birds of prey in the genus Gypaetus. The diest is made up of only animal bones, so it’s often found in the rocky cliffs of southern Europe, Asia and parts Africa. The average bird species weighs between 9.91 and 15.86 pounds (4.5 to 7.2 kg). In Iran and north-west Asia, it is also known as a Huma bird or Homabird. The eagle species breeds once a year and lays around 1 to 2 eggs each breeding season. It can also lay up to 3 eggs per season in certain situations. After 53 to 60 days, the eggs hatch.
9.Golden Eagle
Golden Eagles are the largest bird of prey and can kill large prey like cranes and wild ungulates. Domestic livestock is not affected by the Golden Eagle’s ability to kill them. The Golden Eagle eats mostly rabbits and ground squirrels as well as prairie dogs and hares. It is the only raptor to have its legs feathered to the toes. The Rough-legged Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, and others follow. The oldest known record of the Golden Eagle is 31 years and 8 months. It was discovered in Utah in 2012. Individuals have different amounts of white in the wings of young Golden Eagles. Few birds have wings that are completely white.
10.Philippine Eagle
The Philippine Eagle is a native bird of the Philippines. It is listed as the longest and largest extant eagle in terms of its length and wing surface. The eagle species is distinguished by its dark face, creamy-brown crown, and dark nape. It has white undersides and wings. The yellow legs have large, strong, and dark claws. The deep, bluish-grey beak is also visible. It is found on four of the major islands in eastern Luzon: Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.
11.Griffon Vulture
Griffon Vulture, also known as an Eurasian Griffon, is one of the largest birds that belong to the Accipitridae family. It is closely related with Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture and even the White-backed. This large bird can grow to approximately 93-122 cm in length and have a wingspan between 2.3 and 2.8 meters. Males are about 6.2 to 10.5 kilograms, while females range from 6.5 to 10.5 grams. It eats mostly carcasses of dead animals, which it finds in open areas.
12.Wedge-tailed Eagle
Wedge-tailed Eagles are a large eagle native to Australia. It is found in all areas, from the tropical Top End to Tasmania, and can be seen frequently over other regions. It was known to nest on tall trees, so it is important to ensure that Australia’s mature forests are maintained. Nests are recyclable and can measure approximately 2 m in diameter and 4 m deep. The largest bird of prey, the varage, is a mate for life. Once they have been hooked, they continue to search for large territories and defend it together. The varage wingspan measures approximately 2.8m. Males have a larger span than females. It is usually light brown, but it gets darker as you age.
13.White-Tailed Eagle
White-Tailed Eagle, also known as Sea Eagle and Erne, can grow to 65 to 95 cm in height and weigh between 3 to 7 kilograms. It can be found in Asia and Northern Europe, and winters in the Mid-East and Eastern Asia. It feeds on small mammals, fish, and carrion, but this depends on where it is located and the season. It can fly at speeds of up to 70 km/h and matures sexually at four years old. In the wild, species live for 20-25 years.
14.Martial Eagle
Based on its wingspan of 2.6 meters, the Martial Eagle is the largest and most powerful eagles in the world. It also ranks fifth in terms of weight. It can spot its prey within five kilometers and has eyesight three times better than ours. The sub-Saharan African eagle is the only member of the genus Polemaetus. It was a prey species for guineafowl and francolins as well as bustards and poultry. It thrives in the savannah, thornbush regions of Africa south from the Sahara, Senegal to Somalia, and south to Cape.
15.Cape Vulture
South Africa is home to the Cape Vulture. The Cape Vulture can reach up to 110 cm in length and a 55 cm wingspan. Like other vultures it makes the sound of hissing and cackling, howvever and roars. It thrives in the open grassland of steppes and savannahs, where it is most comfortable. Mountains are very useful in providing the thermal currents that allow for flight. It can be found in South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana as well as northern Namibia, southern Zimbabwe, and northern Namibia.
16.Bald Eagle
The national bird of the United States of America is the bald Eagle. It is known for its magnificent appearance, which represents freedom and strength. It can dive at speeds of up to 100 mph, but it can only travel at 30 mph on regular flights. It can live up to 28 years. The species can grow to a height of 34 to 43 inches and a wingspan between 6 to 8 feet. Its weight ranges from 6.5 to 13.5 pounds.
