Here are 8 fun facts about harpy eagles, some resources, and a fun paper bag puppet to represent this giant rainforest dwelling raptor. Also, you love my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rainforest Activities for Kids, and Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon.
These majestic and angry looking birds can be found living and sitting proudly at the top of the food chain.
They are in the rainforests of southern México-Chiapas, Oaxaca and the Yucatán states. and south through Central America, into South America.
If you have seen images of them, you know that their claws can be larger than a man’s hand.
And they seem to wear a perpetual scowl, quite imposing and they can prey on animals as large as sloths, monkeys, anteaters, and porcupines.
Our craft will give your child a wonderful chance to focus on the characteristics of the unusual bird like the colors, double crest, and powerful claws.
Books About Eagles for Kids
14 Fun Resources for Studying about Eagles
Add some of these fun activities, books and resources to learn about eagles.
Eyewitness: Eagles and Birds of Prey is a guide to birds of prey of all shapes and sizes. From majestic falcons to soaring vultures, you'll get a bird's eye view of their amazing world. Learn about their styles of flight and their hunting techniques. Explore the preying and feeding habits, from specialist feeders to scavengers.
Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic―dinosaurs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, robots, and more. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these graphic novels are for you!
Following up the hugely successful The Big Book of Bugs, The Big Book of Beasts, and The Big Book of the Blue, The Big Book of Birds is a fact-filled tour of the world’s most wonderful winged creatures. Yuval Zommer’s distinctive illustrations show off some of the most colorful, flamboyant, impressive, and wacky birds of the sky. Picture-book charm pairs with informative nonfiction to make a beautiful, large-format title for parents to share with young children and for older children to read by themselves.
HIGH-QUALITY JIGSAW PUZZLE: The stunning, lifelike image is mounted on premium chipboard. Random cut pieces are thick and sturdy – they come fully separated with cleanly cut edges (dust-free!) that fit together snugly and hold up to repetitive use.
Makes amazing wall décor. Glue it, then mount the masterpiece!
This set brings you some of the most amazing birds of prey from around the world!
5 Piece Set includes Bald Eagle, Falcon, Hawk, Owl, and Vulture.
Use birds of prey figurines including a Bald Eagle to make a diorama or sensory bin, they are also great used for art inspiration. My eagle came from the USA Safari Toob.
Acclaimed naturalist and illustrator Jim Arnosky helps birds and imaginations take glorious flight in this breathtaking nonfiction picture book with six giant gatefolds.
Arnosky will draw out kids' inner explorer as he explains why there are no feathers on a vulture's head, which bird is the deep-diving champ, what makes an owls's wings perfectly silent in flight, and much more.
Readers can use this gorgeously illustrated book to bring the wilderness right into their rooms-or as a guide on their next expedition.
Flip through 100 fascinating facts covering everything from hunting prey to patrolling airports, then test your knowledge with fun quizzes. Each page is packed with activities, projects and mind-blowing facts for a truly engaging experience. With stunning photographs and beautiful illustrations, this fun-filled book is sure to challenge young readers and prepare them for academic success.
Your child will love these to use in sensory bins or dioramas or just as a model to paint or play with.
A bald eagle doesn't sound like an attractive bird. But it's pictured on the Great Seal of the United States and on the dollar bill. Why was this bird chosen as a national symbol?
Bailey is a bald eagle who comes from a long lineage of high flyers, with her grandfather even holding the world record for being the highest flyer. So, it comes as a bit of a surprise to her family when she is scared of heights. This fear keeps her down every day, literally, but it also helps her meet some amazing friends she never would have otherwise. This story is about how we are all afraid of something, but it's how we overcome those fears that matters most.
This is a delightful story about a new family of bald eagles. From newborn's first lessons in life to the first solo flight, this beautifully illustrated book is ideal for introducing young children to the wonders of nature.
It's early morning in the Amazon rain forest. A large monkey is climbing through the branches of a tall tree. Suddenly, there's a flash of white and black feathers. An enormous harpy eagle swoops between the leafy branches and snatches the monkey from the tree. Then the giant predator carries its prey high into the treetops and begins to eat. Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of its primary-grade audience, this colorful, fact-filled book gives readers a chance not only to learn all about harpy eagles and their Amazon rain forest home, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. Built-in activities, such as figuring out how the bird's body is adapted for hunting, and investigating how much weight the eagle can carry in its talons, give readers a chance to gain insights beyond the facts and figures.
This Harpy Eagle Figurine would make an amazing addition to your dioramas, sensory bins, trays
8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles
- Harpy Eagles are named after a creature from Greek mythology that was a monster in the form of a bird with a human face.
- These big birds are the rainforest’s largest and most powerful raptor and one of the largest raptors in the world.
- Harpies build huge nests that are the size of a double bed and are made up of over 300 branches, hovering more than 100 feet off the ground.
- They can grow taller than 3’ and have a massive wingspan of 7 ½ feet, weighing in at 10-20 pounds.
- Their talons are about 4”-5”, roughly the size of a grizzly bear’s paw.
- The plumage coloration is 3 primary colors -black, gray, and white in various combinations of shades and gradients. Males and females have the same colors but younger harpy eagles are lighter.
- The presence of these birds indicates a healthy environment, it means that all species in the ecosystem are in total balance.
- The Harpy Eagle’s will lower and lift their facial disk feathers can be lowered or lifted at will much like an owl does. Doing this helps direct sound waves to their ears to sharpen their hearing ability.
Resources for Your Harpy Eagle Study
- Watch Amazing Animals Harpy Eagle Nat Geo Kids to see one of these flying beauties in action, learn a few facts, and get a quick geography lesson.
- Grab this Harpy Eagle Coloring Sheet to color as you learn about the unique colorations for this large eagle before you create your paper bag puppet.
- The gorgeous Little Book of Animals of the Rainforest: A Guide to Life in Earth’s Most Diverse Ecosystem contains a variety of rainforest species including the Harpy Eagle.
- If you’re study is on eagles you have to see this Letter E Is For Eagle Easy Preschool Eagle Study.
How to Make a Harpy Eagle Puppet
You will need:
- Paper bag
- Black craft phone
- Yellow craft phone
- Gray construction paper
- Black gray and white craft paint.
- Two large googly eyes.
- Black marker
Flip your paper bag over so that the folded bottom is facing upward, paint this section gray.
Paint the entire rest of the bag white and allow it to dry.
While you’re waiting for this paint to dry, trace your child’s three middle fingers and just a bit of the palm, and then trace another one with four fingers and the majority of the palm.
Cut these handprints out and paint with variations of gray, black and white. Give it a little layering for dimension to make it look like feathers.
Set these aside to dry as well and cut a pair of yellow talons and a large beak from the black craft foam.
When the paint on the bag is dry, finish off by painting a black collar around the upper chest between the head and body, then down the side to create wings.
While you have the black paint handy, paint the google eyes black.
You could also just leave them as is or color these in.
But we wanted them to stand out off the puppet a little bit more.
And I think the final effect is more dramatic.
Once all the glue is dry, attach the three-fingerprint tracing to the back of the head of the puppet.
Then attach the four fingers to the back on the bottom, hanging down for a tail.
Glue on the beak, talons, and the painted eyes.
Use a black marker to add a little detail.
For example, stripe the eagle’s legs, some eyebrows to make him a little angry or looking.
Then add some feathers if you feel like they need a little more detail.
