The Harpy Eagle is a behemoth of the tropical rainforest, its imposing presence commanding reverence from all who cross its path. With wings outstretched, this majestic raptor casts a shadow over the forest floor, its piercing gaze scanning the underbrush for unsuspecting prey.
It has no sexual dimorphism. It is a large bird with a large, rounded head and thick beak. It is black from the head to the malar region and the chin and cheeks silver. Its upper parts are olive with blackish wing and tail-coverts and its underparts from the throat to the undertail-coverts are lemon yellow with washed flanks of olive mixed with gray.
This species is found in northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela. In Colombia, it is distributed up to 1200 m above sea level in the arid part of the Caribbean Coast from the Sinú River eastward to the base of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Serranía de Perijá, and south to the lower valley of the Cauca River and the middle valley of the Magdalena River in Antioquia (ruficollis). Also in La Guajira (decolor), east of the Andes in Norte de Santander (coloratus), and north of Meta, Casanare, Arauca, and northeast of Vichada (bicinctus
Generally, a silent and uncommon bird that inhabits intermediate altitudes in the Colombian Andes. Its name means bird with a long mantle and a golden head. Pharomachrus derives from the Greek roots pharos = mantle, makros = long, and auriceps from the Latin aurum = golden and ceps = head.
Males can be brilliant crimson or orange, always with black wings, broad silver tertials, orange legs, and puffy rounded crest. Female duller brown with smaller crest; note staring pale eye. Nests on large rocks or cliff faces. The only similar species is Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, but no range overlap.
This parrot likes to fly in pairs or large flocks and its call in flight is very loud and harsh. Its name means Autumnal Amazon and derives from the term Amazona that refers to the Amazon and the epithet autumnalis derives from Latin and means autumnal.
The Harpy is the largest eagle in the western and southern hemisphere, and the second largest in the world. However, it is the most powerful and robust bird of prey, which is why it can feed on large vertebrates such as monkeys, sloths and even deers. It is considered an apex predator and its conservation status is near threatened due to habitat loss and hunting.
This species is found in the western Andes. Of the species of the genus it is one of the least hidden and most arboreal. Its name Atlapetes derives from the Greek Atlas, which in mythology was a titan who was turned into a mountain, petes also derives from the Greek and means bird. Its tricolor epithet derives from Latin and means three colors.
The Blue-Winged Mountain Tanager is a common species and its populations appear to be stable. Its name Anisognathus derives from the Greek roots anisos = uneven and gnathos = lower jaw. Sumptuosus derives from Latin and means extravagant.
This small and short-billed hummingbird has a colorful plumage ranging from coppery green to brown. Habitant of the Andes mountains, likes the humid forests and the plains.
