Key Facts About the National Bird of Panama

The National Bird of Panama is the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja), which was officially declared a national symbol on April 10, 2002.

Key Facts
• Physical Size: It is one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world, with a wingspan of up to 7 feet.
• Powerful Talons: Its back talons can grow up to 5 inches long, rivaling the size of a grizzly bear’s claws.
• Apex Predator: As a top carnivore in the rainforest, its diet mainly consists of tree-dwelling mammals like sloths and monkeys.
• Cultural Symbol: The bird is prominently featured on the coat of arms of Panama.

The most common area of Panama to see the Harpy Eagle in the wild is in the remote Darien National Park. Panama holds the largest remaining breeding population in Central America. Their massive stick nests are high up in giant trees.

Unlike eagles, they have shorter rounded wings and a long tail designed to glide silently through dense jungle, searching for monkeys, sloths, large birds. They are known as the “jaguars of the canopy”.
Just outside of Panama City, you can see the Harpy Eagle at Summit Municipal Park and Zoo. For the more adventurous, you can book wildlife expeditions in the Darien province through tour operators.