9 Largest Eagles in the World: Biggest by Weight, Length, Wingspan
Eagles are large, powerful birds of prey. There are 68 species of eagles. In this post, you’ll learn about the largest eagles in the world. The biggest eagles are sorted by weight, length, and wingspan.
The largest eagle by weight is Steller’s sea-eagle at 14.75 pounds. The largest eagle by length is the Philippine eagle at 39.4 inches. And the eagle with the largest wingspan is the white-tailed sea-eagle at 86 inches.
This list is based on median averages. Therefore, outliers among the species are not included. After the list, there will be a longer description of each of these impressive birds.
Largest Eagles by Weight
| Rank | Common Name | Scientific Name | Location | Weight |
| 1 | Steller’s Sea-Eagle | Haliaeetus pelagicus | Asia | 14.75 pounds (6.7 kilograms) |
| 2 | Philippine Eagle | Pithecophaga jefferyi | Asia (the Philippines) | 14 pounds (6.35 kilograms) |
| 3 | Harpy Eagle | Harpia harpyja | Central and South America | 13 pounds (5.95 kilograms) |
| 4 | White-Tailed Sea-Eagle | Haliaeetus albicilla | Europe, and Asia | 10.5 pounds (4.8 kilograms) |
| 5 | Martial Eagle | Polemaetus bellicosus | Africa | 10.25 pounds (4.6 kilograms) |
Largest Eagles by Length
| Rank | Common Name | Scientific Name | Location | Total Length |
| 1 | Philippine Eagle | Pithecophaga jefferyi | Asia (the Philippines) | 39.4 inches (100 centimeters) |
| 2 | Harpy Eagle | Harpia harpyja | Central and South America | 38.8 inches (98.5 centimeters) |
| 3 | Wedge-Tailed Eagle | Aquila audax | Oceania (Australia) | 37.6 inches (95.5 centimeters) |
| 4 | Steller’s Sea-Eagle | Haliaeetus pelagicus | Asia | 37.4 inches (95 centimeters) |
| 5 | Crowned Eagle | Stephanoaetus coronatus | Africa | 34.4 inches (87.5 centimeters) |
Largest Eagles by Wingspan
| Rank | Common Name | Scientific Name | Location | Wingspan |
| 1 | White-Tailed Sea-Eagle | Haliaeetus albicilla | Europe, and Asia | 86 inches (218.5 centimeters) |
| 2 | Steller’s Sea-Eagle | Haliaeetus pelagicus | Asia | 83.7 inches (212.5 centimeters) |
| 3 | Wedge-Tailed Eagle | Aquila audax | Oceania (Australia) | 82.7 inches (210 centimeters) |
| 4 | Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa | 81.5 inches (207 centimeters) |
| 5 | Martial Eagle | Polemaetus bellicosus | Africa | 81.3 inches (206.5 centimeters) |
8 Largest Eagles Now Living
Now that we know the names of the largest eagles, let’s learn a little more about each of them.
Here are the 8 largest eagles now living, listed in alphabetical order.
1. Crowned Eagle
- Scientific Name: Stephanoaetus coronatus
- Location: Africa
- Habitat: Forest, Savanna, and Wetlands
- Population Status: Near Threatened
- Weight: 5.6-10.4 pounds (2.6-4.7 kilograms)
- Length: 2.6-3.2 feet (80-99 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 4.9-5.9 feet (150-180 centimeters)
The crowned eagle, or African crowned eagle, lives in the dense forests of sub-Saharan Africa.
They feed on antelope, rock hyrax, and monkeys, often attacking prey that is much larger than themselves.
They have even been known to attack human children. It’s better to observe these ferocious raptors from a distance.
Both crowned eagles and golden eagles are some of the fastest birds in the world.
2. Golden Eagle
- Scientific Name: Aguila chrysaetos
- Location: North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa
- Habitat: Forest, Shrubland, Grassland, Rocky Cliffs and Mountains, and Desert
- Population Status: Least Concern
- Weight: 6.6-13.4 pounds (3-6.1 kilograms)
- Length: 2.3-2.8 feet (70-84 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 6.1-7.2 feet (185-220 centimeters)
Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the Golden Eagle is the largest bird of prey in North America. Not only are they large, but they are also quick, reaching speeds of up to 150 miles (241.4 kilometers) per hour.
Unlike the Crowned Eagle, the Golden Eagle tends to favor smaller prey. Hares, rabbits, squirrels, and groundhogs may all find themselves on the menu.
There are currently 6 recognized subspecies of the Golden Eagle:
- European Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos chrysaetos)
- Iberian Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri)
- Asian Golden Eagle/Himalayan Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos daphanea)
- Japanese Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica)
- North American Gold Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos canadensis)
- Siberian Golden Eagle/Kamchatkan Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos kamtschatica)
3. Harpy Eagle
- Scientific Name: Harpia harpyja
- Location: Central and South America
- Habitat: Forest
- Population Status: Near Threatened
- Weight: 9.7-18.3 pounds (4.4-8.3 kilograms)
- Length: 2.8-3.5 feet (86.5-107 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 5.8-7.3 feet (176-224 centimeters)
The Harpy Eagle is the third-largest eagle by weight, and the second-largest by length, in the world. It can be found soaring through the rainforests of Central and South America.
They got their name from the Harpies of Ancient Greek mythology. These creatures were described as having the body of a vulture and the face of a woman and were tasked with delivering the dead to Hades.
Although those mythical harpies are not real, these birds are still pretty terrifying- especially from the point of view of a monkey or sloth.
4. Martial Eagle
- Scientific Name: Polemaetus bellicosus
- Location: Africa
- Habitat: Forest, Savanna, Shrubland, Grassland, and Wetlands
- Population Status: Endangered
- Weight: 6.6-13.2 pounds (3-6 kilograms)
- Length: 2.6-3.1 feet (78-96 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 6.2-7.9 feet (188-240 centimeters)
The Martial Eagle is a booted eagle, meaning that it has feathers covering its upper legs. It lives in a wide area in Sub-Saharan Africa, but its numbers are on the decline.
Their eyes are nearly as large as human eyes, which allows them to see prey up to 3.7 miles (6 kilometers away). They are not picky eaters- mammals, reptiles, and other birds are all on the menu.
In fact, they feast on over 170 different prey. Sometimes this prey includes poisonous snakes, jackals, and wild cats.
For birds that are seemingly shy, they are scary when they are hungry.
5. Philippine Eagle
- Scientific Name: Pithecophaga jefferyi
- Location: Asia (the Philippines)
- Habitat: Forest
- Population Status: Critically Endangered
- Weight: 8.9-17.6 pounds (4-8 kilograms)
- Length: 2.8-3.4 feet (86-102 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 6-7.2 feet (184-220 centimeters)
The Philippine Eagle is the longest eagle in the world (from the top of its head to the tip of its tail feathers), and the second-heaviest. And even though it doesn’t have the longest wingspan, it does have the largest wing surface.
These majestic birds are now endangered due to deforestation. As a result, anyone caught killing a Philippine Eagle may face up to 12 years in prison.
6. Steller’s Sea Eagle
- Scientific Name: Haliaeetus pelagicus
- Location: Asia
- Habitat: Wetlands, Rocky Cliffs and Mountains, Coastal, and Marine Areas
- Population Status: Vulnerable
- Weight: 10.8-20.9 pounds (4.9-9.5 kilograms)
- Length: 2.8-3.4 feet (85-105 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 6.4-8.2 feet (195-250 centimeters)
The Steller’s Sea Eagle is the heaviest eagle in the world. They live in coastal areas in Northeastern Asia, mostly in Russia and Japan.
Because of their proximity to the sea, fish and water birds (like ducks, geese, and gulls) make up the majority of their diet. They love salmon and trout.
7. Wedge-Tailed Eagle
- Scientific Name: Aquila audax
- Location: Oceania (Australia)
- Habitat: Forest, Savanna, Shrubland, and Grassland
- Population Status: Least Concern
- Weight: 4.4-12.8 pounds (2-5.8 kilograms)
- Length: 2.7-3.5 feet (81-106 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 6-7.6 feet (182-232 centimeters)
Affectionately known as “Wedgies” in Australia, these large birds of prey can soar for hours on end without a single wingbeat (taking advantage of thermal updrafts).
They are also smart, especially when it comes to hunting techniques. When hunting larger prey like kangaroos, they will team up and hunt together. They also know how to herd goats off of cliffs, and to isolate weaker animals in a flock.
Wedgies are the only bird that has a reputation for attacking paragliders, tearing apart the fabric with their sharp talons. In Latin Audax means bold, I can see why.
8. White-Tailed Sea-Eagle
- Scientific Name: Haliaeetus albicilla
- Location: Europe, and Asia
- Habitat: Forest, Grassland, Wetlands, Marine, and Coastal Areas
- Population Status: Least Concern
- Weight: 6.8-15.2 pounds (3.1-6.9 kilograms)
- Length: 2.2-3.1 feet (66-94 centimeters)
- Wingspan: 5.8-8 feet (178-245 centimeters)
To picture how big the White-Tailed Sea Eagle is, you may want to pull out your measuring tape. Can you imagine an eagle with an 8-foot (245 centimeters) wingspan? That’s more than 2 feet longer than my height!
You may have noticed that some of the forest-dwelling eagles have slightly shorter wings, and the sea-dwelling eagles have longer wings.
This is because the sea eagles do not have to maneuver around trees while hunting. They do, however, like to perch on tree branches, using a sit-and-wait method to spot fish in shallow water.
Learn more about the world’s largest birds that fly.
The Largest Eagle Ever! (Now Extinct)
Some of the eagles on our list are vulnerable, threatened, or endangered.
Let’s hope that they do not get to the point of extinction, like the eagle below.
9. Haast’s Eagle
- Scientific Name: Hieraaetus moorei
- Location: Oceania (New Zealand)
- Habitat: Forest and Scrubland
- Population Status: Extinct
- Average Weight: 22 pounds (10 kilograms)
- Average Length: 4.3 feet (130 centimeters)
- Average Wingspan: 8.5 feet (260 centimeters)
The huge Haast’s Eagle would have been a sight to behold. Its shorter wings allowed it to glide through its forested home in New Zealand, hunting prey with ease.
Haast’s eagle is likely the pouakai (poukai) of Maori legend that was said to kill and eat humans.
Its favorite food was likely Moa- a flightless bird nearly 15 times the weight of the Haast’s Eagle.
Unfortunately, this large eagle has been extinct since around the year 1400. It is said that the first humans to settle in New Zealand arrived in 1280. The humans hunted the Moa to extinction, leaving the Haast’s Eagle with nothing left to eat.
Love bird watching? Check out our guide: 9 Best Compact Binoculars for Hikers and Birders.
Your Turn
Which eagle is your favorite? Have you seen one of these large eagles in the wild? Please tell me about it in the comments below.
I’m assuming this is going by average wingspan, as the wedge-tailed eagle by far has the largest maximum recorded wingspan of 2.84m
Be interested to hear if you’d considered a lammergeier eagle or bearded vulture for list?
I live in Nebraska and I have seen a North American Golden eagle spring in the air over large fields. I’ve also had the pleasure of seeing a Bald eagle perched on a light pole. I’m very fascinated with, not just eagles, but all birds of prey.