The post Counting Down the 9 Largest Eagles in the World appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Quick Take

• Eagles are truly impressive birds for a wide variety of reasons.

• This article takes a look at the largest eagles in the world according toweight.

• Certain species are relatively small while sporting an impressive wingspan.

Eagles are among the most awe-inspiring birds in the animal kingdom, known for their sharp vision, massive wingspans, sharp talons, and powerful hunting abilities. Found across nearly every continent, these birds of prey dominate the bird world with a combination of strength, speed, and precision. While many species are impressive for a variety of reasons, a select few stand out for their immense size.

But what does it really mean to be one of the “largest” eagles? Some species are heavier, stockier, and more muscular, while others boast wider wingspans or longer bodies. In this countdown, we’ll take a closer look at the nine largest eagles in the world according to body weight, while also highlighting the species with the longest wingspans. We explore what makes each eagle unique and how they compare to one another in size and power.

9. Verreaux’s Eagle

This eagle, weighing about 9 pounds, is a fantastic sight as it soars above the hills and mountain ranges in Southern and Eastern Africa. Its 7.5-foot wingspan makes it easy to spot. This eagle lives almost exclusively in dry, rocky environments called kopjes and survives on a diet consisting primarily of rock hyraxes.

These eagles are unusual in that the male often brings food to the female before she lays her eggs. He also supplies almost all of the food while she incubates the eggs. Despite his role as primary hunter, the male also sits on the eggs about 50% of the day! However, females usually do all the incubating at night. Typically, the female lays two eggs three days apart. When the youngest one hatches, the older sibling generally kills it. Unfortunately, the older sibling only survives to be independent about 50% of the time.

8. Wedge-tailed Eagle

This bird goes by several different names, including wedge-tailed eagle, Bunjil, and Eaglehawk. Despite an impressive 7.5-foot wingspan, these eagles are fairly small, weighing only up to 12 pounds. They are, however, the biggest birds of prey in Australia.

This eagle is born featherless and pale pink. Throughout the first 10 years of its life, it progressively darkens to a near black shade. This Australian eagle has a vast territory, but it prefers open ranges and forested habitats. They build nests in the tallest tree in their environment, even if they are dead. It commonly hunts rabbits, which it often scoops up alive.

7. Golden Eagle

Weighing in at about 14 pounds, the golden eagle is among the largest eagles in North America and is the national bird of Mexico. This eagle has a 7.5-foot wingspan. As one of the strongest birds, it can knock a coyote off its feet.

This eagle typically returns to the same nest each year. Annually, it adds additional plant material, until the nest becomes massive. Female golden eagles lay from one to three eggs, which they incubate, while the male gathers for food for both. The eggs hatch in about 45 days. Then, both parents help raise the young, who take their first flight when they are about 72 days old.

6. Martial Eagle

If we’re judging by wingspan, the martial eagle wins every time. These incredibly powerful birds can feature a wingspan of 8.5 feet! However, they are relatively light, maxing out at 14 pounds. Martial eagles live in sub-Saharan Africa, where they consume a range of foods, but they must eat often to support their energy needs. These raptors dine primarily on birds, like guinea fowl, buzzards, and poultry. In other areas, diet consists mainly of mammals, like hyrax and small antelopes.

These birds almost always build their nests in areas where they hunt. It is not unusual for the martial eagle to have two nests, rotating between them in alternate years.

5. American Bald Eagle

The distinctive white head and brown body make the American bald eagle one of the most recognized birds in the world. This is especially true in the United States, where it is the national bird. They can sport a wingspan of up to 8 feet, especially those in the Alaskan population. They weigh about 6.5-14 pounds and can dive up to 100mph!

While these birds primarily hunt fish, they will also scavenge. Other birds often scatter when a bald eagle is present because of its impressive size. They build their huge nests in strong coniferous or hardwood trees near large bodies of water including near coastlines, rivers, and lakes. The largest bald eagle nest ever found was 9.6 feet wide and 20 feet deep!

4. White-tailed Eagle

The white-tailed eagle is known for having one of the largest wingspans among eagles, which measures up to 8 feet across. These impressive birds weigh approximately 11 pounds, with females capable of exceeding 13-15 pounds. This is the biggest European eagle, and you can see it in most of Europe, Russia, and Northern Japan. Once considered endangered, this bird has made a remarkable comeback. While this eagle is primarily an opportunity feeder and does not mind stealing food from other birds, it prefers to dine on fish.

After being reliant on their parents for about the first 15 to 17 weeks of their lives, young white-tailed eagles often fly across a large area before finding the perfect place to call home. Once a location is chosen, they will usually stay in that area for the rest of their lives, returning to the same nest each year. These nests can be up to 6.5 feet deep and 6.5 feet across.

3. Philippine Eagle

The Philippine eagle has a 6-7-foot wingspan. This endangered eagle weighs 10–18 pounds and is also called the monkey eagle. Philippine eagles, which are the national bird of the Philippines, dine on a diet of monkeys, bats, civets, flying squirrels, other birds, snakes, and lizards. Most of these eagles live in Mindanao.

The Philippine eagle is considered the largest of the extant eagles in the world in terms of length and wing surface area, with only Steller’s sea eagle and the Harpy eagle being larger in terms of weight and bulk. It has been declared the national bird of the Philippines and easily wins best “hairdo” of all the eagles!

2. Harpy Eagle

The Harpy Eagle is the national bird of Panama. While you can see harpy eagles from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, the largest population is in the Darien, Panama region. With a 6.5–7.5 ft wingspan and weighing about 13-20 pounds, this eagle is often considered the most powerful eagle in the world. (The biggest harpy eagles can reach lengths of 3.5 feet, with wingspans of just under 8 feet). Using its tail as a rudder, it expertly navigates the dense woods.

Female birds are larger than males and can weigh as much as 20 pounds. Male harpy eagles on the other hand, generally have a maximum weight of 13.2 pounds.

1. Steller’s Sea Eagle

Steller’s sea eagles are the largest eagles in the world by weight. Most of these power birds have between an 8.2 and 8.5-foot wingspan and easily weigh upwards of 20 pounds. In Japan, where they are winter residents, they are called O-washi.

This vulnerable bird only breeds along the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea in Far East Russia. While they prefer to live in areas where salmon runs are massive, they will feed on crabs, shellfish, squid, small animals, ducks, gulls, and carrion. The size of this eagle is truly a majestic sight!

CORRECTION: This article was updated on March 22, 2026, to correct the spelling of the Steller’s sea eagle.

The post Counting Down the 9 Largest Eagles in the World appeared first on A-Z Animals.