After 20 Years, Presence of Rare Harpy Eagle Is Registered in São Paulo

09/28/2017 - 13h18

The presence of a Harpy Eagle, one of the biggest and strongest birds of prey in the world, was documented in the State of São Paulo for the first time in at least 20 years.

The call of the Harpy - as it is commonly referred to - was registered by biologist Bruno Lima in 2012 in the Rio Preto region in Itanhaém, and uploaded last week to the Wikiaves site, a forum used for pre-releasing information and research in the area.

An article describing the finding of the rare bird was recently submitted to the scientific magazine "Atualidades Ornitológicas" (Ornithological News) and is awaiting approval.

Specialists who have listened to the audio at Folha's request believe that it is indeed from a Harpia, an animal considered to be critically threatened in São Paulo.

For Felipe Bittioli Gomes, professor from the Federal University of Pará, there is no doubt that the call is from a Harpy Eagle. "It is an indisputable recording. Among the various types of Harpy Eagle calls, the most characteristic is territorial, exactly the one that was recorded."

Tânia Sanaiotti, a researcher from INPA (National Institute of Amazonian Research) and coordinator of the Harpia Project, is a little more cautious. "It in fact does sound like the call of a Harpia, although it is short."

Biologist Marco Antonio Granzinolli, a specialist in birds of prey, on the other hand, is emphatic: "This is the call of a Harpia".

Additionally, among the 20 commentaries on Wikiaves regarding the audio recording registered by Lima, none question its veracity.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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	Rudimar Cipriani
	The presence of a Harpy Eagle was documented in the State of São Paulo for the first time in at least 20 years