The Andean condor is the world’s largest and heaviest bird of prey, with a wingspan reaching up to 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) and a body mass of up to 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds). The secretarybird is the tallest and longest predatory bird, standing up to 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) tall and reaching a body length of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet).
In this article, we explore the largest living raptors from each major group, focusing on verified size measurements from wild individuals. These apex predators command the skies and open landscapes with sheer size and strength, each adapted to dominate their ecological niche with power, endurance, and precision. As always at Planet of Birds, we look beyond size to examine each bird’s unique adaptations, ecological role, threats, and conservation status.
Andean condor (Vultur gryphus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 3.3 m (10.8 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 15 kg (33.1 lb).
- Body length: Up to 130 cm (4.3 ft).
- Where found: Along the Andes Mountains from Colombia to southern Chile and Argentina – high-altitude grasslands, steppes, cliffs, and coastal zones.
- Conservation status: Vulnerable.
The Andean condor is the largest living bird of prey in the world by combined wingspan and weight. With an impressive wingspan reaching up to 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) and a maximum weight of 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds), it is built for soaring across vast mountainous terrain. Its massive wings feature long primary feathers that create a “fingered” profile, allowing it to exploit thermal updrafts with extraordinary efficiency.
Unlike many other large birds, the Andean condor relies heavily on gliding rather than flapping, using minimal energy to cover great distances. Its bare head and neck, a hygienic adaptation for scavenging, shift color in response to emotional states, particularly during social interactions at carcasses or courtship displays.
This iconic scavenger ranges along the entire Andean mountain chain, from northern Colombia to southern Patagonia, with scattered populations inhabiting open alpine meadows, steep cliffs, temperate forests, and coastal deserts. It is increasingly rare in the northern part of its range, where reintroduction programs using captive-bred or rescued birds are underway.
The Andean condor’s slow life history makes it highly susceptible to human-induced threats. These include mass poisonings (often targeting predators like pumas), widespread lead poisoning from ingested ammunition, habitat conversion for agriculture, and occasional persecution over unfounded livestock predation claims.
Competition with expanding black vulture (Coragyps atratus) populations and reliance on exotic herbivore carcasses further complicate its ecological niche. Conservation efforts now combine telemetry tracking, public education, legal reform, and genetic monitoring, but long-term recovery hinges on sustained regional cooperation and threat mitigation.
Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 3.1 m (10.2 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 14 kg (30.9 lb).
- Body length: Up to 120 cm (3.9 ft).
- Where found: Southern Europe through Central Asia to East Asia – forested mountains, steppe, and arid highlands.
- Conservation status: Near Threatened.
The cinereous vulture, also known as the Eurasian black vulture, is among the heaviest and most broad-winged birds of prey in the world. Adults can reach a wingspan of 3.1 meters (10.2 feet) and weigh up to 14 kilograms (30.9 pounds), with a body length of 120 centimeters (3.9 feet). Its massive, barn door-like wings, held straight or slightly arched in flight, make it a powerful yet “buoyant” glider, capable of soaring great distances in search of carrion.
The dark plumage, bare bluish-gray head, and bulky silhouette give it an imposing appearance. Although its flight is slow and heavy when flapping, the bird’s efficient use of thermals allows it to stay aloft with minimal effort.
This vulture’s vast range stretches from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans across Central Asia to Mongolia and northern China. It inhabits forested mountains and hills, alpine steppe, and dry grasslands, nesting primarily in trees but foraging widely over open terrain. It builds enormous stick nests, often reused over decades, usually in large trees or occasionally on cliff ledges in Asia.
The global population is divided between a recovering European stronghold and a much larger, but more poorly monitored, Asian population where declines are ongoing. Major threats include poisoning from predator baits, illegal shooting, contamination by veterinary drugs such as diclofenac and nimesulide, habitat loss, and a dwindling food supply due to reduced livestock and wild ungulates. Some populations are further imperiled by wind turbine collisions, disturbance at nest sites, and genetic bottlenecks.
Conservation programs have been relatively successful in Spain, France, and Greece, with supplementary feeding, legislation, and rewilding projects helping stabilize numbers. However, without similar long-term investment across Central Asia, the species remains at risk of steep decline in its core range.
California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 3.05 m (10 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 14 kg (30.9 lb).
- Body length: Up to 140 cm (55.1 in).
- Where found: Southwestern United States and Baja California, Mexico – rugged canyons, scrublands, and montane forests.
- Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
The California condor is the largest bird of prey in North America and one of the most massive flying birds in the world. With a wingspan stretching up to 3.05 meters (10 feet), it soars on thermal currents with minimal effort, aided by its long, broad wings and fingered wingtips.
Its large, featherless head is adapted for scavenging, allowing the condor to feed deeply on carcasses without fouling its plumage. Although not a fast flier, it can cover vast distances and reach high altitudes while searching for carrion.
Once found throughout much of North America, the California condor was pushed to the brink of extinction by habitat loss, poaching, and lead poisoning. The species vanished from the wild in 1987 when all remaining individuals were brought into captivity. Since then, an intensive breeding and reintroduction program has steadily rebuilt the population.
By 2025, the wild population of California condors had grown to 369 individuals, distributed across key regions in California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California. However, the species remains heavily dependent on human-led conservation. Lead poisoning from spent ammunition continues to be the leading cause of death and a major obstacle to sustainable recovery – a fate shared by many critically threatened bird species around the world.
Lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)
- Wingspan: As wide as 2.9 m (9.5 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 9.4 kg (20.7 lb).
- Body length: Up to 115 cm (3.8 ft).
- Where found: Across sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Middle East – dry savannas, deserts, and arid plains.
- Conservation status: Endangered.
The lappet-faced vulture is Africa’s largest bird of prey, distinguished by its massive build, powerful bill, and broad wings that can reach a span of 2.9 meters (9.5 feet). Wild individuals have been recorded weighing up to 9.4 kilograms (20.7 pounds), with some captive specimens growing even heavier.
The species is named for the distinctive fleshy folds, or lappets, on the sides of its bare head – an adaptation that helps keep its skin clean while feeding deep inside carcasses. Its huge, hooked beak is one of the strongest among vultures, capable of tearing through tough hides that other scavengers cannot breach, giving it access to food first. In flight, the bird soars effortlessly over open terrain, scanning vast areas with keen eyesight.
The lappet-faced vulture is sparsely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of the Sahel, inhabiting arid plains, deserts, and dry savannas. Formerly more widespread, it has disappeared from much of North and West Africa and now survives in fragmented populations, with notable declines across its historic range. Though it forages over vast distances, the species nests solitarily in large trees such as acacias, producing just one chick per breeding attempt. Primarily a scavenger, it is also known to hunt small vertebrates and has been observed targeting flamingo chicks.
The species is undergoing a severe and continuing decline, driven by accidental and deliberate poisoning, direct persecution, nest disturbance, and use in traditional medicine. In some regions, additional threats such as electrocution, reduced food availability, and habitat degradation worsen its outlook.
While it still breeds in protected areas like Kruger National Park in South Africa and reserves in Saudi Arabia, its global population has dropped sharply in recent decades. Conservation efforts now focus on poison response, community outreach, protection of nesting sites, and stronger enforcement of anti-wildlife trafficking laws.
Wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax)
- Wingspan: As wide as 2.84 m (9.3 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 5.8 kg (12.8 lb).
- Body length: Up to 110 cm (43.3 in).
- Where found: Australia, Tasmania, southern New Guinea.
- Conservation status: Least Concern.
The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia, reaching a body length of up to 110 centimeters (43.3 inches) and weighing as much as 5.8 kilograms (12.8 pounds). The Tasmanian population includes the largest individuals, with wingspans reaching up to 2.84 meters (9.3 feet), making it the eagle species with the widest verified wingspan.
Easily recognized by its long, wedge-shaped tail, broad wings, and shaggy feathered legs, this powerful raptor is built for soaring. It rides thermals for hours with barely a wingbeat, using some of the sharpest eyesight in the bird world to spot prey or carrion from great heights.
Widespread across mainland Australia, Tasmania, and parts of southern New Guinea, the wedge-tailed eagle occupies an exceptionally broad range of habitats, including open woodlands, arid grasslands, savannas, montane forests, and semi-desert regions. While it typically avoids dense forests and intensively developed areas, it remains highly adaptable and is often seen soaring over remote or lightly wooded landscapes.
Historically, the species suffered intense persecution, with tens of thousands killed annually under official bounty schemes through much of the 20th century. Despite these pressures, the species proved remarkably resilient, and following the introduction of legal protections, wedge-tailed eagle populations have rebounded and now remain stable or increasing across much of their range, though threats such as habitat clearance, collisions, and poisoning persist, particularly for the endangered Tasmanian subspecies.
Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
- Wingspan: As wide as 2.1 m (6.9 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 4.3 kg (9.5 lb).
- Body length: Up to 150 cm (59.1 in).
- Height: As tall as 1.3 m (4.3 ft).
- Where found: Sub-Saharan Africa – open grasslands, savannas, shrublands, and semi-arid plains.
- Conservation status: Endangered.
The secretarybird is the tallest and longest bird of prey alive today, standing up to 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) tall and measuring up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length. With a maximum wingspan of 2.1 meters (6.9 feet) and weighing as much as 4.3 kilograms (9.5 pounds), it cuts a distinctive figure on the African plains.
Its silhouette is defined by unusually long, crane-like legs and a dramatic crest of black feathers. These powerful limbs are not just for show – when hunting, the bird delivers rapid, forceful kicks with a strike measured at five times its body weight and lasting just milliseconds, enough to kill or incapacitate snakes, lizards, and small mammals with precision.
Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, the secretarybird inhabits open grasslands, savannas, and lightly wooded plains where low vegetation permits clear visibility and ease of movement. Though capable of soaring to high altitudes, it relies primarily on the ground to hunt, walking more than 30 kilometers (19 miles) a day with measured, high-stepping strides. When pursuing prey, it may break into a sprint, reaching speeds of up to 32 km/h (20 mph) and often spreading its wings for balance – a behavior seen in other fast-running birds.
Despite its wide range, the species is in steep decline due to habitat loss, overgrazing, urban encroachment, electrocution, and poisoning. Conservation efforts focus on land stewardship, species monitoring, and mitigating human threats, but its future remains uncertain across much of its former stronghold.
Steller’s sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 2.7 m (8.9 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 9.5 kg (20.9 lb).
- Body length: Up to 105 cm (3.4 ft)
- Where found: Russian Far East, particularly Kamchatka and the Sea of Okhotsk; winters in Japan and the southern Kurils – coastal cliffs, large rivers, and inland lakes.
- Conservation status: Vulnerable.
The Steller’s sea eagle is one of the largest and most powerfully built raptors alive today, reaching up to 9.5 kilograms (20.9 pounds) in weight and a wingspan of 2.7 meters (8.9 feet). While it may not top the charts for maximum wingspan or mass, its large females consistently rival the biggest eagles in the world, making the species a standout in average size and overall bulk.
With a barrel-shaped body, wedge-shaped tail, and striking contrast of dark brown body plumage with white shoulders, thighs, and tail, it commands attention. Its oversized, deep yellow bill, one of the largest among birds of prey, is perfectly adapted for tearing through fish and scavenged carcasses. In flight, its broad, slotted wings and deep, deliberate wingbeats contribute to its stately presence over coastal waters and river valleys.
This formidable eagle breeds along the rugged coastlines and riverine forests of eastern Russia, especially around the Sea of Okhotsk, the Kamchatka Peninsula, and northern Sakhalin. Most individuals migrate south to winter in Hokkaido, Japan, or the southern Kuril Islands, where they feed on fish and carrion, including sika deer remains. Breeding pairs typically nest in large trees near rivers or lakes, often favoring coastal locations where productivity is higher.
The species faces a complex suite of threats, including habitat loss from hydroelectric and petrochemical development, industrial pollution, overfishing, and lead poisoning from scavenging carcasses contaminated by hunting ammunition. On Sakhalin, nest predation by brown bears reduces chick survival, while climate-driven changes such as increased spring flooding and reduced ice cover are disrupting key breeding patterns.
Though legally protected and monitored across much of its range, the Steller’s sea eagle remains one of the most threatened eagles, facing ecosystem imbalances, industrial encroachment, and pollution, especially as its stronghold is concentrated in a relatively narrow geographic zone. Conservation efforts focus on habitat protection, pollution monitoring, and phasing out toxic ammunition to secure the future of this iconic giant of the North Pacific.
Blakiston’s fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni)
- Wingspan: As wide as 2.0 m (6.6 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 4.6 kg (10.1 lb).
- Body length: Up to 72 cm (28.3 in).
- Where found: Russian Far East, northeastern China, and Hokkaido, Japan – riverine forests with unfrozen streams and large nesting trees.
- Conservation status: Endangered.
Blakiston’s fish owl is the largest living owl by both wingspan and body mass, and one of the most powerful raptors within its range. Weighing up to 4.6 kilograms (10.1 pounds) and with a wingspan reaching 2 meters (6.6 feet), it rivals some small eagles in overall bulk. With broad, heavily feathered wings, it is adapted for silent flight through dense forests, often along snowy riverbanks. Its shaggy plumage, broad facial disc, and feathered feet provide insulation against harsh northern winters.
As its name suggests, it specializes in fishing, using powerful talons and acute hearing to snatch prey from shallow, fast-flowing rivers. It nests in large tree cavities, often in old poplars, and is notably long-lived and slow to reproduce, traits that increase its vulnerability to disturbance.
This reclusive species ranges across the Russian Far East, northeastern China, and the island of Hokkaido in Japan, inhabiting mature riverine forests near unfrozen channels, springs, or lake margins. It depends heavily on salmon and freshwater fish, though its diet can include small mammals, birds, and amphibians.
The species faces numerous threats, including logging of old-growth nesting sites, dam construction, riverbank development, and declining fish stocks. In Japan, additional hazards include collisions with power lines, drowning in fish-farm nets, and inbreeding within isolated subpopulations. Conservation measures in recent years include nest box installation, habitat protection, public awareness campaigns, and cooperative work with logging companies to reduce human disturbance. Despite these efforts, most of its optimal habitat remains unprotected, and the species continues to face an uncertain future as one of the world’s most threatened owls.
Red kite (Milvus milvus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 1.95 m (6.4 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 1.6 kg (3.5 lb).
- Body length: Up to 70 cm (27.6 in).
- Where found: Across Europe – woodlands, pastures, and farmland.
- Conservation status: Least Concern.
The red kite is the largest of the world’s kites, a slim, elegant raptor known for its long forked tail, striking chestnut plumage, and deeply notched wings. Reaching a wingspan of up to 1.95 meters (6.4 feet) and weighing as much as 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds), it soars effortlessly with slow, buoyant wingbeats and wide glides, often twisting its tail to steer with precision.
Endemic to the western Palearctic, it breeds across much of Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula and the U.K. to Ukraine and southern Scandinavia. Unlike stockier raptors, the red kite is adapted for scavenging and opportunistic hunting, feeding on carrion, small mammals, and birds, often near roadsides, farmland, or even garden edges. It nests in broadleaf woodlands near open countryside, and populations in the north are largely resident, while some in central and eastern regions migrate short distances to winter in southern Europe.
Once severely reduced by persecution and pesticide poisoning, the red kite has made a remarkable comeback thanks to legal protection and reintroduction programs, particularly in the U.K. and central Europe. However, illegal poisoning and land-use changes still threaten some populations, especially in southern Spain and Portugal, where local declines continue.
Snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 1.83 m (6.0 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 2.95 kg (6.5 lb).
- Body length: Up to 71 cm (28.0 in).
- Where found: Arctic tundra across North America and Eurasia.
- Conservation status: Vulnerable.
The snowy owl is the largest and most powerful raptor of the High Arctic, dominating some of the northernmost ecosystems inhabited by any bird of prey. Females, which are larger than males, can weigh up to 2.95 kilograms (6.5 pounds), and the wingspan may reach as much as 1.83 meters (6 feet).
Its dense white plumage, broad rounded head, and piercing yellow eyes make it instantly recognizable as it surveys the tundra from a low perch or in silent flight, hunting mainly lemmings, voles, and other small mammals across vast, open terrain.
The snowy owl breeds in the Arctic tundra from Alaska and northern Canada to Greenland, northern Europe, and Russia, favoring elevated ridges and hummocks for nesting. It feeds mainly on lemmings and other rodents but may take birds up to the size of geese when available. Nomadic and irruptive in nature, its winter range can shift dramatically depending on prey abundance, sometimes reaching far into the temperate zone.
Though legally protected today, the species faces a range of modern threats, including vehicle collisions, secondary poisoning, and climate change disrupting prey cycles and snow cover – factors that may be contributing to ongoing population declines.
Upland buzzard (Buteo hemilasius)
- Wingspan: As wide as 1.61 m (5.3 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 2 kg (4.4 lb).
- Body length: Up to 72 cm (28.3 in).
- Where found: Central and East Asia, including Mongolia, China, and southern Siberia – alpine meadows, upland steppes, plateaus, and rocky grasslands.
- Conservation status: Least Concern.
The upland buzzard is the largest of the Buteo hawks by length and wingspan. Reaching up to 72 centimeters (28.3 inches) in body length and 1.61 meters (5.3 feet) in wingspan, with large females occasionally surpassing 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds), it stands out among its relatives for both bulk and stature. This broad-winged raptor is often seen soaring on thermals or hovering over high-altitude steppes and plateaus while scanning for prey.
Its breeding range spans much of Mongolia and northern China, with extensions into southern Siberia and parts of Central Asia. Upland buzzards nest on rocky outcrops and forage across alpine meadows, upland grasslands, and agricultural fields. A partial migrant, it tends to shift elevation or move short distances to avoid snow cover. The species remains widespread and relatively stable, with only localized threats such as grassland degradation, electrocution, and entrapment in open cisterns.
Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 1.6 m (5.2 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 2.6 kg (5.7 lb).
- Body length: Up to 65 cm (2.1 ft).
- Where found: Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia – tundra, sea ice, and coastal cliffs.
- Conservation status: Least Concern.
The gyrfalcon is the largest falcon in the world and a formidable predator of Arctic and sub-Arctic landscapes. With a wingspan reaching 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) and a maximum weight of 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds), it surpasses all other falcons in size and muscular build. Known for its raw power rather than acrobatic dives, this falcon typically hunts through sustained chases in horizontal flight. Yet despite its bulk, it is still among the fastest birds in level pursuit, capable of catching fast-flying prey over open ground.
This raptor is found across the high-latitude tundra and coasts of North America, Greenland, Eurasia, and remote islands. Though largely sedentary, individuals may disperse widely outside the breeding season, with some overwintering on sea ice. Gyrfalcons prey almost exclusively on birds and small mammals, often hunting ptarmigan, seabirds, and hares, sometimes taking animals close to or even larger than themselves.
While its global population remains stable and widely distributed, the species faces ongoing threats from illegal trapping for falconry, nest disturbance, climate change, and overhunting of prey species in some regions. In parts of Russia, oil industry expansion facilitates both habitat change and increased access for poachers, while marine pollutants have been found in individuals feeding on seabirds. Despite these pressures, many breeding areas remain remote and difficult to access, providing a degree of natural protection for one of the Arctic’s most iconic raptors.
Crested caracara (Caracara plancus)
- Wingspan: As wide as 1.32 m (4.3 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 1.6 kg (3.5 lb).
- Body length: Up to 65 cm (2.1 ft).
- Where found: Southern U.S. to southern South America – open savannas, grasslands, deserts, scrublands, and farmland.
- Conservation status: Least Concern.
The crested caracara is the largest of all living caracaras and one of the most distinctive members of the Falconidae family. With a wingspan reaching 1.32 meters (4.3 feet) and weighing up to 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds), it stands out as a notably heavy-set falcon. This size varies across its range, with individuals from cooler southern regions typically averaging larger than their tropical counterparts.
Unlike the sleek, high-speed hunters of the Falco genus, the crested caracara is built for ground foraging and scavenging, with long legs, a robust body, and a methodical stride. Though capable of sustained flight, it is often seen walking or trotting across open terrain, combining the behavior of a raptor with that of a terrestrial scavenger.
Widespread across the Americas, from the southern United States to Tierra del Fuego, the crested caracara thrives in open and semi-open habitats, including savannas, pastures, coastal scrub, and even agricultural lands. It is a bold, opportunistic feeder, relying heavily on carrion but also raiding nests, pirating food from other birds, and capturing small live prey when the opportunity arises. Its diet can include everything from insects and reptiles to crabs, fish, and even small birds and mammals.
This species has adapted to human-altered environments, often following wildfires, vehicles, or farming equipment in search of flushed or discarded food. Despite occasional threats from pesticide use, collisions, and localized trapping, the species remains stable and widespread, benefitting from its adaptability and ecological versatility.
Swamp harrier (Circus approximans)
- Wingspan: As wide as 1.45 m (4.8 ft).
- Weight: As heavy as 1.1 kg (2.4 lb)
- Body length: Up to 62 cm (24.4 in)
- Where found: Across New Zealand, Australia, and the south-west Pacific islands – wetlands and open country.
- Conservation status: Least Concern.
The swamp harrier is the largest of all harrier species and a distinctive sight across the open landscapes of Australasia. With a wingspan reaching 1.45 meters (4.8 feet) and weighing up to 1.1 kilograms (2.4 pounds), it cuts a powerful figure as it glides low over fields and marshes.
It is adapted for hunting in open habitats, using slow, deliberate wingbeats and quartering flight with wings held in a characteristic shallow V-shape. Its prominent facial disk and long legs give it a somewhat owl-like profile in flight, and a pale rump patch makes it easily identifiable.
This raptor is common throughout New Zealand and much of Australia, favoring wetlands, farmland, and open scrub. In New Zealand, the species benefitted from forest clearance and agricultural expansion, expanding into a wide range of habitats. Though carrion makes up a significant part of its diet, it actively hunts live prey such as birds, mammals, insects, and reptiles.
Swamp harriers are also known for their dramatic aerial courtship displays and are the only birds of prey legally used in falconry in New Zealand. Despite facing occasional persecution, the species remains widespread and locally abundant, even reaching remote islands such as the Kermadecs and Campbell Island.
Largest predatory bird that ever lived
While the birds in this list represent the largest living birds of prey, prehistoric skies were ruled by even more imposing predators. The most massive of all was Argentavis magnificens, an extinct giant teratorn from Miocene South America. This colossal bird reached a wingspan of up to 8.3 meters (27.2 feet), stood around 2 meters (6.6 feet) tall, and may have weighed as much as 80 kilograms (176.4 pounds).
Argentavis lived around six million years ago in what is now central and northwestern Argentina, soaring over open plains and foothills. Despite its enormous size, it was likely a master of gliding flight, riding thermal currents much like modern condors. Its reign as the aerial apex predator of its time remains unmatched in the history of raptors.
Further reading