Harpy eagle the harpy eagle is the largest bird of its kind on the planet. it weighs up to 20 pounds, stands nearly three feet tall, and has a wingspan up to eight feet! its strength led mexico to adopt it as its national bird. unfortunately, its ferocious looks have had negative effects, too; many people are frightened of it. the awesome gray, black, and white birds have been hunted to near extinction. their fate has been similar to that of many other birds of prey. but while eagles in the northern hemisphere are staging a comeback due to the interest of environmental groups and laws, the harpy has not been so lucky. it lives in the poorer regions of the world—parts of mexico and central and south america. there, raising the standard of living of the people takes on far more importance than saving a bird. these days, the harpy’s greatest threat is not from hunters but from land developers. the harpy needs tall trees—100 feet or more—to nest in. it needs a food supply that ranges from mammals such as anteaters and spider monkeys to medium-sized birds such as toucans and macaws. why is the harpy eagle’s existence threatened by land developers? a. their noisy equipment scares the harpy away. b. they shoot the harpy to feed their crews. c. they destroy the forests where the harpy lives.