Harpyhaliaetus coronatus
Silhouette: Lauren Anderson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The Chaco eagle (Buteogallus coronatus) or crowned solitary eagle, is an endangered bird of prey from eastern and central South America. Typically it is known simply as the crowned eagle, which leads to potential confusion with the African Stephanoaetus coronatus. Due to its rarity, not much is known about its biology or population.
The Chaco eagle is a large raptor with a mostly dull and silvery grey body plumage. Its short black tail has a broad white medial band as well as a white tip and both its cere and legs are yellow. As its name indicates, the Crowned Solitary Eagle has a crest of darker grey feathers. The juvenile also has a crest but its colour dark brown, except for it creamy head and underbody which are both have grey streaks. It is one of the largest raptors in the Neotropics and normally weighs around 2.95 kg (6.5 lb). Its total length can reach 73–79 cm (29–31 in) and it has a wingspan of 170–183 cm (5 ft 7 in – 6 ft 0 in).
Buteogallus coronatus is monotypic, with no subspecies. Vieillot first named it Harpyia coronata in 1817. It was subsequently reclassified by Lafresnaye in 1842 in the genus Harpyphaliatus, as Harpyhaliatus coronatus... Wikipedia →
Recording0:09
Brazil · 2022
© Non_Praying_Mantis · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Recording0:05
Brazil · 2026
© Jhonatan Manco · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:24
Argentina · 2023
© Jose Luis Navarro · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Serra da Canastra National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Chapada dos Guimarães National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Chapada Diamantina National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curitiba Zoo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Aqualife | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Chaco Eagle sighting in Serra da Canastra National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 237th most-seen of the 294 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chaco Eagle in Serra da Canastra National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–April and June–November, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chaco Eagle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Chaco Eagle sightings, Serra da Canastra National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Emas National Park (Brazil, under 5%).
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Chaco Eagle that you can see in Serra da Canastra National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are White-tailed Hawk (about 30%), Roadside Hawk (about 30%) and Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chaco Eagle is recorded against all the birds logged in Serra da Canastra National Park (13 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
