Presence of the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) in the subtropical Yungas of Argentina

The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is the bird of prey of largest size that inhabits the Neotropics, ranging from the South of Mexico to the extreme north of Argentina, where is considered Critically Endangered, for having few recent records, only confirmed for the province of Misiones. During the 24th and 25th of March, we observed, recorded, and photographed two individuals of this species, in the Calilegua National Park (Province of Jujuy). They were perched inside the canopy formed by large trees (Anadenanthera colubrina, Enterolobium contortisiliquum, and Tipuana tipu), from where they made low-altitude flights through the forest treetop along the steep slopes of the mountains, at 1150 meters above sea level. The study area is situated in the lower montane forest of the Subtropical Yungas. One of the individuals was observed carrying branches in its claws, indicating that the species was nesting in the Calilegua National Park. There are historical records of Harpy Eagle in northwestern Argentina, particularly in the provinces of Salta and Tucumán; however, the presence of the species in the region was later dismissed by diverse authors, probably due to the lack of verifiable material. In this paper we confirm the presence of the Harpy Eagle in the subtropical forests of northwestern Argentina.