Harpy Eagle

[RandyRFJP]

Brookfield Zoo, Festival of Flight; Brookfield, IL - Harpy Eagle

Photo 1: Eagle Profile



Photo 2: Eagle Without Either Nictitating Membrane Raised



Photo 3: Eagle With Right Eye Nictitating Membrane Raised



C&C are welcome.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Ziggy]

Nice bird.

[Kpmac]

Nice sharp images.

[RandyRFJP]

Thanks John. Jim & Kpmac. I'm glad you liked the photos

[Wavelength]

Excellent images..does this person have eyelids? or only those nictitating membranes? is this membrane visually permeable to them?

[RandyRFJP]

Excellent images..does this person have eyelids? or only those nictitating membranes? is this membrane visually permeable to them?

Thanks, Nandakumar. I'm glad you liked the images. Yes, the eagle has "regular eyelids," too. The nictitating membrane is a third one that protects the eagle's eyes. One of the main reasons for them is to offer some protection to the bird's eyes from dust, small insects, and other things they might encounter while flying.

I don't know why the membrane in the photo doesn't appear transparent. I've seen almost transparent nictitating membranes on a different species of bird (curassow). It might have to do with species differences, or it might be a problem that the eagle I photographed had, but other Harpy Eagles do not have. The next time I'm at the zoo, and if I see the zookeeper that works with the eagle, I'll try to find out!

[IzzieK]

Interesting shots, Randy...very sharp. How far are you from the eagle? I am wondering about the high ISO and very high shutter speed combination when the eagle seems to be in position...is this taken at the zoo?

[bnnrcn]

Great set Randy, my fav is #2

[RandyRFJP]

Interesting shots, Randy...very sharp. How far are you from the eagle? I am wondering about the high ISO and very high shutter speed combination when the eagle seems to be in position...is this taken at the zoo?

The photos were taken at Brookfield (Illinois) Zoo, Izzie, and I'd guess I was about 20-25 ft (approx. 6 to 7.5 m) away. I was seated perpendicular to the perch the eagle was standing on (photo 1), and when he turned his head toward me, I got photos 2 & 3.

I used a high shutter speed to be certain that I could freeze motion. The zoo presentation is "Festival of Flight," and I wanted to be sure to get good shots if there was a lot of action. At the zoo I set a high ISO to be able to get hand-held photos in the the low-light, indoor exhibits, and I usually leave it at that high setting for the duration of my outing. I've tried changing the ISO setting as I go between indoor and outdoor exhibits, but I invariably forget to do so. Also, there are a fair number of low-light "nooks and crannies" to shield outdoor animals from the sun, and the high ISO helps in those situations, too. I rarely have prints made of the photos, and I shoot at the highest quality setting my camera will allow, so I am not very concerned about high ISO noise or graininess.

[RandyRFJP]

Great set Randy, my fav is #2

Thanks, Binnur, I'm glad you liked the photos.