**Description:** A powerful apex predator featuring large feathered tufts on its head, intense yellow eyes, and a white throat patch. They have heavy-bodied proportions and massive, powerful talons.
**Size & Weight:** 18–25 inches tall with a wingspan up to 5 feet. Weighs 2–5 lbs.
**Sexual Dimorphism:** Females are significantly larger and heavier than males.
**Behavior:** Known as the "Tiger of the Air" for their ferocity. They are one of the earliest nesters, often laying eggs in February while snow is still on the ground.
**Habitat:** Highly adaptable; found in deep timber, rocky cliffs, and even near suburban edges.