The Philippine Eagle Is The Largest Eagle In The World, With Pictures

The Philippine eagle was previously known as the monkey-eating eagle. This was later found to be incorrect because recent studies revealed that the Philippine eagle preys on a variety of animals ranging from rodents and bats to pigs and monitor lizards. The Philippine eagle is considered one of the rarest and strongest birds in the world, and the country announced the incident. In Southeast Asia, it is their national bird and therefore it was named after it. This endangered species is protected at all costs, with those found guilty of killing it being punished with 12 years in prison or heavy fines. In our report we will collect a lot of interesting information and facts about this majestic bird. . The habitat of the Philippine eagle:

The Philippine eagle is found in the Philippine forests, and lives on the islands of Luzon and Mindanao, in the provinces of Samar and Leyte. The largest number of the Philippine eagle lives in Mindanao, which numbers between (82-233) pairs of eagles. The Philippine eagle lives in the Sierra mountains. On Luzon and close to Strato Volcano Apo, the dormant volcano Kitanglad on the island of Mindanao.

The Philippine eagle prefers to live in deciduous forests at high altitudes, especially on steep slopes. The Philippine eagle can also be found in lowlands and in mountain ranges that reach a height of 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) above sea level, and about 9,220 square kilometers of the Philippine eagle’s habitat. It is an ancient forest structure, while the estimated total area of the territory in which the Philippine Eagle appears is about 146,000 km2.

Characteristics of the Philippine Eagle

The Philippine eagle is a bird that has beautiful, long, brown feathers on its head. These impressive feathers resemble a lion’s mane, and a structure like this is also found in the South American harpy eagle, although the Philippine eagle is somewhat more beautiful, and the Philippine eagle has The face is dark, the neck and mane are brown and cream, the back area is covered with gorgeous dark brown feathers, while the undersurface of the wings is white. The legs of the Philippine eagle are strong and thick yellow and have strong, dark and very curved claws. The beak and eyes are blue and tend to be grey. Juvenile eagles are not completely different from adults, only the back feathers have shiny edges.

The body length of the Philippine eagle ranges between 86-102 cm, but research on several samples of vultures has shown that the largest male Philippine eagle reaches 95 cm in length, while females reach 105 cm in length, and the Philippine eagle weighs 4.5 cm. -8) kg. However, the average weight is less than that, and for females the average weight is about 6 kg. When the Philippine eagle spreads its wings, its length reaches (184-220) cm, and the width of one wing ranges between (57.4-61.4) cm. .

The Philippine eagle has the longest ankle among the goshawk family that belongs to birds of prey, which reaches a length of (12.2-14.5) cm. While the beak of the Philippine eagle reaches an average length of more than 7 cm, the tail of the Philippine eagle is also long, reaching ( 42-45.3 cm in length, and it was said that it could reach 50 cm.

Food of the Philippine Eagle:
For many years, this animal was called the monkey-eating Philippine eagle, as it was believed that it only ate monkeys, which were the only major mammals that lived in the Philippines. It is a subspecies of the macaque, but this opinion was proven wrong, and most likely the reason for this opinion. It is the discovery of an undigested monkey still in the stomach of the Philippine eagle. The Philippine eagle is an opportunistic predator, meaning that it feeds on whatever is easiest to catch at a certain moment. The Philippine eagle preys on many animals weighing up to 10 grams, such as a bat. Which weighs up to 14 kg, like the Philippine deer.

The Philippine eagle’s diet depends on the region in which it lives. On the islands of Luzon and Mindanao, it feeds on flying lemurs and flying foxes. Also, the diet list of the Philippine eagle in Mindanao includes macaques, flying squirrels, Asian palm cats, tree squirrels, and giant fruit bats. Rats, birds, and reptiles, and several cases of kidnapping of wild boars and small dogs have been documented

The Philippine eagle and the hunting method
The Philippine eagle uses two hunting techniques. The first technique is based on observing potential prey from a tree branch, and the second technique involves flying in a circle between the hunting area. With the use of the last technique, the Philippine eagle moves between the lower branches until it reaches the prey. If it does not find prey, the bird returns to the highest point and repeats the above.

The latter method proves to be the most effective when hunting flying lemurs and flying squirrels because they are nocturnal animals, and they use camouflage during the day to prevent being attacked by predators. The Philippine eagle can hunt in a team, as a pair of eagles share in hunting prey such as monkeys. One of the vultures distracts the monkey while the other eagle attacks from behind.

Reproduction of the Philippine Eagle:
Female Philippine Eagles become adults when they reach five years of age, and males reach 7 years of age. The Philippine Eagle is monogamous, meaning that it is associated with one partner until the end of its life. If it dies, it seeks to associate with another new partner, and the mating process begins. With the construction of the nest, the male Philippine eagle remains close to the nest until he finds the female and begins the aerial chase. After mating and laying eggs, the hatching season usually begins in July. The female usually lays one egg in the late afternoon or evening, and she rarely spawns. Two eggs, and the female lays eggs once every two years.

The Philippine eagle incubates the egg for (58-68) days, and both the male and female participate in this. The female Philippine eagle usually incubates the eggs during the day, and the male bears responsibility at night. The male Philippine eagle also works to nourish the young after emerging from the egg, and to protect it from Sunshine and rain for the next seven weeks. Feathers grow on the young after (4-5) months, and the young Philippine eagle is monitored for 20 months after it emerges from the egg.

Threats Facing the Philippine Eagle
The Philippine eagle is primarily threatened by deforestation through logging and expanding agriculture. Old-growth forests are being lost at a high rate. Most lowland forests are owned by logging companies. Mining, pollution, and exposure to pesticides affect reproduction and hunting. Poaching is also a major threat. In addition, the Philippine eagle is sometimes caught in traps set by local residents for deer.

Is the Philippine eagle threatened with extinction?
According to the IUCN Red List, the total size of the Philippine eagle is about 180-500 mature individuals, which is about 250-750 individuals in total. In 2015, it was estimated that about 600 Philippine eagle remained in the wild. Currently, this species is classified as It is threatened with extinction on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers are declining today.

Facts about the Philippine eagle

1- The Philippine eagle can live up to 60 years of age.
The life expectancy of the Philippine eagle ranges from 30 to 60 years. Two Philippine vultures were recorded who lived for more than 40 years, and one of them died in October 2016. The full-grown Philippine eagle called Thor died of old age, and it is believed Authorities believe that its captivity has worsened its condition, and hence, it is believed that the Philippine eagle could live longer if left in the wild.

2- The female Philippine eagle is usually larger.
Giant raptors are not only rare and powerful, but they are also known for their length. They can grow up to 3 feet and their wings can extend up to 7 feet. The average measurements between male and female Philippine eagles indicate that the Philippine eagle It can be 10% larger than its male counterpart, and in terms of length, it is considered the largest surviving eagle in the world.

2- The Philippine eagle does not really eat monkeys.
Previous beliefs indicated that the Philippine eagle was also known as the monkey-eating eagle because it preyed on monkeys. However, contrary to popular belief, the Philippine eagle does not eat monkeys, and according to recent studies, it preys on a variety of animals, Usually rodents, bats, snakes and pigs.

3- The Philippine eagle has clearer vision than humans.
The distinctive features of the Philippine eagle are the long crown feathers, the huge curved beak, and bluish eyes that are said to be really sharp. These birds have clearer vision compared to humans, and they have the ability to see eight times the distance that the human eye can see. .

4- The Philippine eagle has a distinctive noise.
The sounds we hear from the Philippine eagle are described as loud, high-pitched, which suggests its ferocious and territorial characteristics.

5- The Philippine eagle is found on four main islands in the Philippines.
The Philippine eagle is found only in the Philippines and can be seen on four main islands, and these are the islands of Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, and Samar. However, due to gunfire and siege, the Philippine eagle has been exposed to severe danger for years. Despite the spread of strict laws, there are still instances of Philippine vultures being shot in the forests, and thus, the Philippine Eagle Center was established as a conservation breeding facility for this critically threatened bird of prey.

6- Deforestation is usually the cause of the death of the Philippine Eagle. The forest
, especially the dense, lush forests, is the habitat of the Philippine Eagle. Despite the abundance of green spaces in the country, large-scale logging and irresponsible use of resources kills the forests, and thus kills the species’ habitat. Aside from shooting and trapping, deforestation is also seen as a major cause of death for the Philippine eagle.

7- The Philippine eagle is monogamous and loyal.
It is said that the Philippine eagle is very loyal, and once it is paired with a partner, they choose to remain as a couple for the rest of their lives. As for their offspring, the Philippine eagle lays only one egg every two years, and before they lay another egg, the mother eagles ensure that their offspring can live. Already alone

8- The British naturalist discovered the Philippine Eagle.
It was not a Filipino or a local who discovered this type of powerful bird. The British naturalist and explorer John Whitehead discovered the Philippine Eagle in 1896, when he found the specimen in Paranas, Samar, in honor of his father, who financed his travels and explorations. The scientific name of the Philippine eagle is
Psycophaga jefferyi, which means Jeffrey (father of John Whitehead).

9- The Philippine eagle does not have any recognized subspecies.
The Philippine eagle was named as the country’s national bird in 1995, and Proclamation No. 615, signed by former President Fidel Ramos, made way for this species to be recognized as the country’s national bird, and it was recognized at This is because it is only found in the Philippines and according to the advertisement, its distinctive characteristics of strength and love for freedom typify the Filipino people. Unlike other birds of prey, the Philippine eagle has no known relatives or subspecies which makes it very unique.

10- Seeing the Philippine eagle indicates a healthy environment
. Since it lives in forests, many believe that seeing the Philippine eagle indicates the healthy state of the forest. In addition, its presence indicates a balance in the ecosystem and with a healthy natural environment, reducing the effects of floods and climate change. .