Phillippine Eagle |
| Description |
The critically endangered Philippine eagle is considered one of the world's largest raptors. The massive eagle is mostly white below and brown above. It has a shaggy brown crest and huge bill. Its face is black and featherless and the eyes are white. These eagles typicaly weigh up to 17 pounds and can measure well over three feet in length. Females can measure up to four inches longer than males. The eagle's wingspan can extend more than seven feet. Philippine eagles are monogamous. This means that once a male and female are paired, they remain together for life. Both the male and female work together to build a huge platform of sticks that will serve as the nest. The nest is typically one hundred feet or more above the ground. Before the female lays her first egg, she'll experience what is known as egg lethargy - a condition in which she will drink excessive amounts of water and hold her wings in a drooping position. During egg lethargy, the female will not eat. The female will lay a single egg (rarely two) after an incubation period of eight to nine weeks. Both the male and the female tend to the newly hatched eaglet and will shield it from sun and rain for its first two months of life. The eaglet will fledge, or leave the nest, after four or five months. Both parents will feed the new eagle for up to two years! |
| Diet |
| The powerful Philippine eagle is the apex predator of the forests it inhabits. This means it is the top predator and has no natural enemies. It is an opportunistic hunter and will feed on monkeys, flying lemurs, rats, civets, birds, snakes, and lizards. |
| Range and Habitat |
| Philippine eagles occur on four Philippine islands. The largest population of these eagles occurs on the island of Mindanao. It inhabits mountainous forests known as dipterocarp. |
| Status |
| In 2010, the Philippine eagle was listed as critically endangered. This means that extinction is likely. In 2015, there were thought to be about 600 Philippine eagles scattered on four Philippine islands. Because these eagles require huge territories that can range up to 50 square miles, they are particularly vulnerable to logging and habitat destruction. In addition, populations have been negatively affected by pollution and poaching. While conservation programs have succeeded in breeding these eagles in captivity, and a small portion of the eagle's range has been protected, the small population remains extremely vulnerable to further disturbance and to potential natural disasters such as mudslides and floods. The Philippine eagle was declared the national bird of the Philippines in 1995. |