Philippine Eagle the Pride of the Philippines

Pithecophaga jefferyi or commonly known as the Philippine Eagle or Monkey-Eating Eagle is an endemic bird of prey in the Philippines where it is considered to be the national bird. It is one of the rarest, largest and above all most powerful birds in the world. 

Upon its discovery in 1896, it was first named Monkey-eating Eagle because of reports from Native of Bonga, Samar where the species was first discovered that it preyed exclusively on monkeys; of which it gains its generic name pithecus (ape or monkey) and phagus (eater). However, later in the course of its discovery researchers found out that it also feed on colugo, snakes, monitor lizards, civets, and even large birds like hornbills. In 1978 under the presidential proclaimation no. 615 its name was changed to Philippine Eagle and in 1995 was declared as the national emblem of the country.

Well, aside from being one of the rarest birds Philippine Eagle is also adorned for its nape with long brown feathers that form a shaggy crest which gives it the appearance of possessing a lion’s mane and in turn resembles the mythical griffin. The maximum length of the eagle exceeds that of all other living eagles. It weighs 4.7 to 8 kilograms and has a wingspan of 184 to 202 centimeters. Loud, high-pitched whistles were frequently heard noises made by this eagle.

Since it is endemic to Philippines, it can only be found in four major islands: Mindanao, Samar, Leyte and Eastern Luzon. But is largest number is found in Mindanao with between 82 and 233 breeding pairs. Its total estimated rage is about 146,000 square kilometers in dipterocarp and mid montane forests.

Species’ flight is fast and agile, resembling smaller hawks more than similar large birds of prey. With this and other factors, it made the eagles the dominant hunter in the Philippine Forests. Breeding pairs requires large home ranging from 25 to 50 square miles to successfully raise a chick and thus the species is extremely vulnerable to the regular deforestation.  Each eagle has a life expectancy for wild eagles range from 30 to 60 while in captive they lived more than 41 years. The complete breeding cycle lasts for two years. And usually females became sexually mature at five years of age and males at seven. Philippine Eagle is monogamous in nature, once paired, a couple remains for the rest of their lives and if the one dies, the remaining eagle often searches for a new mate to replace the one lost.

However, due to continuos habitat destruction and illegal hunting of this species by 2008 IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) declared that the species was classified under CRITICALLY ENDANGERED with only 180 to 500 survives in the Philippines. Killing this species now is punishable under Philippine Law by twelve years in jail and heavy fines. In 1969 conservation program was started and by the year 1992 the first successful artificial insemination was done yet it was not until 1999 that the first naturally bred eaglet was hatched. Now the Philippine Eagle Foundation of Davao City, Mindanao was one of the largest organization dedicated to protect and conserve this species and its habitat having 32 eagles of which 18 were bred in captives.