Philippine Islands – Discover the beauty of its 7,107 islands

The Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is a giant forest raptor endemic to the Philippines. It is considered one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world. Unfortunately, it is also one of the world’s rarest and certainly among its most critical endangered vertebrate species. The eagle is known to be geographically restricted to the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.

A. Breeding Biology

Philippine eagles are monogamous and they bond for life. Nevertheless, contrary to claims that they opt to remain unpaired in the death of their mate, evidence from natural pairing techniques and data from all other raptors indicate that they take in new mates as a replacement. Females reach sexual maturity at around five years and males, at seven.

1. Courtship

Increased aerial displays, frequent stay near the nest and nest-building activity mark the start of the courtship

LOVERS of wildlife are pained at its wanton destruction by thoughtless individuals. Here in the Philippines we may be nearing the point of saying good-bye to another bird. Sadly, it is a rare species, found nowhere else in the world.

People who study birds call the endangered creature Pithecophaga jefferyi. The first of these terms means ‘ape eating,’ referring to the peculiar diet of this bird. Live monkeys are a frequent item on its menu. This flying creature is known popularly as “the monkey-eating eagle.”

A closeup view of this bird is impressive. When adult, it measures three and a half feet (one meter) from bill to tail, with a wingspread of ten feet (three meters). Many view the ‘monkey eater’ as the largest of the eagle family (though the harpy eagle of America may be heavier). The male of this species features rich-brown feathers on