Philippine Eagle

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Pithecophaga
Ogilvie-Grant, 1896
Species: P. jefferyi
Binomial name
Pithecophaga jefferyi

_The Philippine Eagle is one of the rarest, largest and most powerful birds in the world.
This bird of prey, or raptor, belongs to the family Accipitridae.

_Upon discovery in 1896, it was first called the Monkey-eating Eagle, based on reports from natives that it preyed exclusively on monkeys (hence its generic name, from the Greek pithecus ("ape or monkey") and phagus ("eater (of)") .
Later studies revealed, however, that they also prey on other animals such as colugo, civets, large snakes, monitor lizards, and even large birds like hornbills.
This, and the fact that the same name applied to the African Crowned Hawk-eagle and the South American Harpy Eagle resulted in a presidential proclamation to change its name to Philippine Eagle.
It is also known as Haribon or Haring Ibon, meaning "Bird King"

_The Philippine Eagle can be found in rainforests of four major Philippine islands - Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.

_This eagle's head is adorned with long brown feathers that give it the appearance of a lion's mane.
The upperside of the Philippine Eagle is brown, the underside white.
This average female is about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long, weighs about 7 kg (15.5 lb), and has a wingspan of 2 meters (6.7 feet).
This makes the Philippine Eagle one of the world's largest eagles with the largest wing surface area.
The Harpy Eagle and Steller's Sea Eagle are about the same size as this species.
The adult male is about 10-20% smaller and averages at about 5 kg (11 lbs).
The life expectancy for the Philippine Eagle is around 30-60 years.

_Like most eagles the Philippine Eagle is monogamous.
A couple remains together for a lifetime.
The nest is normally built on an emergent dipterocarp, about 30 m above the ground.
The female lays one egg.
The parents will care for the egg and the young for twenty months, so they may breed only every other year.

_Charles Lindbergh, best known for crossing the Atlantic in 1927, was fascinated by this eagle.
As a representative of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) he travelled to the Philippines several times between 1969 and 1972, where he helped persuade the government to protect the eagle.

Redactie: info(at)rijskamp.com                           
Cagayan de Oro June 22, 2007

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