The Philippine Eagle is also known as the Monkey-eating Eagle and is endemic to forests in the Philippines. It is actually the national bird of the Philippines. It has brown and while feathers and also has a shaggy crest. It usually measures right around three feet in length and weighs as much as a young baby, about ten to seventeen pounds. It is endangered due to the loss of its habitat due to deforestation. Killing a Philippine Eagle is against the law and is punishable by being sentenced to twelve years in jail and a very hefty fine.
The Philippine Eagle can be found on four major islands of the Philippines: eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. It is found in forests particularly in steep areas. The elevation in which it is typically found ranges from the lowlands all the way up to the mountains of over 5,900 feet.
Photo source: http://www.philippineeagle.org/index?pageval=gallery&categ=Philippine%20Eagles
The evolution of the Philippine islands has made this bird the dominant hunter. Each breeding pair requires a large home range to raise its offspring successfully, which in turn makes it very vulnerable to deforestation which was mentioned earlier. The Philippine Eagle needs such a large area that it has been reported that there seems to be an average of about eight miles between breeding pairs.
The Philippine Eagle has a wide variety of animals that it eats depending on the island that it lives on and the availability of prey. Some of its prey includes bats, flying lemurs, monkeys, birds, flying foxes, giant cloud rats, snakes, and lizards.
The breeding cycle of this bird lasts about two years. The female matures around five years and the male at about seven. The Philippine Eagle, once it chooses its mate stays loyal to them and only seeks a replacement if the first mate were to die.
Sources:
http://www.philippineeagle.org/index?pageval=thephileagle
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