The Philippine eagle

Though already more than 85 to 90 percent of the original tropical forest disappeared because of  legal and especially illegal logging, the Philippines still have a natural environment which is the home for  a very wide range of different birds. Many are to be found in most other humid tropical countries, some species are only to be found in this country. Of the (about) 400 species of birds in the Philippines, several are now very rare and a good number are greatly endangered. 

One of these birds is the Philippine eagle.

Habitat

The Philippine Eagle inhabits the mountain area around Mount Apo on Mindanao. A long time ago, the Philippine Eagle inhabited the mountain forests or clearings of lowland forest  on Luzon, Leyte, Mindanao and Samar. Now, the mount Apo region on Mindanao is the last remaining environment in the Philippines where the eagles live. Most of the time the eagles hide in the forest. Because of the deforestation (the logging), the area to hide became rather small.

Description appearance

	75 - 100 cm tall
	Wing span of two meters
	Territory of an eagle: 60 - 100 sq kiilometre
	Crown and crest yellowish with brown shaft streaks
	Upper parts rich brown with pale pale edges to feathers
	Tail dark brown with blackish bars and a white tip
	Feet are yellow

 Food of the eagles

The food of the eagles consists mostly of large snakes, hornbills, wild cats, monkeys and flying lemurs. The Philippine Eagle is also known as 'the monkey eating eagle'.

The nests

The eagles build their nests high in one of the giant  trees on natural platforms, about 30 meters off the ground. Adults raise only one young a year. They bring the young a variety of food, including monkeys snatched from treetops.