Philippine eagle among the world’s most endangered birds

Text and photos by Henrylito D. Tacio
The majestic Philippine eagle (known in the science world as “Pithecophaga jefferyi”) has been included in the list of the world’s 100 most endangered birds in a newly published study.
Published in the latest edition of Current Biology, the study — touted to be “the first of its kind” — analyses where the 9,993 recognized species of birds in the world live, how many relatives they have, and how at risk they are in their environment.
“We… found that if we prioritize threatened birds by their distinctness, we actually preserve very close to the maximum possible amount of evolution,” said Arne Mooers, a member of the team and a biologist from Simon Fraser University in Canada. 
“This means our method can identify those species we cannot afford to lose and it can be used to preserve the information content represented by all species into the future.  Both are major goals for conservation biology,” Mooers added.
The Philippine eagle was ranked No. 8 in the list.  “This is truly a dubious distinction for our national bird,” commented Dennis Joseph Ilustre Salvador, the executive director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation.
In a feature which was carried by “Scientific American,” the country’s bird icon is described as such: “With its shaggy bronze mane and proud white chest, the Philippine eagle is about as majestic as a bird can get.  Capable of growing to more than a meter long and 8 kilograms in weight, this stunning creature is the largest eagle in the world, in terms of length.”
On why the Philippine eagle is nearing extinction, the publication surmised: “One of the big hurdles in conserving the Philippine eagle is that each breeding pair requires a range up to 40 square kilometers to adequately feed and rear their offspring, which makes it particularly vulnerable to deforestation.”
Salvador seemed to agree. “The Philippine eagle has become a critically endangered species because the loss of the forest had made it lose its natural habitat,” he pointed out.
Studies show a pair of Philippine eagle needs at least 7,000 to 13,000 hectares of forest as a nesting territory.
“Without the forest, the species cannot survive over the long term,” Salvador said. “Without the forest, not only the Philippine eagle will go extinct, but so will the dreams and aspirations of millions of marginal income families who rely on the forest to survive.”
Unlike human beings, Philippine eagles are monogamous.  Once it has selected a partner, it is for keeps forever.  “Once an eagle reaches sexual maturity — at around five years for males — it is bound for life with its mate.  They can be seen soaring in pairs in the skies,” PEF states.
According to PEF, the breeding season ranges as early as July to as late as February.  During the breeding season, the eagles do aerial courtship and mate in the nest or near it.
The eagle’s nest is approximately 80 feet above the ground (usually on tall trees) in prominent mountain peaks overlooking a river or stream to give a good view of its territory.
The female eagle lays only one egg every two years, PEF informs.  Both parents alternately incubate the egg for about 60 days, although the female spends more time incubating while the male hunts.
Upon hatching, the eaglet remains in the nest for about 5.5 months.  Once it fledges, the parents will continue to look after the young eagle for as long as 17-18 months teaching it how to fly, hunt, and to survive on its own.  The young eagle matures in about six years.
PEF, which manages the eagle center in Malagos, Calinan District of Davao City, is a non-governmental organization which deals with the conservation and protection of the national bird, described by American aviator Charles Lindbergh as “the world’s noblest flier.”
“The eagle center is probably the biggest tool we have in educating the people,” Salvador said.  “The facility enables us to bring the Philippine eagle and other wildlife closer to our people.”
According to Salvador, most of those who visit the eagle center never had the opportunity to see the forest and the animals that live in the forest.
“The eagle center provides our visitors and guests with a small glimpse of that world, a world which they have increasingly become detached from.  We make good use of this opportunity to let them know how the forest relates to their own lives – even if they live so far away from it,” Salvador said.
Captive breeding is one of the eagle center’s top programs. Its main objective is to augment wild populations of the endangered bird while serving as a “genetic insurance” for the species.
The Philippine eagle was collected in the country as early as 1703, but it was not until 1896 that it was “discovered” in Samar by the English naturalist, John Whitehead, who called it the “Great Philippine eagle.”
The Philippine eagle was formerly known as monkey-eating eagle (its generic name, “Pithecophaga”, comes from the Greek words “pithekos” or monkey and “phagein” meaning eater).  It was later renamed the Philippine eagle under the Marcos administration after it was learned that monkeys comprise an insignificant portion of its diet, which consists mainly of flying lemurs, civet cats, bats, rodents, and snakes.
Efforts to save the Philippine eagle were started in 1965 by Jesus A. Alvarez, then director of the autonomous Parks and Wildlife Office, and Dioscoro S. Rabor, another founding father of Philippine conservation efforts. Charles Lindbergh spearheaded a drive to save the bird from 1969 to 1972.
In July 1995, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed Proclamation No. 615 naming the Philippine eagle as the country’s national bird.  He said that the eagle is found only in the Philippines and as such should be a source of national pride.
“If the national bird dies,” Ramos said at that time, “so will all the country’s efforts at conserving its natural resources and treasures.” 
Now, going back to the recent study. Among the top 5 world’s endangered birds, the following species are listed: giant ibis (“Thaumatibig gigantean”) of Cambodia, New Caledonian owlet-nightjar (“Aegotheles savesi”), California candor, kakapo (“Strigops habroptilus) from New Zealand, and kagu (“Rhynochetos jubatus”).
Above the Philippine eagle were Bengal florican (“Houbaropsis bengalensis”) from Cambodia and forest owlet (“Heteroglaux blewitti”) from India. 
The remaining two birds in the top ten were Christmas Island frigatebird (“Fregata andrewsi”) and Sumatran ground-cuckoo (“Capococcyx viridis”).