This 3-Foot-Tall ‘Monkey-Eating’ Bird Is the Largest Eagle on Earth, And It’s Vanishing

The post This 3-foot-tall “monkey-eating” bird, the largest eagle on Earth, is disappearing appeared first on AZ Animals.

Quick shot

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Come meet the majestic Philippine Eagle! This giant bird is three feet tall and has a wingspan of over six feet! Known locally as the “monkey-eating eagle,” it has legendary status in the humid rainforests of the Philippine Islands. Sadly, this didn’t stop it from heading towards the brink of extinction. Check out this magnificent species in @AnimalSerenade’s Instagram video.

What does a Philippine Eagle usually look like?

These eagles are the largest in the world in terms of length and wing area, although they are not actually as heavy as harpy eagles and steller eagles. That said, these guys are not lightweights and can weigh up to 18 pounds!

They have long brown feathers on their backs but are white underneath, and their faces are a mixture of the two. Between their piercing blue-green eyes is a high-arched blue-gray beak. Their claws are strong and powerful, making them a valuable asset for hunting!

What do Philippine eagles usually eat?

These birds do prey on monkeys, the macaques that live in the local forests. However, these monkeys are similar in size to birds, so hunting them is a dangerous business. Monkeys often fight back. Successful monkey hunting requires a pair of Philippine eagles. One eagle distracted the monkey while the other swooped down and grabbed the monkey.

More commonly they hunt flying lemurs, squirrels and fruit bats. They also hunt snakes, lizards, and smaller birds. In fact, these birds play a vital role in controlling local mammal, bird and reptile populations.

What threats do they face?

There is no doubt that the Philippine eagle is a national treasure, but that does not guarantee its future. They live only in the Philippines and were declared the national bird in 1995 by President Fidel V. Ramos. They even appeared on a series of coins produced by the country between 1983 and 1994.

Sadly, this bird is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. A 2016 assessment found between 180 and 500 mature individuals at only 11 to 100 sites. What’s more, the population is declining and severely fragmented. Their main threats are habitat loss due to agriculture, mining, hunting, logging and climate change. In response to these threats, protected areas were established, including the Kitanglad and Mount Apo Natural Parks in Mindanao and the Sierra Madre del Norte Natural Park in Luzon.

The post This 3-foot-tall “monkey-eating” bird, the largest eagle on Earth, is disappearing appeared first on AZ Animals.