The Philippine eagle is one of the world's rarest hawk species native to the tropical forests of the Philippine Islands. This large and strong bird has been depicted on the national emblem of the Philippines since 1995. In addition, 12 types of Philippine coins and stamps adorn its majestic image. For the murder of an eagle, according to the laws of the country, one faces imprisonment for a period of twelve years and a large fine.
Habitat
The Philippine Islands are the only place where this unique bird of prey lives. It was first discovered in 1896 on the island of Samar by the English ornithologist D. Whitehead. The population of Philippine eagles is constantly declining, and at present they can only be found on 3-4 of the more than 7,000 islands of the archipelago. The last bird on about. Samar, where they saw for the first time, was seen in 1933. In the last century, about a dozen eagles were on the neighboring island of Leyte, they also met on about. Luzon.
Most of all, about 1,200 individuals, there were about. Mindanao, but subsequently there were less than a hundred of them. Together with the extermination of the birds themselves, the destruction of virgin forests also affects the decrease in the population. For example, on the island of Mindanao, their area has halved in half a century. Conservation measures such as export bans and promotion of the preservation of the unique species of eagles have stopped their extinction and increased the number to 200-400 individuals.
Description
The Philippine eagle, whose photo is presented in the article, he is a harpy, monkey-eater or harpy-monkey-eater is a predator from the hawk family. The long body of the bird is approximately equal to one meter, and the wingspan reaches up to 2 m 20 cm. Females are larger than males and weigh an average of 8 kg, and males - no more than 6 kg. Short wings and a rather long tail allow the eagle to easily maneuver in dense tree crowns.
Predators have a black, powerful, high and strongly curved down beak, which helps to get food. The back of the bright head is decorated with a crest of narrow long feathers. The belly of a bird of light colors, and the back and wings of a dark brown color. Powerful paws - with large claws, yellow, and the irises of the eyes are pale blue. Plumage color does not change with age.
Food
When studying the first Philippine monkey-eating harpy, the remains of an undigested macaque were found in the stomach. As it turned out later, the diet of the bird is very diverse: the food of the eagle depends on the habitat. The islands of Mindanao and Luzon are located in differentfaunal areas. The main food in Mindanao is the Filipino six-winged, and in Luzon they are generally absent. Therefore, he has to hunt Malayan palm civets and endemic rats. Eagles do not disdain to feast on other living creatures, pouncing on:
- small mammals - bats, palm squirrels;
- birds - owls, rhinos;
- reptiles - monitor lizards, snakes;
- pets - young piglets, small dogs.
Sometimes predators, gathered in pairs, hunt monkeys. One of them sits down closer to a flock of wimps, distracting them, while the other flies up and grabs prey.
Nesting
The Philippine harpy, whose photo is in the article, settles on very tall trees with a lush crown, reaching 30–35 meters, preferably near water bodies. A wide nest up to one and a half meters in diameter, used by a couple for several years, is made of thick branches and sticks, and is lined with moss and leaves inside. Separate pairs nest from each other no closer than 13 km, and the area of the site for prey reaches 130 square meters. km. As a rule, one of its halves is occupied by a forest, and the other is open space. The nest winds on the border of the forest belt.
Reproduction and longevity
Females become sexually mature at five and males at seven. The mating season begins in July and begins with courtship, which is manifested by demonstrative air flights. The female lays only one egg, which has a yellowish tint. Length of incubation periodis about 62 days. Both parents take part in the incubation of eggs, and adults near the nest behave aggressively and can safely drive away even a person. The development of a young Philippine eagle is slow. He remains under the care of his mother and father for a long time.
At the age of eight to ten months, the chicks can fly well, but they do not leave the territory of the parental nesting site. They cannot independently obtain their own food and remain dependent on their ancestors for up to a year and a half. Birds of prey breed once every two years. But if the chick dies early, then the female lays another egg prematurely. Life expectancy in the wild is 60 years.
Making soft toys
In 1970, HANSA Creation was established in the Philippines. She is engaged in the production of soft toys and is considered a famous manufacturer that accurately copies the appearance of animals and birds. The striking resemblance is the result of a rare manufacturing technique in which much of the work is done by hand.
The Philippine Eagle soft toy from HANSA is made of non-allergenic, specially developed artificial ecological clean fur, similar to the natural feathers of an exotic eagle. With the help of it, the child gets acquainted with a unique bird, expands his horizons and imagination, learns to love and protect nature.
Poultry Center
Continuous deforestation in the Philippines has led tosignificant destruction of flora and fauna. Therefore, to restore the rare endangered Philippine eagles, a reserve has been created on the island of Mindanao, covering an area of 7 thousand hectares. Its founder is the Foundation for the Conservation of Eagles in the Philippine Islands. The center is located in the city of Davao and is a real paradise for predators, where a corner of the wild has been created. It contains 36 individuals, 19 of which are raised in captivity.
The most popular resident of the center is the first eagle with the nickname PAG-ace, bred not at large. Representatives of the fund carry out explanatory work among the local population and implement various research projects. This protected area is visited by many tourists who learn interesting facts about the life of unusually beautiful birds and can participate in falconry.
