The Philippine Eagle is one of the rare species of the Hawk family in the world, whose homeland is 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 his majestic image. For the murder of an eagle, according to the laws of the country, faces imprisonment for a period of twelve years and a large monetary fine.
Habitat
The unique place of life of a unique bird of prey is the Philippine Islands. 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 be found only in 3-4 of more than 7,000 islands of the archipelago. The last bird on about. Samar, where they saw it 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, were on Fr. Mindanao, but subsequently there are less than a hundred left. Together with the extermination of the birds themselves, the destruction of the virgin forests also affects the decrease in the population. For example, on the island of Mindanao for half a century, their area has been reduced by half. Such protection measures as the ban on exports and the promotion of the conservation of a unique species of eagles made it possible to stop their extinction and increase the number to 200-400 individuals.
Description
The Philippine eagle, the photo of which 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 the dense crowns of trees.
Predators have a black, powerful, high and strongly bent down beak, which helps to get food. The head of the light head is decorated with a crest of narrow long feathers. The belly is light-colored birds, and the back and wings are dark brown. Powerful paws - with large claws, yellow, and the irises of the eyes are pale blue. The color of the plumage does not change with age.
Nutrition
When studying the first Filipino monkey-harpy, the remains of undigested macaque were found in the stomach. As it turned out later, the bird's diet is very diverse: the food of an eagle depends on its habitat. The islands of Mindanao and Luzone are located in different faunal areas. The main food on Mindanao is the Philippine six-winged, and on Luzon they are generally absent. Therefore, he has to hunt for Malay palm civets and endemic rats. Eagles do not disdain to feast on other animals, attacking:
- small mammals - bats, palm squirrels;
- birds - owls, rhinos;
- reptiles - monitor lizards, snakes;
- domestic animals - young piglets, small dogs.
Sometimes predators, gathered in pairs, prey on monkeys. One of them sits closer to the flock of krivlyakov, distracting them, while the other flies up at this time and grabs prey.
Nesting
The Philippine harpy settles, the photo of which is in the article, on very tall trees with a lush crown, reaching 30–35 meters, preferably near ponds. A wide nest up to one and a half meters in diameter, used by the couple for several years, is made of thick branches and sticks, and is lined with moss and leaves inside. Individual pairs nest from each other no closer than 13 km, and the area of the production site reaches 130 square meters. km As a rule, one of its halves is occupied by forest, and the other is open space. The nest winds on the border of the forest strip.
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 indicative air flights. The female lays only one egg, which has a yellowish tint. The incubation period is about 62 days. Both parents take part in incubating eggs, and adult individuals near the nest behave aggressively and can safely drive even a person. The development of the young Filipino 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 go beyond the territory of the parent nesting site. They cannot independently get their own food and remain dependent on their ancestors for up to one and a half years. Birds of prey breed every two years. But if the chick dies early, then the female prematurely lays another egg. Life expectancy in the wild is 60 years.
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 who accurately copies the appearance of animals and birds. Amazing similarities are obtained as a result of a rare production technology, in which most of the work is done manually.
A soft toy from HANSA Filipino eagle is made of non-allergenic, specially developed artificial eco-friendly fur, similar to the natural feathers of an exotic eagle. With it, a child gets acquainted with a unique bird, expands his horizons and imagination, learns to love and protect nature.
Poultry Breeding Center
The constant reduction of forests in the Philippines has led to a significant destruction of flora and fauna. Therefore, to restore the rare endangered Philippine eagles on the island of Mindanao, a reserve was created, covering an area of seven thousand hectares. Its founder is the Philippine Islands Eagle Conservation Fund. The center is located in the city of Davao and is a real paradise for predators, where a corner of wildlife has been created. It contains 36 individuals, 19 of which are grown in captivity.
The most popular resident of the center is considered to be the first eagle with the nickname PAG-ace, which was not bred. Representatives of the fund carry out outreach to 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.