Philippine Eagle: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Eagles · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. Despite its monkey-eating nickname, the Philippine eagle eats everything from 10-gram bats to 14-kilogram deer.
2. In some places, flying lemurs make up about 90 % of the diet. On Luzon, where flying lemurs don't live, eagles hunt macaques and reptiles.
3. They take risky prey: one pair brought a Philippine cobra to its nest, and an eagle broke a leg wrestling a big male macaque.
4. Philippine eagles pair for life. If one dies, the other often looks for a new mate. Females mature at five years, males at seven.
5. On Mindanao, breeding pairs live about 13 km apart, which gives each pair roughly 133 km² of forest.

The quiz

1. What is the heaviest prey mentioned, a deer weighing how much?

• 14 kilograms (correct)
• 30 kilograms
• 60 kilograms
• 5 kilograms

The eagle's menu ranges up to 14-kilogram deer.

2. What can make up about 90 % of this eagle's diet in some places?

• Macaques
• Flying lemurs (correct)
• Bats
• Snakes

In some places, flying lemurs make up about 90 % of the diet.

3. Which dangerous prey did one Philippine eagle pair bring to its nest?

• A leopard
• A crocodile
• A wild boar
• A Philippine cobra (correct)

One pair brought a Philippine cobra to its nest.

4. At what age do male Philippine eagles reach sexual maturity?

• Two years
• Five years
• Seven years (correct)
• Ten years

Males reach sexual maturity at seven years.

5. On Mindanao, about how far apart do breeding pairs live?

• 13 km (correct)
• 3 km
• 30 km
• 130 km

Pairs live about 13 km apart, giving each roughly 133 km².

More about the Philippine Eagle

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries