With its one-metre height, the Philippine eagle is the tallest of eagles. It tips the scales at a maximum of eight kilogrammes, which makes it one of the largest eagles in the world. Despite its massive two-metre wingspan, it weaves in and out of the dense Philippine rainforest with ease, picking off large prey like macaques as it swoops by.
_{Photo credit: Micky Lim}

Philippine eagles are monogamous and pair up for life. Usually one egg is laid and both parents take turns to incubate the egg over two months. When the chick hatches, the father takes on more hunting duties while the mother feeds it. It takes around two years to raise a chick. This low reproductive rate is also why the Philippine eagle population has been unable to recover from threats like forest destruction and hunting.
_{Photo credit: Micky Lim}

Legend has it that there once was a hunter who was carried away by a Banog Talutong – the name for the Philippine eagle in the local dialect – to its aerie up in the mountain cliffs. In the ensuing months, the hunter shared food with and built a bond with the eagle’s chick. When the eaglet fledged, it brought the hunter back to his home.

The hunter named his son Banog out of gratitude. This tale continues to be told among the Bagobo Tagabawa people of the Philippines. The hunter’s son is said to be the founder of the first villages of their tribe. Till today, the title Datu Banog is still given to their bravest and wisest leaders.