The critically endangered Philippine eagle is endemic to which country?

The critically endangered Philippine eagle is endemic to the Philippines.

Its scientific name is Pithecophaga jefferyi, and it is also called the great Philippine eagle or monkey-eating eagle. “Endemic” means its natural range is restricted to one country; this eagle lives in remaining forests on four major Philippine islands: Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. Mindanao holds the largest known concentration.

The species is famous for its size, shaggy crest, and powerful bill. It is often described as the world’s largest eagle by length and wing surface area, although the harpy eagle and Steller’s sea eagle can exceed it in weight or bulk. The Philippine eagle became the Philippines’ national bird and appears on the country’s 1,000-peso banknote.

The common mix-up is confusing the country with one of the eagle’s individual islands. Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, and Indonesia have other large raptors, but none is the Philippine eagle’s native country. Deforestation, hunting, and accidental shooting remain major threats; Philippine law makes killing one a serious criminal offense.