BAGUIO CITY, Philippines ? Philippine eagles, one of the rarest birds in the world, seem to be breeding well particularly in Mindanao for the past 10 years, but hunting and shooting them are still rampant, according to a recent study.

Because of the accessibility of their nests to communities, the Philippine Eagles fall prey to hunters who are still thrilled by shooting big birds, said Jayson Ibañez, coordinator and field researcher of the Philippine Eagle Foundation.

?For several years we have reports of eagles that were shot by hunters. Every year, we would rescue a Philippine Eagle that has either a gunshot wound or was accidentally trapped after being mistaken for a wild boar or deer,? said Ibanez, who conducted a study on the Philippine Eagle.

?There were unreported cases of deaths. We had no way of knowing that the eagles were dying,? he said.

LOYAL BIRDS

Ibañez said eagles were vulnerable to shooting and hunting because they are loyal to their breeding and nesting areas.

Presenting the study during the annual Philippine Biodiversity Symposium at the University of the Philippines in Baguio, Ibañez said conservation efforts must focus on approaches that would reduce threats to eagles.

His study described the diet, breeding behavior and nest characteristics of Philippine Eagles (Pithecophaga jefferyi) in Mindanao using data gathered from 1999 to 2007.

The nesting sites monitored for the study were Mt. Sinaka in Cotabato; Cabuaya in Mati, Davao Oriental; Mt. Apo in Toril, Davao City; Tubaon in Tarragona, Davao Oriental; and Mt. Kitanglad in Lantapan, Bukidnon.

?The nest sites were in the vicinity of settlements, but the eagles seemed to tolerate people,? Ibañez said.

His study noted that the Philippine Eagle is a huge, broad-winged forest raptor endemic to Luzon, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao.

The bird is a ?heavily persecuted predator of forests that are rapidly disappearing. It is one of the rarest and highly threatened bird species,? Ibanez said.

There were no more than 340 pairs in Mindanao, he said, adding that the number is still considered small as their population continues to decline.

The study also said the prey species or the food of eagles was also identified but only from a limited number of nests.