The Philippines: Mindanao-Philippine Eagle Pre-trip

Among the world’s most enigmatic birds, the giant, critically endangered Philippine Eagle has traditionally required arduous effort for a reasonable chance of a sighting. This situation has begun to change, and we are now able to accommodate our guests in a relatively comfortable setting from which to observe the extraordinary “Monkey-eating Eagle.”

This weeklong tour visits the island of Mindanao, where we will spend two full days amid the forest of Mount Kitanglad Natural Park seeking the eagle. From Mount Kitanglad to Compostela and Davao, we will also prioritize locating an excellent cross-section of wonderful Mindanao and/or Philippine endemics not available on our Philippines Highlights tour. Among the many birds possible are Ridgetop Swiftlet, Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle, Giant and Mindanao scops-owls, Mindanao Hornbill, Southern Silvery-Kingfisher, Mindanao Racquet-tail, Mindanao and McGregor’s cuckooshrikes, Black-and-cinnamon Fantail, Mountain Shrike, White-browed and Rufous-headed tailorbirds, Long-tailed Bush Warbler, Mindanao Heleia, Mindanao Island-Thrush, Stripe-breasted Rhabdornis, Apo Myna, Cryptic Flycatcher, Olive-capped and Flame-crowned flowerpeckers, Gray-hooded and Lina’s sunbirds, Orange-tufted Spiderhunter, Red-eared Parrotfinch, and Cinnamon Ibon. Beyond these specialties are a range of incredibly rare inter-Asian migrants like Chinese Crested Tern and Japanese Night-Heron, birds that have been seen with increasing frequency in recent years. Even such almost mythical birds as Robin and Mindanao Brown-dove are possible.