Spizaetus philippensis Gurney, in Gould's Birds Asia (1863),
pt. 15.
Spizaetus philippinensis Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1874),
1, 261 (footnote).
Limnaëtus philippensis Walden, Trans. Zool. Soc. (1875), 9, pt. 2,
141, pl. 24.
Spizaëtus philippinensis Sharpe, Hand-List (1899), 1, 264;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 42.
Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Luzon (Gevers, Heriot,
Whitehead); Masbate (Steere Exp.); Mindoro (Porter); Negros
(Everett, Steere Exp.); Palawan (Platen); Siquijor (Bourns &
Worcester).
"The general color of the upper surface in this species is a dark
umber-brown; but the base of the feathers of the crest is white and
the margins of the other occipital feathers are of a light yellowish
brown. Some of the scapulars and other alar feathers (especially the
latter) are slightly tipped with the same; the tail, which is of a
somewhat lighter brown than the back, is tipped with a very narrow
edging of white, and is also crossed by seven blackish brown bars,
the upper one, however, being somewhat indistinct, and the two lower
being separated by an interval which is twice the breadth of the
spaces between the other bars. The throat has a broad blackish band
running down the center, with two similar and nearly parallel bands
proceeding from the corners of the mouth, the three bands all merging
in a cluster of dark brown lanceolate marks upon the upper portion
of the breast, the intervals between these markings, and also the
whole sternal and abdominal regions, being tinged with a yellowish
rufous; the under tail-coverts are barred with brown and white, the
former bars being much broader than the latter; and the thighs and
tarsi are marked throughout their length with narrow, equidistant,
transverse bars of the same color. Length, 635; crest, 63; wing, 375;
tail, 292; tarsus, 89; middle toe with claw, 76." (Sharpe.)
A rare species found only in forest. A male from Lubang measures:
Length, 610; wing, 390; tail, 250; culmen from base, 38; tarsus, 97.