The Philippine Eagle is one of the rarest and most powerful birds of prey on Earth. With a wingspan of up to 2.2 meters and a length exceeding a meter, it is the largest eagle in the world by these measurements. It is also critically endangered - fewer than 800 individuals remain in the wild, all of them on the island of Mindanao. The Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, 36 kilometers from Davao City, is where you can see this extraordinary bird up close, understand the conservation crisis threatening its survival, and support the organization working hardest to save it.
About the Philippine Eagle
Known locally as the haring ibon (bird king), the Philippine Eagle was declared the national bird of the Philippines in 1995. It is an apex predator - the top of the food chain in the Mindanao rainforest - feeding on flying lemurs, monkeys, large lizards, snakes, and bats. A pair of eagles typically occupies a territory of 100 square kilometers, which means deforestation has a devastating, multiplicative effect on the population. They are slow to reproduce - pairs raise just one chick every two years - which makes population recovery exceptionally difficult once numbers decline.
The Philippine Eagle Center
The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) established the center in Malagos in 1987. The facility has two primary missions: captive breeding (to reintroduce individuals to the wild) and education (to change attitudes toward forest conservation in the communities that border eagle habitats). The center currently houses around 30 eagles, including breeding pairs, injured birds rescued from the wild, and eagles born in captivity.
What You Will See
Each eagle has its own large forested enclosure, and the path between them winds through secondary forest that has grown up around the facility. You get close enough to make genuine eye contact with the eagles - and the experience of meeting a bird this large at close range, this level of absolute alertness in its amber eyes, is something wildlife photographers and casual visitors alike describe in the same awestruck terms. The center also has other Philippine endemic wildlife: Philippine Deer, the Visayan Hornbill, Mindanao Bleeding-Heart Pigeon, and several raptor species.
The Breeding Program
The center has successfully bred Philippine Eagles in captivity, which is considered a major achievement given the species' difficulty in reproducing outside its natural territory. Pag-asa, born in captivity in 1992, was the first captive-bred Philippine Eagle. The breeding program aims to eventually reintroduce birds to protected forest areas, though the challenge of deforestation means suitable habitat is itself shrinking.
How to Visit
Getting There
The Philippine Eagle Center is located in Malagos, Baguio District, about 36 kilometers northeast of Davao City center. Journey time by car or van: approximately 1 to 1.5 hours depending on traffic. The most convenient option is a guided day tour from Davao which handles transportation, entrance fees, and guide. Book through our Philippine Eagle Center day tour.
If you prefer to go independently: take a jeepney or bus from Davao toward Malagos/Calinan and ask to be dropped at the Philippine Eagle Center turnoff, then a short tricycle ride to the facility. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours round trip for the journey alone.
Opening Hours and Entrance Fees
The center is open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM. Entrance fee: 200 pesos for foreign adults, 100 pesos for Filipino adults, 50 pesos for children. Photography is permitted and encouraged - the entrance fee supports the conservation program. Bring a telephoto lens if you have one, though the enclosures allow close enough views for wide-angle photography as well.
Combining with Other Davao Attractions
The Philippine Eagle Center is most often combined with Eden Nature Park and the Davao Crocodile Park in a single day tour. All three are located in the same general direction from the city center, making efficient routing easy for a full-day excursion. Most Davao tour operators offer this combination package at a better price than booking each separately.
Why This Matters
The Philippine Eagle Center is not just a tourist attraction - it is an active conservation organization working against time to prevent the extinction of one of the world's most magnificent birds. Your entrance fee directly supports the breeding program, the forest patrols, and the community outreach that are the eagle's last best chance. Visiting is both a genuinely extraordinary wildlife experience and a direct act of conservation support. Of all the activities available in Davao City, this is the one that is most worth your time, your money, and your attention.