[Various bird songs and calls] [A Philippine eagle flies, viewed from below. It comes in for a landing by pulling its body into a vertical position, then flapping its wings to slow down before pulling them in and reaching for the branch with its talons. It lands on the branch, but momentum pulls its back end up briefly. Then it settles on the branch.]
End of transcriptPhilippine Eagle Landing on a Branch
Birds might be known for flight, but they must also be adept at landing. This Philippine Eagle lands by orienting its body vertically, spreading its wings and flapping to slow down, and outstretching its feet, reaching for a landing spot with its large talons.
This video accompanies Chapter 5, Avian Flight, Handbook of Bird Biology, 3rd Edition from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Wiley Publishing.
Recorded by Neil Rettig