Chick 29 at three months old can now eat by itself. In the wild, eaglets being fed by their parents can take up to 5 months. While in captivity, Chick 29 is also the youngest eaglet to feed independently.
This development can be attributed to Chick 29’s mentor bird Marikit. With their adjacent nest platforms separated only with cyclone wire and glass, Chick 29 can closely observe Marikit’s behaviors including how she eats her food.
Hatched on December 4, 2021, Chick 29 started being fed using a hand eagle puppet to avoid imprinting on its keeper. Presently, its food is given through a chute while the keeper stands behind a blind. Every day, Chick 29 is fed 300 grams of a variety of sliced meats including rabbit and white rat.
Chick 29 has also grown in height and weight. Its tail and crest feathers are growing longer too. Chick 29 is definitely looking more and more like an adult Philippine eagle.