This is the hilarious moment an eagle went seriously off-script - flying out of the park instead of returning to its keeper.

The white-bellied sea eagle was launched from behind the stage so it could glide towards a trainer standing among tourists during a bird show at Cebu Ocean Park in the Philippines.

However, the bird of prey changed its mind and made a last-minute turn. It was only a step away from the caretaker when it took its chance of freedom and glided out of the small stadium on September 22.

Footage shows the eagle escaping from the building. The zookeeper who was supposed to catch it appeared startled and ran to the back staircase while many audience members scrambled to the railings to watch where it went.

Visitor Normae Timkang Pedere said: ‘We watched the bird show and everything was fine until 4:23 pm when they introduced the eagle.'

Normae said the bird ignored the trainer and her whistle.

She said: ‘We saw it flying outside trying to navigate where he was going, or I do not really know exactly what it was thinking because we were still in the middle of surprise and confusion about what had just happened.'

Normae added the eagle was seen flying above the park for a while, seemingly basking in its newfound freedom outside of captivity, until it disappeared into the sunset.

She said: ‘We stayed there until the show ended, but did not see the return of the eagle. We hope it was fine.'

The white-bellied sea eagle is a large bird of prey found across South and Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. It is known for its striking white head and belly, broad wings, and powerful flight. The species mainly eats fish and smaller waterbirds.

Eagles that are raised in captivity often struggle to survive in the wild on their own. This is because they may not have fully developed hunting, navigation, and survival skills, having been reliant on caretakers for food and protection.