Sagittarius serpentarius
The Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is an imposing and truly unique avian predator, instantly recognizable by its long, stork-like legs, a shaggy crest of black feathers reminiscent of quill pens tucked behind an old-fashioned secretary's ear, and distinctive bare orange-red facial skin. Standing between 1.1 to 1.3 meters tall with an impressive wingspan of 1.9 to 2.1 meters and weighing 2.3 to 4.2 kilograms, it is one of the tallest raptors on Earth. Its plumage is predominantly gre...
Secretarybirds primarily inhabit open grasslands, savannas, and shrublands across sub-Saharan Africa, favoring areas with scattered trees for nesting and roosting. They can be found from sea level up to altitudes of 3,000 meters.
Secretarybirds primarily feed on snakes, large insects (locusts, beetles), small mammals (rodents, hares), birds, and eggs. They hunt almost exclusively on foot, using powerful stomps and kicks to incapacitate prey.
Secretarybirds are diurnal and spend most of their day traversing vast territories on foot, often walking up to 30 kilometers in search of food before returning to favored roosting trees or thorny bushes at dusk. Their foraging strategy is remarkably specialized: they stalk prey, then deliver rap...
The Secretarybird is a resident species found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. Its breeding range extends across the continent's savannas and grasslands, from Senegal and Mauritania in the west, eastward through the Sahel region to Somalia and Ethiopia, and southward all the way to South Af...
Vulnerable
- The Secretarybird gets its name from the crest of black feathers on its head, which resemble old-fashioned quill pens tucked behind a secretary's ear. - It is one of the tallest birds of prey, standing over 1 meter (3 feet) tall, and boasts the longest legs relative to body size of any raptor. ...