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The secretarybird or secretary bird ( Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large bird of prey that is endemic to Africa. It is mostly terrestrial, spending most of its time on the ground, and is usually found in the open grasslands and savanna of the sub-Saharan region. John Frederick Miller described the species in 1779.
- No one is quite sure where it got its name. There are a few different theories, including that it was named by Dutch Settlers because of its resemblance to 19th Century Lawyers’ Secretaries.
- Its scientific name means “the archer of snakes”. This is because secretary birds love to hunt snakes. They use their large wingspan to distract the snake, while their scaley legs prevent snake bites.
- They rarely fly. They move around on foot most of the time, only taking to the air to reach their nests or for courtship displays.
- They have a wingspan of 2m. This is huge! They use their wings while hunting to distract their prey, and also during mating rituals.
The secretary bird is distinguished by its long legs and a dramatic black crest of feathers on the back of its head. Its body is covered in whitish-gray feathers, with two long, black-tipped tail ...
A distinctive, tall, long-legged, crane-like raptor with unique quill-like plumes on its head and bright-red facial skin. In flight, the dark edge to the hind wing, diamond-shaped tail, and long spatulate tail feathers make it unmistakable. It prefers open rangeland and savanna, where it strides about hunting for reptiles, small mammals, and insects, which it bludgeons with its powerful legs.
Secretary birds and caracaras are the only terrestrial birds of prey, hunting for their food on foot. Adults are often seen working in loose pairs, or even small family groups, stalking through grass in search of small mammals, reptiles, birds, and large insects. They are well known for their ability to catch and kill snakes of all sorts, even ...
Secretary bird appearance. Perhaps surprisingly considering their appearance, the Secretary Bird is actually a bird of prey. But while most predatory birds are fast and tend to have short legs,, this bird is not like that. It has a tail, wings, and long legs. This is the only bird in its family, and on top of that it has elongated tail feathers.
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The secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey found only in Africa.John Frederick Miller described the species in 1779. Although a member of the order Accipitriformes, which also includes many other diurnal birds of prey such as kites, hawks, vultures, and harriers, the secretarybird is placed in its own family, Sagittariidae.
