Secretary Bird

Secretary Bird
Secretary Bird
a wildlife guide to the fantastic secretary bird

The secretary bird is an iconic African bird that’s found in the grasslands, savannas, and even shrublands in sub-Saharan Africa.
They are large birds that impress with their size, and stand out from the crowd with their incredible resilience and focus. They are easily recognized by their extremely long legs and crown of thin black feathers at the back of their head, which stand up like a halo.
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. The wings are white, but there’s plenty of black towards the tip of the wings as well. Moreover, the thing to consider here is the fact that these birds have shagging, long tail feathers. The face is bare, which is something to consider as well.
One of the most distinctive features for this bird is the fact that it comes with 20 black crest feathers. For a lot of people, this resembles quill pens. That’s actually where the name Secretary Bird comes from in the first place. The Secretary Bird has a similar head shape when compared to the caracara. It’s also one of the few birds out there that has really long eyelashes.
Another thing that makes the Secretary Bird unique is the fact that the top half of its legs has black feathers. In some ways, it looks like it’s wearing bicycle shorts. The lower half is actually covered in scales, to the point where you barely see any visible feathers. These are amazing birds, very agile despite their size and they are also very good, fast predators. That alone makes them stand out when compared to many of the other predators out there.
You will find the Secretary Bird in a variety of different places in Africa. In fact, as long as there are grasslands, savannas or shrublands, these birds will be there. You will find them in Congo, Botswanan, Uganda, Nigeria, Mali, Malawi, Ethiopia, Somalia, Senegal and a plethora of other locations. They are not the type of bird that migrates often, but they will sometimes migrate if their current location lacks food and their necessities.
What kind of diet does the Secretary Bird have? As we mentioned earlier, this is a carnivorous bird, mostly since it’s a predator. It consumes small mammals, rats, tortoises, amphibians, snakes, young game birds and a wide range of reptiles. That alone can make it incredibly unique and interesting, since the Secretary Bird does keep a variety diet when compared to many predatory birds out there.
It’s important to note that the caracaras and Secretary Bird are the only 2 predatory birds that actually hunt on the ground. These birds will hunt from the early morning and up to the evening. They usually rest during the massive heat of the afternoon, but as soon as the temperatures get lower, it goes hunting again.
The way the Secretary Bird attacks is via striking their prey with their beak. But since the beak is short, you can sometimes see Secretary Birds use their claws and large feet to stomp the prey to death . It’s rather common, and it all depends on the type of prey. Snakes are actually their favorite meal, but as we mentioned above, they do have a varied diet.
What you will notice about Secretary Birds is that you will mostly find them alone. They are rarely a part of a group in the first place. Another important aspect to keep in mind is that they are walking up to 30 kilometers a day. Despite their size, they are actually very fast, which is why they rely on their speed to escape any predators. Most of their food can be found on the ground.
The thing to note here is that they are sometimes kept in captivity because they are killing rats and snakes. That being said, the bird will stomp on grass to scare grasshoppers, lizards and even small mammals. The Secretary Bird legs are protected from bites because they have scales which are super durable, as we mentioned above. The smaller animals are just picked up and then swallowed normally, which is something very important to take into consideration here. This type of bird is opportunistic, so you can find them near injured animals sometimes.
Secretary Birds usually mate for life. The mating process takes place on the ground and in the air. Males will perform a variety of aerial courtship displays, also known as pendulum flights. You will find some males constantly swooping down and back up, they will repeat the pattern and even roll in the air. It’s incredible and it really shows the power and resilience these birds are bringing in to the table.
Then the process continues on the ground, where the pair dances around one another with the stretched wings. They will then build a nest with sticks, normally in the acacia trees. One thing that makes these birds stand out is the fact that they will use the same tree for many years to come. Females will lay 3 eggs that are a combination of green and blue. It takes around 50 days for the eggs to catch, and both parents will take care of the chicks. The young birds will take 3 months to fledge.
The Secretary Bird stands out with its size and unique visual appeal. These birds are extraordinary, and people will appreciate them just because they are so distinctive and different. You do want to check them out for yourself, as they are nothing short of incredible. Plus, you will be impressed with their resilience and lifestyle. There are anywhere from 10,000 to 60,000 of them in the wild, the number is hard to pinpoint because they are widely spread all over their habitat.
Did you enjoy learning more about the secretary bird? Have you ever met this unique creature face-to-face? Tell us about your secretary bird experience in the comment section below. Because those who care, share!
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CLASS: Aves (Birds)
ORDER: Falconiformes
FAMILY: Sagittariidae
GENUS: Sagittarius
SPECIES: serpentarius

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Crazy name: The secretary bird’s English name was once thought to come from the 1800s, when Europeans first spotted these birds. Back then, male secretaries wore gray tailcoats and dark knee-length pants. They also used goose-quill pens that they carried behind their ears. This long-legged bird shares many of these same physical features: long, dark quills at the back of the head; long, gray wing and tail feathers that resemble a tailcoat; and black feathers that go midway down the legs like short pants. It's fun to imagine how the two "secretaries" compare!
Secretary birds are distantly related to buzzards, vultures, harriers, and kites. But unlike their raptor cousins, secretary birds spend most of their time on the ground.
But can they fly? Of course! They may spend their days on the ground, but secretary birds are good fliers and nest and roost high up in acacia trees at night. In flight, their long legs trail behind them in the air.
Native to Africa, secretary birds are found south of the Sahara Desert, from Senegal east to Somalia and south to South Africa. Standing over four feet tall, the elegant birds cruise through grasses on long legs while looking for a bite to eat. Secretary birds prefer savannas with scattered acacia trees and short grasses where they can easily see while strolling.
A few hours after dawn, secretary birds drop down to the ground from their nighttime roost to start the daily hunt. Pairs of secretary birds keep track of what's happening in their territory, which can be up to 19 square miles (50 square kilometers) in size. They are known to cover more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) in a day of hunting. Secretary birds search for food throughout the day—resting in the shade of a tree during the hottest part of the day—and return to their roost just before sunset.
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 venomous ones! Secretary birds are clever enough to take advantage of recent fires, scavenging throughout the burn site for small prey that were unable to escape the blaze.
These clever birds use two different hunting techniques. They catch prey by chasing it down, and then they either strike it with their bill or stomp on it until the prey is dead or stunned enough for the bird to swallow, usually whole. When attacking prey, the birds spread both wings and raise the feathered crest at the back of the head. Some studies suggest that dinosaur-like terror birds that wandered the Earth five million years ago may well have used this same attack strategy!
A venomous snake might try to bite the secretary bird’s flapping feathers, but they serve as safe distractions or targets, since a bite to a hollow feather wouldn’t hurt the bird at all! The secretary bird's feet are adapted for walking and lack significant grasping ability. Rather than carrying prey with the feet, food is usually either eaten right away or taken away in the beak.
At the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, secretary birds are offered a combination of a commercial diet made for zoo carnivores and thawed mice.
Courtship for secretary birds takes place at any time of year , depending on how much food is available. Both male and female soar in wide circles and perform swoops and downward plunges, sometimes clasping talons in midair. The monogamous pair works together to build a large nest reaching up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) across. The nest is built of twigs, sticks, mammal fur, dung, leaves, and grasses. The busy couple works on and visits the nest for up to six months; pairs often use the same nest for many years.
One to three pale-green eggs are laid every two to three days, and the female does most of the incubation duties. The eggs hatch in the order they were laid, a few days apart. Both parents feed regurgitated and liquefied insects and other small prey directly to the youngsters. Unlike other birds of prey, secretary bird parents often raise more than one chick successfully.
For the first few weeks, one parent is always on the nest, feeding and caring for the chick. Within 10 days, the secretary bird’s distinctive bare patch becomes visible on the face but without the bright orange coloration. By the third week, the chick has an unmistakable secretary bird face, crest feathers start to emerge, and long eyelashes become visible.
In the beginning, the parents tear up small pieces of meat for the chicks to eat. At about 40 days old, the down-covered babies learn to eat small mammal and reptile parts that the parents drop directly into the nest. By six weeks, the chicks look like fully feathered, miniature versions of an adult. They exercise their wings at around 9 weeks and fledge at 12 weeks of age. Fledging for a secretary bird usually means a somewhat controlled fall out of the nest with lots of wing flapping until the youngster hits the ground! Parents then teach their offspring how to hunt, kick, and fly; the youngsters wander off on their own soon after.
Usually quiet, secretary birds do vocalize if needed. A deep, low croak or a roaring groan can be made during a courtship flight, during fights, or to defend territory or a nest, as crows and kites often attack secretary bird nestlings, which are easy targets in their treetop nests. A single high croak is made when the bird is alarmed, and soft clucks and whistles are used between mates. To beg for food, chicks use a soft cheeping call that changes to squeals and loud brays as they get older.
We still have much to learn about these amazing birds and how they raise their young. At this time, the secretary bird is common over much of its range and is protected in many African countries. However, habitat loss and deforestation could affect its future.
In 1968, the secretary bird was protected under the Africa Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Its popularity among Africans may help protect the secretary bird in the future, while zoological institutions such as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance do our part to increase awareness about the importance of habitat protection.
By supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, you are our ally in saving and protecting wildlife worldwide.
10 to 15 years; up to 19 years in zoos
Weight at hatch: 1.9 to 2.9 ounces (56 to 83 grams)
Height: 4.1 to 4.9 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) tall
Weight: 5 to 9.4 pounds (2.3 to 4.3 kilograms)
The secretary bird’s taxonomic name, Sagittarius serpentarius , means “the archer of snakes.” The bird is famous for its snake-hunting abilities.
The secretary bird has the longest legs of any bird of prey.

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year-round but usually in the late dry season

Fun Facts for Kids

It is suggested that the name of this unusual bird, secretary/secrétaire, had been chosen because of the long quill-like feathers at the top of its neck - a reminiscent of a quill pen behind the ear of an ancient scribe.
Secretarybirds have the longest legs of any bird of prey. They pace around at a speed of 2.5-3 km/h (1.6-1.9 mph), taking 120 steps per minute on average.
The unusually long legs of secretarybirds are thought to be an adaptation for their unique stomping/striking hunting method. Secretarybirds specialize in stomping their prey until it is killed or immobilized. This method of hunting is commonly applied to lizards or snakes.
The lower legs of secretarybirds are covered with heavy scales that prevent injuries while birds walk or run through the brush terrain.
Secretarybirds may gather in groups of up to 50 individuals at a waterhole in a dry area or at an area with the irruption of rodents or locusts fleeing a fire.
Secretarybirds rarely conflict with other predators, except in the case of Tawny eagles which often steal their kills. Eagles mainly steal larger prey and will attack secretarybirds both singly or in pairs. Secretarybird pairs are sometimes successful in driving the eagles away and may even knock them down and pin them to the ground.
The secretarybird has traditionally been admired in Africa for its striking appearance and ability to deal with pests and snakes. This bird is a prominent feature on the coat of arms of South Africa, and it is the national emblem of Sudan.

3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/451525

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The secretarybird is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey endemic to Africa. It has an unmistakable appearance with an eagle-like body on crane-like legs that give the bird a height of as much as 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in). Adults have a featherless red-orange face and predominantly grey plumage, with a flattened dark crest and black flight feathers and thighs. The sexes look similar to one another although the male tends to have longer tail feathers, more head plumes, a shorter head, and more blue-grey plumage.
Diurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
An insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
Pursuit predation is a form of predation in which predators actively give chase to their prey, either solitarily or as a group. Pursuit predators r...
Altricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
Nomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
A territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
A cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
Monogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...
Solitary animals are those that live singly and meet only for courtship and mating.
Animals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
Secretarybirds are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are generally non-migratory, though they may be locally nomadic as they follow rainfall and the resulting abundance of prey. Their range extends from Senegal to Somalia and south to Cape Province, South Africa. Secretarybirds prefer open grasslands, savannas, and shrubland (Karoo) rather than forests and dense shrubbery which may impede their cursorial existence.
Secretarybirds are not generally gregarious aside from pairs and their offspring. They roost in trees and set off 1-2 hours after dawn, generally after spending some time preening. Mated pairs roost together but may forage separately, though often remaining in sight of one another. After spending much of the day on the ground, secretarybirds return at dusk. Unlike most birds of prey, these birds hunt their prey on foot. Adults hunt in pairs and sometimes as loose family flocks, stalking through the habitat with long strides. The birds often flush out prey from tall grass by stomping on the surrounding vegetation. Their crest feathers may raise during a hunt, which may serve to help scare the target and provide shade for the face. A bird will chase after prey with the wings spread and kill by striking with swift blows of the feet. Only with small prey items such as wasps will the bird use its bill to pick them directly. Occasionally, like other raptors, they will hold down a food item with their feet while tearing it apart with their bill. Secretarybirds are normally silent but can utter a deep guttural croaking noise in nuptial displays or at nests. They make this sound when greeting their mates or in a threat display or fight against other birds, sometimes throwing their head backward at the same time. When alarmed, secretarybirds may emit a high-pitched croak. Mated pairs at the nest make soft clucking or whistling calls. Chicks make a sharp sound heard as 'chee-uk-chee-uk-chee-uk' for their first 30 days.
Secretarybirds are carnivores. Their diet consists of insects such as locusts and beetles, mammals ranging in size from mice to hares and mongoose, crabs, lizards, snakes, tortoises, small birds, bird eggs, a
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