Secretarybird
The Secretarybird - Sagittarius
serpentarius - is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey Endemic to Africa. It is usually
found in the open grasslands and savannah in sub-Saharan Africa.
The majestic Secretarybird is in
serious decline and is now classified as Globally Vulnerable.
The Secretarybird
is instantly recognizable as having an eagle-like body on crane like legs. They
have rounded wings and in flight it resembles a crane more than a bird of prey.
The bird gets its name from its crest of long feathers that look like the quill
pens of 19th century office workers used to tuck behind their ears. It is
basically dove-grey in color, with black on the wings, thighs and elongated
central tail feathers. It has an eagle like head with a short, down-curved bill
is backed by an area of bare, red and yellow skin. The tail has two elongated
central feathers that extend beyond the feet during flight. Sexes exhibit very
little sexual dimorphism, although the male has longer head plumes and tail feathers.
The Secretary
bird walks well on its long legs, and will walk roughly 40km per day. It finds
most of its food on the ground and will stamp on grass tussocks to scare up
lizards, grasshoppers, and small mammals or birds.
Adults hunt in
pairs, stalking through the habitat with long strides. Prey consists of
insects, snakes, other reptiles, amphibians, tortoises, rats and other small
mammals as well as young game birds. It also waits near fires, eating anything
it can that is trying to escape. Secretary Birds have two distinct feeding
strategies that are both executed on land. They can either catch prey by
chasing it and striking with the bill, or stamping on prey until it is rendered
stunned or unconscious enough to swallow.
Secretary birds
pair for life and are remarkably faithful to their nest site. The nest is
generally placed on top of a tree, usually an acacia. During courtship, they
exhibit a nuptial display by soaring high with undulating flight patterns and
calling with guttural croaking. Males and females can also perform a grounded
display by chasing each other with their wings up and back, much like the way
they chase prey.
Secretary birds
lay two to three oval, rough textured, pale-green/white eggs over the course of
two to three days. The eggs are incubated primarily by the female for 45 days. Both
the parents feed the young and are fed liquefied and regurgitated insects
directly by the male or female and are eventually weaned to small mammals and
reptile fragments regurgitated onto the nest. At 60 days, the young start to
flap their wings, and by 65 to 80 days are able to fledge.
The Secretary
Bird has traditionally been admired in Africa
for its striking appearance and ability to deal with pests and snakes. Africans
sometimes call it the Devil's Horse. As such it has often not been molested,
although this is changing as traditional observances have declined.
Conservation Status - Globally Vulnerable.
These
majestic birds can be seen on the following Aves Birding
Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -
Aves Arid Birding
Tour / Safari /Adventure.
Aves Eastern Cape Birding
Tour / Safari /Adventure.
Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves KZN Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves North East
Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves North West Birding Tour
/ Safari / Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves West Coast
Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.
