| Latin Name |
Sagittarius serpentarius |
| Conservation Status |
Vulnerable |
| Location
| Africa |
| Colour |
Grey, Black & White |
| Length |
1.3 - 1.5 m (4.25 - 5 ft) |
| Wingspan |
1.2 - 1.35 m (3.9 - 4.4 ft) |
| Weight |
2.5 - 4.5 Kgs (5.5 - 10 lbs) |
| Life Expectancy |
Up to 18 Yrs (in Captivity) |
Main Characteristics
Secretary Birds are large, mostly terrestrial birds of prey. They have a body length between 1.3 and 1.5 m (4.25 - 5 ft), a wingspan between 1.2 - 1.35 m (39 - 4.4 ft), they weigh between 2.5 and 4.5 kgs (5.5 - 10 lbs) and they stand between 0.9 and 1.3 m (3 - 4.3 ft) tall.
They generally have grey plumage with black flight feathers and thighs. Their face is orange/red and they have a crest of black feathers on the back of their head. Their tail is wedge-shaped and they have long, powerful, stork-like legs.
Habitat
Secretary birds can be found in sub-saharan Africa. They inhabit open grasslands and savannahs, semi-deserts, scrub or lightly wooded areas.
Diet
Secretary Birds feed on lizards, frogs, snakes, tortoises, small mammals, grasshoppers and other large insects.
They are opportunistic predators and they hunt exclusively on the ground, either alone or in pairs. They flush out their prey by stamping on tufts of grass, then they run after it giving it repeated blows with their feet. When they attack snakes they use their wings as a shield.
Breeding
Secretary Birds are though to form monogamous pairs for life. They usually breed once a year, although two broods can be raised if the conditions are desirable.
Females will lay 1 - 3 eggs and they are incubated by both parents for 42 - 46 days. The chicks will fledge between 2 and 3.5 months old and become independent at this time. Sometimes they will remain in the same territory as their parents, but after approximately two months the parents will chase them away so they can breed again.
Predators
Adult Secretary Birds have no natural predators. Eggs and youngsters are preyed upon by crows, ravens, ground hornbills, kites and eagle owls.
Subspecies
There are no subspecies of the Secretary Bird
Interesting Facts
Secretary Birds are also known as:
Secretarybird
Devil's Horse
The Secretary Bird is the national emblem of Sudan and it features on the coat of arms of South Africa.
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