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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 .
- Aves
- Accipitriformes
- Animalia
- Chordata
- 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 secretarybird is instantly recognizable as a very large terrestrial bird with an eagle-like head and body on crane-like legs. The neck is not especially long, and can only be lowered down to the intertarsal joint, so birds must stoop to reach down to the ground.
What are secretary birds? These raptors of sub-Saharan Africa’s savannas, grasslands, and shrub lands stand at nearly four feet tall—and standing is often how you’ll find them, because they ...
- How did the secretary bird get its name? There are a couple of takes on this. One is that the secretary bird looks like an old-fashioned secretary, owing to the quill-like feathers at the back of its head, the light grey feathers resembling a long tailcoat, and the dark grey/black feathers resembling britches.
- What is the secretary bird’s Latin name? The secretary bird’s Latin name is Sagittarius serpentarius. This translates to “archer of serpents.” The secretary bird was aptly named for it’s hunting ability and diet.
- How long does a secretary bird live? About 10-15 years in the wild and sometimes a few years longer in captivity.
- Where do secretary birds live? Secretary birds are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, usually in open areas. They can be found at elevations anywhere from sea level to almost 10,000 feet above!
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.
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What do secretary birds look like, where do they live, what do they eat, how long do they live, predators, adaptations, conservation status.
