Secretary Bird

Introduction: The secretarybird (Sagittarius serpenarius) inhabits open grassland with trees and shrubland with Acacia trees, but is absent from rocky hills and dense woodland. The sight of them striding across their grassy range, head down on the lookout for prey is a truly memorable occasion. They can be active throughout the heat of the day, roosting singly or in pairs in the crown of thorn trees, or in their nests. Dust bathes during the day.

Distribution: Etosha National Park, Epupa Falls, Caprivi, northern Namib Desert, central and southern Namibia, Kalahari Desert and the Orange River.

Diet: Eats small tortoises, large grasshoppers, locusts, amphibians, reptiles, birds and their eggs and rodents. Small mammals include striped polecat, hedgehogs and slender mongoose. Bird prey includes francolin, hornbills, laughing dove and red-capped lark. Snake prey includes puff adder, cobras and skinks, as well as various lizards. Serpentarius is Latin for 'pertaining to a snake' a reference to their diet.

Description: Only at a distance can the secretarybird be confused with the blue crane, which has black, elongated and drooping tertials and bare, not feathered, upper legs. The upper parts of the secretarybird are mainly plain, bluish grey.

Breeding: Females lay between 1 and 3 eggs year-round, incubated for up to 46 days.

Size: 150cm.

Weight: 4kg.