# Secretarybird (*Sagittarius serpentarius*) The Secretarybird is a tall bird with long legs and a unique hairstyle of feathers on its head. It loves to hunt snakes and other small animals in the grasslands and savannas. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Savannas ![Secretarybird](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Secretario_%28Sagittarius_serpentarius%29%252C_parque_nacional_de_Amboseli%252C_Kenia%252C_2024-05-23%252C_DD_13.jpg&width=800) Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Secretario_%28Sagittarius_serpentarius%29%252C_parque_nacional_de_Amboseli%252C_Kenia%252C_2024-05-23%252C_DD_13.jpg) ## Appearance The Secretarybird is a tall, slender bird with a grey body, black flight feathers, and distinct long, crane-like legs. It has a bare orange-red face patch and a unique crest of black quill-like feathers on its head, making it truly stand out. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Sagittariidae - **Genus:** Sagittarius ## Interesting facts - Its name comes from its feather crest looking like old quill pens tucked behind an ear! - These birds build huge nests, sometimes over 2 meters wide, in flat-topped trees! - They often hunt in pairs, covering vast areas of grassland together for prey. - Unlike most birds of prey, Secretarybirds hunt primarily on foot, rarely flying when hunting! ## Special abilities - **Serpent Slayer:** Secretarybird can stomp snakes and other prey with its powerful, scaled legs to stun or kill them, making hunting efficient. - **Long-Legged Lookout:** Secretarybird has incredibly long legs that help it see over tall savanna grasses, allowing it to spot hidden prey from afar. - **Fleet-Footed Hunter:** Secretarybird can run at impressive speeds up to 30 km/h, allowing it to chase down fast-moving prey across open grasslands. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 112-150 cm - **Wingspan:** 191-212 cm - **Weight:** 2.3-4.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 45-50 days ## Diet & Feeding This big bird is a carnivore that mostly eats snakes, insects, and small mammals it stomps on. - **Age differences:** Young birds eat regurgitated food from parents, gradually moving to insects before larger prey. - **Primary Foods:** snakes, lizards, large insects, rodents, small birds, tortoises - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Puff Adder (*Bitis arietans*) — Predatory bird stomps this venomous snake for food. - **Hunts:** Natal Multimammate Mouse (*Mastomys natalensis*) — Frequently preys on this common rodent in grasslands. - **Eats:** [Migratory Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/migratory-locust) (*Locusta migratoria*) — Consumes large numbers of these insects, especially young birds. - **Eaten by:** Black-backed Jackal (*Canis mesomelas*) — Opportunistically preys on eggs and chicks from nests. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Crested](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/crested): Crested describes animals possessing a prominent tuft of feathers, hair, or skin on their head. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch from a distance and don't try to touch wild birds. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Secretarybird? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Secretarybird? 112-150 cm ### What is Secretarybird's wingspan? 191-212 cm ### How much does Secretarybird weigh? 2.3-4.2 kg ### How long does Secretarybird live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Secretarybird move? 30 km/h ### What does Secretarybird eat? This big bird is a carnivore that mostly eats snakes, insects, and small mammals it stomps on. ### Where is Secretarybird usually found? Savannas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Secretarybird: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/secretarybird)