| SECRETARY BIRD |
| Sagittarius serpentarius |
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Range:
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Africa – south of the Sahara Desert. |
 The secretary bird gets its unusual name from the crest of black-tipped plumes on its head, which resemble the quill pens that British law secretaries used to stick in their powdered wigs.
The secretary bird lives nomadically, travelling far for food in Africa’s dry plains, savannahs and sparsely covered grasslands. Most of the year the adults live in pairs, foraging within sight of each other and roosting at night in the same tree. After dawn, the secretary bird returns to the ground to forage or take a cleansing dust bath. They stay mainly on the ground, but they can fly in a series of steep dives and upward arcs.
Similar in appearance to the long-legged crane, the secretary bird is unlike most other birds of prey; instead of swooping down and grabbing its food with its long talons, it walks along the ground and picks up small items in its beak. It kills larger animals such as snakes by stamping on them.
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| Habitat: |
Savannah and similar areas. |
| Diet: |
Small amphibians, lizards, insects, small mammals, birds and snakes. |
| Status: |
N/A (IUCN) |
| Approximate Dimensions of Adult: |
Weight: 7-9 pounds
Height: 4-5 feet |
| Lifespan: |
n/a |
| Reproduction & Offspring: |
Lay 1-3, pale bluish green or white eggs, over the course of 2-3 days. |
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