The Secretary Bird is a large bird of prey native to sub-Saharan parts of Africa. Although flighted, they are often found on the ground, in open grasslands or savannah habitat. Secretary Birds have a distinctive appearance, with long crane-like legs and a dark scraggly head crest that contrasts with its light head.
Secretary Birds have extremely long legs, especially for birds of prey. They typically hunt for food on foot, stalking through grassland with long strides. They hunt small mammals, snakes, lizards, and other small prey items.
From IUCN Red List: The Secretary Bird is listed as Vulnerable
on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2013 by BirdLife International. This species is classified as Vulnerable because recent evidence from across its range suggests that its population is experiencing a rapid decline, probably owing to habitat degradation, disturbance, hunting and capture for trade.
For 18 days we've been adding a new Birdorable bird every day as part of our Birdorable Bonanza 2010. We saved a very special bird for the final bird of our bonanza. ... more
