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Secretary Bird

Sagittarius serpentarius

Photo by Ning
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Huge bird "taller" than 1 metre. Although it is called secretary, it is not gentle at all! from "serpentarius", you could know it mainly feeds on snakes, & sometimes mice, lizards, bird eggs, etc. Instead of pecking around, it stamps on the prey to stop its motion and pick it up & drop on the ground hard. What a violent bird @@

Habitat:

Savanna & grassland

Reference Links:

Secretarybird

Species ID Suggestions

Secretary Bird

Sagittarius serpentarius

Reference Link
Dan Doucette
3

Comments (20)
KarenL
Fun fact! Secretary birds have a unique method of dispatching their prey: These large birds of sub-Saharan Africa hunt snakes, literally stomping them to death! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153290806205603&set=a.10152575329380603.958289.10150120463815603&type=1
Ning
Thank you so much >3< Hope you all have great spotting & encounter the beauty of nature everyday =]
Atul
lovely spotting , congrats!
Ignacio Gamboa
Congratulations, totally deserved... Amazingly beautiful bird
Stian Waaler
Fantastic picture and congrats with Spotting of the Day!
Yasser
Congrats Ning! This stunning shot has been selected as Spotting of the Day! "The Secretary Bird is instantly recognizable as having an eagle-like body on crane-like legs which increases the bird’s height to as much as 1.3 m (4 ft) tall!" Follow the conversation: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151719686280603&set=a.10151164681410603.791492.10150120463815603&type=1&theater Twitter: http://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/202881140900638720
1Sarah2
What a lovely crest! It must be great to watch when the wind blows!
Carolina
Haha Ning, I totally loved your description. And what a beautiful bird.

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Birds of the World

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Photographed
PublishedMay 1, 2011

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