Secretary Bird
Sagittarius serpentarius
| Size: | Up to 130 cms high, wingspan up to 220 cms |
| Habitat: | Grassland and bush |
| Feeding: | Mammals, snakes, birds and insects |
The Secretary Bird is a very large bird of prey, or raptor. It spends most of its time on the ground although it roosts on the top of thorn trees.
It has black and grey plummage with long tail feathers. It also has long black feathers on the back of its head which can be raised into a crest. Its face is featherless and red and it has the strong curved beak of a raptor. Its legs are long with black feathers covering the thighs. The sexes are similar.
They are often seen in pairs. The photos were taken in the Masai Mara, Kenya.
This bird is the national emblem of Sudan.
Click on any of the photographs on this site to see a larger image.
