SPECIES
Secretarybird
Sagittarius serpentarius Pending authority citation
An extraordinarily long-legged bird of prey hunts on foot in African grasslands.
Powerful kicks subdue snakes and other ground-dwelling animals.
It consumes insects, reptiles and small mammals in open-country food webs.
Grasslands and open savanna across sub-Saharan Africa.
Where does a secretarybird live?
Grasslands and open savanna across sub-Saharan Africa.
Worth knowing
- Adaptation Powerful kicks subdue snakes and other ground-dwelling animals.
- Ecological role It consumes insects, reptiles and small mammals in open-country food webs.
- Home Grasslands and open savanna across sub-Saharan Africa.
How it survives
Powerful kicks subdue snakes and other ground-dwelling animals.
An extraordinarily long-legged bird of prey hunts on foot in African grasslands.
Why relationships matter
It consumes insects, reptiles and small mammals in open-country food webs.
Where it lives
Grasslands and open savanna across sub-Saharan Africa.
Pressures and responses
Grassland conversion, disturbance and poisoning.
Protect large savanna grasslands and breeding habitat.
Sources
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology — Animal Diversity Web, Sagittarius serpentarius
- GBIF — Sagittarius serpentarius accepted taxon
- IUCN Red List — Secretarybird 2020 assessment
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — Secretary bird
Records of where it has been seen come live from GBIF; observed interactions from GloBI. Draft — not yet reviewed by a person.