H3_W1_004

Date: 2016

Location: Masai Mara, Kenya

Did you know?

The Secretary Bird is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. It is endemic to Africa and is usually found in the open grasslands and savannas of the sub-Saharan region. The Secretary Bird is instantly recognisable as a large bird with an eagle-like body on crane-like legs that give the bird a height of as much as 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in). The species is classed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It appears on the coats of arms of Sudan and South Africa. In 1780, the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon suggested that the name secretary/secrétaire had been chosen because of the long quill-like feathers at the top of the bird's neck, reminiscent of a quill pen behind the ear of an ancient scribe.

About the picture

This photo was taken in Masai Mara in 2016. The Secretary Bird was out in the grasslands looking for insects and lizards. The bird would use its claws to dig or upturn small bushes and find the prey.

Fun Fact

Secretary Birds stomp on their prey to kill or immobilize them. This method of hunting is commonly applied to lizards or snakes. Researchers have found that the Secretary Bird relies on superior visual targeting to determine the precise location of the prey’s head and can stomp their feet with a force equal to five times its body weight!