Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Olduvai Gorge • Oct 2009

Bird name: Secretary Bird
Latin: Sagittarius serpentarius
Other:
Family: Sagittariidae • Secretary Bird

The curiously anthropomorphic Secretary Bird, which looks a bit like a dancer with one outstretched leg (below), or a cartoon character looking for clues (above), photographed here in the Serengeti.

The Secretary Bird is a bird-of-prey in the Accipitriformes order, but in its own family, the Sagitarridae, which, in evolutionary terms, is older than the hawks, eagles and falcons, but not as old as the old-world vultures.

The Secretary Bird is a like a hawk on crane’s legs, hunting for food on foot, stamping on small prey or striking with its bill.

More photos...

035 Sagittariidae - Secretarybird - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Sagittarius serpentarius - Secretarybird - Widespread Africa