The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is an extraordinary
member of the bird of prey family. It is a large bird
of prey in the order Falconiformes, which also includes
many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards, vultures,
and harriers, but it is so distinctive that it is given
its own family. It looks like an eagle, with a hooked
bill, but has rounded wings and, in particular, very long
legs, more like a heron. It gets its English name from
a crest of long feathers reminiscent of the old quill
pens which a secretary in earlier days would have used.
The Secretary Bird is found in open grassy country in
Africa south of the Sahara. It is largely terrestrial,
and hunts its prey on foot. It eats small mammals and
birds, snakes, insects, and eggs. It nests in a tree,
laying two or three eggs.
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