Secretarybird

Description

Sagittarius serpentarius Miller,1779,known by the common names of secretary and serpentary,is a daytime bird of prey,the only species of the Sagittariidae family.Its name is traditionally justified because of the plumage of the head,which resembles the feathers formerly used for writing,but is in fact a corruption of the Arabic saqr-et-tair which means "hunting bird." The species inhabits all regions of Africa south of the Sahara,except areas of dense forest.Its habitat preferred is the savannah,being also common in semi-desert areas or with sparse afforestation.The secretary is a large bird,about 1.5 m tall and about 2 meters wide.Females are slightly smaller than males,but the species does not present significant sexual dimorphism.The plumage is gray,with the tail,wing tips and black thighs.The head is small,with orange faces,and ends in a short,curved beak typical of birds of prey.In the back of the head the secretary presents a characteristic crest of black feathers.The secretary's paws are very long and end in sharp claws.The secretary usually lives in pairs,sometimes in groups of 3 to 4 birds.This bird travels mainly on land,walking at about 3 km / h,but is an excellent flyer who prefers to glide in upward currents like vultures.Their feeding is mainly based on snakes,and can also consume rodents and amphibians.The secretary kills the prey with his paws,less often with the beak,which he uses only to dominate small animals.The breeding season varies according to the geographical distribution between August and December.The pair build a platform-like nest,about 1.5 m in diameter,on top of tall trees or shrubs.The building is usually reused by the couple from year to year.Each posture contains on average two elongated,blue-gray eggs that are incubated by the female for 40-46 days.During this period,the female does not leave the nest and is fed by her partner.The cubs remain in the nest for about two months and are cared for by both parents.At three months they are already independent.The Secretary is not in danger of extinction but is unusual in all its geographical distribution thanks to its low population density.The oldest fossils of this bird were found in France,in Miocene geological formations.