Secretary Bird
At the San Diego Zoo
Conservation status
Least Concern [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Falconiformes Family: Sagittariidae R. Grandori & L. Grandori, 1935 Genus: Sagittarius Hermann, 1783 Species: S. serpentarius
Binomial name
Sagittarius serpentarius (J. F. Miller, 1779)

The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savannas of the sub-Sahara.^[2] Being of the order falconiformes, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards, vultures, and harriers, it is so distinctive that it was given its own family, Sagittariidae. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 408 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (816 × 1200 pixel, file size: 628 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The world-famous San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California is one of the largest, most progressive zoos in the world with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... “Animalia” redirects here. ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... Families Accipitridae Pandionidae Falconidae Sagittariidae The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. ... Johann Hermann (1738 - 1800) was a German physician and naturalist. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species. ... John Frederick Miller (1759 - 1796) was an English illustrator, mainly of botanical subjects. ... Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... In biology and ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or biota, in contrast to cosmopolitan or introduced. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Families Accipitridae Pandionidae Falconidae Sagittariidae The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. ... A diurnal animal (dÄ«-Å­rnÉ™l) is an animal that is active during the daytime and sleeps during the night. ... Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... Genera Milvinae    Harpagus    Ictinia    Rostrhamus    Haliastur    Milvus    Lophoictinia    Hamirostra Elaninae    Elanus    Chelictinia    Machaerhamphus    Gampsonyx    Elanoides Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. ... A buzzard is one of several large birds, but there are a number of meanings as detailed below. ... Orders Falconiformes (Fam. ... Genera Circus Geranospiza Polyboroides A Harrier is any of several species of diurnal birds of prey which fly low over meadows and marshes and hunt or harry small animals or birds (hence their common name). ...

It enjoys a certain fame in Africa, specifically Sudan and South Africa, serving as a prominent emblem on both nations' coats of arms. Heraldry is the science and art of describing of coats-of-arms, also referred to as achievements or armorial bearings. ...

Appearance

Showing the feather crest.

The Secretary Bird is instantly recognizable as having an eagle-like body on crane-like legs which increases the bird’s height to around 1.3 m (4 ft) tall. This 140 cm (4.5 ft) long bird has an eagle-like head with a hooked bill, but has rounded wings.^[3] Body weight averages at about 3.3 kg (7.3 lbs) and the wingspan is over 2 m (6.6 ft).^[4] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 711 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 863 pixel, file size: 181 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Faithful reproductions of two-dimensional original works cannot attract copyright in the U.S. according to the rule in Bridgeman Art Library v. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 711 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 863 pixel, file size: 181 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Faithful reproductions of two-dimensional original works cannot attract copyright in the U.S. according to the rule in Bridgeman Art Library v. ... Genera Grus Anthropoides Balearica Bugeranus Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds of the order Gruiformes, and family Gruidae. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... Genera Several, see below. ...

From a distance or in flight it resembles a crane more than a bird of prey. The tail has two elongated central feathers that extend beyond the feet during flight, as well as long flat plumage creating a posterior crest.^[3] Secretary Bird flight feathers and thighs are black, while most of the coverts are grey with some being white.^[5] Sexes look similar to one another as the species exhibits very little sexual dimorphism, although the male has longer head plumes and tail feathers. Adults have a featherless red face as opposed to the yellow facial skin of the young.^[3] Genera Grus Anthropoides Balearica Bugeranus Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds of the order Gruiformes, and family Gruidae. ... Two feathers Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. ... Female (left) and male Common Pheasant, illustrating the dramatic difference in both color and size between the sexes Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. ...

Etymology

It likely gets its English name from its crest of long feathers which make it appear to be carrying quill pens behind its ears, as secretaries once did. A more recent hypothesis is that this is a French corruption of the Arabic saqr-et-tair or "hunter-bird."^[6] The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Two feathers Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. ... Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ...

Sagittarius refers to the same feature, but in this case likened to an archer's arrows. The specific name "serpentarius" recalls the bird's skill as a predator of snakes. blue: sea snakes, black: land snakes Superfamilies and Families Henophidia Aniliidae Anomochilidae Boidae Bolyeriidae Cylindrophiidae Loxocemidae Pythonidae Tropidophiidae Uropeltidae Xenopeltidae Typhlopoidea Anomalepididae Leptotyphlopidae Typhlopidae Xenophidia Acrochordidae Atractaspididae Colubridae Elapidae Hydrophiidae Viperidae A snake is a scaly, limbless, elongate reptile from the order Squamata. ...

Characteristics

Secretary bird in natural habitat

secretary bird Public domain from USFWA File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... secretary bird Public domain from USFWA File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Habitat

Secretary Birds are endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa and are non-migratory (although they may follow food sources).^[7] Their range is from Senegal to Somalia and south to the Cape of Good Hope.^[3] These birds are also found at a variety of elevations, from the coastal plains to the highlands. Secretary Birds prefer open grasslands and savannas rather than forests and dense shrubbery which may impede their cursorial existence. While the birds roost on the local Acacia trees at night, they spend much of the day on the ground, returning to roosting sites just before dark.^[8] A political map showing national divisions in relation to deonte Shepard Club Of America Free burgers for new members the ecological break (Sub-Saharan Africa in green) A geographical map of Africa, showing the ecological break that defines the sub-Saharan area Sub-Saharan Africa is the term used to... Flock of Barnacle Geese during autumn migration Many species of birds undertake seasonal journeys of various lengths, a phenomenon known as Bird migration. ... The Cape of Good Hope; looking towards the west, from the coastal cliffs above Cape Point. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... In geography, a coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Savanna at Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania. ... A forest is an area with a high density of trees (or, historically, a wooded area set aside for hunting). ... The word bush re-directs here; for alternate uses see Bush (disambiguation). ... Media:Example. ... Roost Records (also known as Royal Roost Records) was a record label established in 1949, primarily to record jazz, taking its secondary name from the New York club with which it was associated. ...

Threats

Young are predated by crows and kites as they are vulnerable in Acacia tree tops.^[3] As a population, the Secretary Bird is mainly threatened by loss of habitat and deforestation.^[9] In 1968 the species became protected under the Africa Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.^[3] Species See text. ... Genera Milvinae    Harpagus    Ictinia    Rostrhamus    Haliastur    Milvus    Lophoictinia    Hamirostra Elaninae    Elanus    Chelictinia    Machaerhamphus    Gampsonyx    Elanoides Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. ...

Diet

The Secretary Bird is largely terrestrial, hunting its prey on foot, and besides the caracaras (such as Polyborus plancus) is the only bird of prey to do so habitually. Adults hunt in pairs and sometimes as loose familial flocks, stalking through the habitat with long strides.^[10] Prey consists of insects, small mammals, lizards, snakes, young birds, bird eggs, and sometimes dead animals killed in brush fires. Larger herbivores are not hunted, although there are some reports of Secretary Birds killing young gazelles.^[10] Genera Daptrius Phalcoboenus Polyborus Milvago Caracaras are birds of prey in the family Falconidae. ... Binomial name Polyborus plancus (Miller, JF, 1777) The Crested Caracara, Polyborus plancus (or Caracara cheriway according to the AOU), is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Symphypleona - globular springtails Subclass Archaeognatha (jumping bristletails) Subclass Dicondylia Monura - extinct Thysanura (common bristletails) Subclass Pterygota Diaphanopteroidea - extinct Palaeodictyoptera - extinct Megasecoptera - extinct Archodonata - extinct Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Blattodea (cockroaches) Mantodea (mantids) Isoptera (termites) Zoraptera Grylloblattodea Dermaptera (earwigs) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the production of milk in female mammary glands and the presence of hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the... Families Many, see text. ... For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ... In most birds and reptiles, an egg (Latin ovum) is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum. ... Fire in San Bernardino, California Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire in wildland often caused by lightning; other common causes are human carelessness and arson. ... A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants[1]. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. ... Species Several, see text A gazelle is an antelope of the genus Gazella. ...

Young are fed liquified and regurgitated insects directly by the male or female parent and are eventually weaned to small mammals and reptile fragments regurgitated onto the nest itself. The above foodstuffs are originally stored in the crop of the adults.^[3] Regurgitation is the passive flow of stomach contents back into the esophagus and mouth. ... The crop is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion that is found in many animals, including earthworms, leeches, insects, and birds. ...

Secretary Birds have two distinct feeding strategies that are both executed on land. They can either catch prey by chasing it and striking with the bill, or stomping on prey until it is rendered stunned or unconscious enough to swallow.^[3] Studies of this latter strategy have helped construct the possible feeding mechanisms employed by dinosaur-like 'terror birds' that once walked the earth five million years ago.^[11] Orders & Suborders Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Theropoda Ornithischia Thyreophora Ornithopoda Marginocephalia Dinosaurs were vertebrate animals that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for over 160 million years, first appearing approximately 230 million years ago. ... Synonyms Phororhacosidae Ameghino, 1889 Phororhacidae Lydekker, 1893 Brontornithidae Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 Darwinornithidae Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 Stereornithidae Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 Patagornithidae Mercerat, 1897 Devincenziidae Kraglievich, 1932 Mesembriorniidae Kraglievich, 1932 Phorusrhacidae Brodkorb, 1963 Phorusrhacoids, or Terror Birds, were large carnivorous flightless birds that were the dominant predators in South America during the...

Reproduction

Mating

Secretary Birds associate in monogamous pairs. During courtship, they exhibit a nuptial display by soaring high with undulating flight patterns and calling with guttural croaking. Males and females can also perform a grounded display by chasing each other with their wings up and back, much like the way they chase prey. They usually mate on the ground, although some do so in Acacia trees.

Rearing

Nests are built on top of Acacia trees, and are usually 5-7 m (15-20 feet) high. Both the male and female visit the nest site for almost half a year before egg laying takes place. The nest is around 2.5 m (eight feet) wide and 30 cm (one foot) deep, and is constructed as a relatively flat basin of sticks.

Secretary birds lay two to three oval, pale-green eggs over the course of two to three days, although the third egg is most often unfertilized. These eggs are incubated primarily by the female for 45 days until they hatch. The Secretary Birds are facultatively fratricidal.^[12] Fratricide (from the Latin word frater, meaning: brother) is the act of a person killing his or her brother. ...

The downy young can feed autonomously after 40 days, although the parents still feed the young after that time. At 60 days, the young start to flap their wings, and by day 65-80 are able to fledge. Fledging is accomplished by jumping out of the nest or using a semi-controlled fall via fervent wing flapping to the ground. After this time, the young are quickly taught how to hunt through expeditions with their parents and are considered independent soon after.^[3] The down of birds is a layer of fine feathers found under the tougher exterior feathers. ...

Evolution

Recent cladistic analysis has shown Sagittaridae to be an older group than Accipitridae and Falconidae, but a younger divergence than Cathartidae.^[13] Studies are still being conducted due to the pecularity of the single species group and recent molecular biology techniques in taxonomic organization. Subfamilies Elaninae Perninae Milvinae Accipitrinae Buteoninae Aegypiinae Circinae Circaetinae The Accipitridae is one of the two main families within the order Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey). ... Genera Daptrius Phalcoboenus Polyborus Milvago Herpetotheres Micrastur Spiziapteryx Polihierax Microhierax Falco The family Falconidae includes about 60 species of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. ... Genera Cathartes Coragyps Gymnogyps Sarcorhamphus The New World vulture family Cathartidae contains seven species found in North and South America. ...

Cultural significance

The Secretary Bird is the national emblem of Sudan as well as a prominent feature on the Coat of arms of South Africa. The current coat of arms of Sudan was adopted in 1969. ... The South African coat of arms was designed and first unveiled in 2000 and replaced an earlier design that had served the country since 1910. ...

In Sudan, It is featured in the middle white strip of the Presidential Flag; it is the main object on the Presidential Seal, and features heavily in Sudanese military insignia. The Secretary Bird on the Presidential Flag and Seal has its head turned to the right, with its distinctive crest clearly visible and its wings spread out with a white banner between its outstretched wings reading "Victory is Ours".

In South Africa, the Secretary Bird, while not the official bird, is featured as a symbol on the national coat of arms, representing vigilance and military might, as well as the rise and pride of modern South Africa. This is a list of official national birds: Argentina - rufous hornero Australia - emu Austria - barn swallow Barbados - brown pelican Belgium - kestrel Brazil - rufous-bellied thrush, sabiá-laranjeira Canada - common loon Cuba - Cuban trogon, tocororo Denmark - mute swan Dominica - Sisserou parrot Estonia - barn swallow Finland - whooper swan France - rooster Germany - white...

References

1. ^ BirdLife International (2004). Sagittarius serpentarius. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 08 May 2006. (database entry includes justification for 'least concern')
2. ^ Illustrated Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - Sinclair, I., Hockey, P., & Tarboton, J., Princeton: Princeton University Press (1993)
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Eagles, Hawks, and Falcons of the World, Volume 2 - Brown, L. & Amadon, D. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company (1968)
4. ^ Raptors of the World - Ferguson-Lees, J.; Houghton Mifflin, New York. 978-0618127627 (2001)
5. ^ Birds of Africa: South of the Sahara - Sinclair, I. & Ryan, P., Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press (2003)
6. ^ Family Sagittariidae (Secretarybird), Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 2 - Kemp, A.C.; Eds. del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, & J. Sargatal. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. 206-215 (1994)
7. ^ Bird Migration in Africa: Movements between six continents, Volume 2 - Curry-Lindahl, K., New York: Academic Press (1981)
8. ^ Large trees, fertile islands, and birds in arid savanna - Dean, W.R.J., Milton, SJ., & Jeltsch, F., Journal of Arid Environments, 41, 61-78 (1999)
9. ^ The Impact of Commercial Afforestation on Bird Population in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa - Insights from Bird-Atlas Data - Allan, D.G., Harrison, J.A., Navarro, R.A., van Wilgen, B.W., & Thompson, M.W.; Biological Conservation, 79, 173-185 (1997)
10. ^ ^{a b} The Depression of Reptile Biomass by Large Herbivores - Janzen, D.H., American Naturalist, 110, 71-400 (1976)
11. ^ The Terror Birds of South America - Marshall, L.G., Scientific American, 82-89 (Mnday 1 March 2001)
12. ^ Evolution of Growth Rates in Eagles: Sibling Competition Vs. Energy Considerations - Bortolotti, B.R., Ecology, 67, 182-194. (1986)
13. ^ The deep divergences of neornithine birds: a phylogenetic analysis of morphological characters - Mayr, G. & Clarke, J., Cladistics, 19, 527–553 (2003)

BirdLife International is the international conservation organization working to protect the world’s birds and their habitats. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... American Naturalist is a monthly scientific journal, founded in 1867, and associated with the University of Chicago. ... Scientific American is a popular-science magazine, published (first weekly and later monthly) since August 28, 1845, making it the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. ... Ecology is a scientific journal (not to be confused with the Journal of Ecology) concerning ecology. ...

External links

Photos and drawings

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sagittarius_serpentarius

• [1]
• [2]
• [3]
• [4]
• [5]

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Additional Multimedia

• Wordsmith RadioAudio encyclopedia entry about Secretary Bird
• Stock FootageSecretary Bird Stomping on Insect Prey
• Secretary Bird videos on the Internet Bird Collection

Additional Information

• Secretary Bird - short summary