Secretarybird

Afrikaans name: Sekretarisvoel

Photo © EcoView - Fotolia.com

Sagittarius serpentarius

The Secretarybird is commonly believed to have got its common name from the feathers that stick out from behind its head which resemble someone with a pen or quill stuck behind their ear. I like this explanation but it may not be the correct one. Some sources say that the name comes from the Arabic word saqr-et-tair which means "hunter-bird". This also makes sense!

Secretarybirds have a standing height of around 1.3 metres. They weigh around 3 to 4 kg. The face of adult birds is orange while juveniles are yellow.

You will normally see Secretarybirds in areas of savanna or grassland. They patrol the grasslands looking for food items which include snakes, small mammals, birds, eggs, crabs and lizards. They use their long legs to stamp on the grass and chase out or kill prey.

They build their large nests in the top of smallish trees. The nest is made of sticks and is about 2.5 metres across. The female Secretarybird lays 2 or 3 eggs but it is rare that 3 chicks are raised.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	105	Sagittarius serpentarius
2nd	105	Sagittarius serpentarius
3rd	105	Sagittarius serpentarius
4th	105	Sagittarius serpentarius
5th	118	Sagittarius serpentarius
6th	118	Sagittarius serpentarius
7th	397	Sagittarius serpentarius

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	105	Secretary Bird
2nd	105	Secretary Bird
3rd	105	Secretary Bird
4th	105	Secretary Bird
5th	118	Secretarybird
6th	118	Secretarybird
7th	397	Secretarybird

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	105	Sekretarisvoël
2nd	105	Sekretarisvoël
3rd	105	Sekretarisvoël
4th	105	Sekretarisvoël
5th	118	Sekretarisvoël
6th	118	Sekretarisvoël
7th	397	Sekretarisvoël

References and further reading

Wild Issue 18 - Author: - Published: 2012 - Page: 9

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 62

Tracks and Tracking in Southern Africa - Author: Louis Liebenberg - Published: 2000 - Page: 36

The Status & Conservation of Birds of Prey in the Transvaal - Author: W. Tarboton and D. Allan - Published: 1984 - Page: 7

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 7

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 39

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 108

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 150

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 124

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 152

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 100

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 97

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 70

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 78

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 19

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 162

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 54

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 150

Pollinators, Predators and Parasites - Author: C. Scholtz, J. Scholtz, H. De Klerk - Published: 2021 - Page: 150

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 150

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 37

KwaZulu-Natal - A celebration of biodiversity - Author: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife - Published: 2002 - Page: 163

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 409

Ian Sinclair s Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 110

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 152

Field Guide to Fynbos Fauna - Author: Cliff & Suretha Dorse - Published: 2023 - Page: 138

Eagles, Hawks & Falcons of the World - Author: Leslie Brown and Dean Amadon - Published: 1989 - Page: 721

Everyone s Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 26

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 26

Country Life - Issue 284 - Author: - Published: 2020 - Page: 84

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 38

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 41

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 45

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 13

Birds of the Kruger and other National Parks - Volume 1 - Author: National Parks Board - Published: 1974 - Page: 6

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 60

Birds of Prey of the World - Author: Friedhelm Weick - Published: 1980 - Page: 66

Birds of Prey of Southern Africa - Author: Peter Steyn - Published: 1985 - Page: 1

Birds of Africa south of the Sahara - Author: Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan - Published: 2003 - Page: 286

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 62

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Published: 1974 - Page: 122

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 61

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Published: 1974 - Page: 24

African Wildlife - International Edition - Vol 35 No 5 - Author: - Published: 1981 - Page: 47

African Birds of Prey - Author: Leslie Brown - Published: 1970 - Page: 139

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 136

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 136

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 57

BirdLife South Africa

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List of South African Birds