Featured Article Summary #1

The secretarybird is a large bird of prey found in Africa. It is unique in appearance, with a tall body and long legs. It has a red-orange face, grey plumage, and black flight feathers. Breeding usually occurs in the dry season, with one to three eggs laid in a nest on top of a thorny tree. The secretarybird hunts on the ground, stomping on its prey to kill them. It primarily eats insects and small vertebrates. The population of secretarybirds is declining due to habitat degradation, and it is considered an endangered species. The secretarybird was described by Arnout Vosmaer in 1769 and given the name "sagittarius" by Dutch settlers. The species was later assigned the binomial name Falco serpentarius by John Frederick Miller in 1779. The secretarybird is monotypic, meaning it has no recognized subspecies. It is closely related to ospreys and birds of prey in the Accipitridae family. The species is believed to have originated from the family Pelargopappus and the raptor Apatosagittarius. The official common name "secretarybird" was chosen because of its long quill-like feathers, resembling a pen behind the ear of a scribe. The secretarybird is a large bird with an eagle-like head and crane-like legs. It stands about 1.3m tall and has a length of 1.1-1.5m and a wingspan of 1.9-2.1m. It has blue-grey plumage with black feathers on the scapulars, flight feathers, rump, and thighs. The bird has a featherless red-orange face with pale brown irises and a yellow cere. It is normally silent, but can make various noises in different situations. The secretarybird is native to sub-Saharan Africa and stays in one place, except for when it moves locally to where there is more rainfall and food. It can be found in a range of different terrains, but it prefers open grasslands and avoids forests and areas with tall grass. It also avoids hotter regions and deserts. Secretarybirds are not social animals and mainly live in pairs with their offspring. They roost in trees and set off for their daily activities a couple of hours after sunrise. Mated pairs usually stay together but may forage separately, while still keeping each other in sight. They move at a pace of 2.5 m/s and return to their roosting spot at dusk. Some secretarybirds may be found alone, while larger groups of up to 50 individuals may gather at specific locations with abundant resources or during an event like a fire. They can soar using thermals and have a lifespan of around 10 to 15 years in the wild. They also have blood parasites and ectoparasites.