Overview
The secretarybird (or Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large bird of prey that is found throughout the savannahs of Sub-Saharan Africa. It has long legs, a white feathered body with black-tipped flight feathers on the wings, and black feathers on the thighs. The hooked beak is white, and there is orange-red colouration around the eyes. The secretarybird has a distinctive crest of black and white feathers that protrude around the face. Both males and females measure between 1.2m and 1.5m tall, have a wingspan of 1.9m to 2.2m, and weigh between 3.7kg and 4.3kg. Some males may have slightly larger tail feathers or crests than females, but generally, both sexes look alike.
Found in Africa
Regions
Biomes
Size & weight
Size
Leg span: 2.2 m
Juvenile
Juvenile weight
550 g
Measured as Leg span. The person stands 1.75 m tall for scale.
Habitat requirements
Barrier grade
Grade 2 of 5
Minimum height
1 m minimum
Climbing & water
Climb proof
Not needed
Water barrier
Not allowed
Barriers at this grade
Barrier types with resistance grade 2.
Habitat needs
Minimum area
Land
200 m² + 100 m² per extra animal
Flying
60 m² + 25 m² per extra animal
Shelter
10 m² per animal
Environment
Temperature
14 to 36°C
Plant coverage
10-40%
Enclosure
Roofed Habitat
Dislikes
Snow
Terrain
- Short Grass 20-80%
- Sand 10-70%
- Soil 10-70%
- Rock 0-20%
- Waterlogged 0-10%
Diet and enrichment
Diet
- Nutritionally Complete Meat
- Small Carcasses
Enrichment items
Water sources
Conservation
IUCN Red List
Endangered
Least concern
Critically endangered
Wild population
6,700
6,700 - 67,000 in the wild. Rank 16 of 58 species with a known count, smallest first.
Once listed as Vulnerable and now classified as Endangered, the secretarybird has declined strongly due to habitat loss and degradation. Much of the open grassland habitat they depend on has been converted for agricultural purposes, while changes in land use and management, such as excessive burning and intensive grazing, reduce prey availability and degrade hunting grounds. Furthermore, collisions with power lines, entanglement in fences, secondary poisoning from pesticides, and unpredictable climate extremes like increased heat and drought further compound these threats. Long-term tracking, including citizen science reports, and ecological research on the secretarybird are means to understand and mitigate these issues. Collaboration with landowners seeks to promote wildlife-friendly farming practices. Modified fence design and marked powerlines can reduce infrastructure-related casualties. Captive breeding offers insight for potential releases into struggling wild populations. With these strategies, the hope is that existing populations can be protected and made more resilient in the face of climate change and expanding human pressures.
Zoopedia sketchbook
Social & reproduction
Keeper notes
Secretarybirds are monogamous and live in mated pairs. While secretarybirds can mate year-round if prey is abundant, the peak is primarily in the rainy season. A male and female secretarybird find a thorny tree, usually acacia, where they build their nest as a large platform in the canopy. The pair will court by flying high and swooping low over each other and the nest, males often being more active. Mating usually takes place on the ground. Soon after copulation, the female lays 1 to 3 eggs in the nest, usually laid 2 days apart. Both the male and female take it in turns to incubate the eggs for a total of 42 to 46 days until they hatch. After hatching, both parents hunt for food and visit the chicks to feed them 3 to 5 times a day. Between 63 and 106 days old, the chicks fledge, and parental care will stop. Young fledglings leave their parents’ territory and attempt to find their own. Secretarybirds reach sexual maturity between 3 and 4 years old and begin searching for their own mate and nesting grounds at this point.
Group and breeding
Group
Group size
1-2 (up to 1 male, up to 1 female)
Male bachelor group
1
Female bachelor group
1
Offspring dispersal
None
Lifecycle and breeding
Life expectancy
15-20 years
Age of sexual maturity
3 years
Age of sexual sterility
Death
Gestation or incubation
1.6 months
Interbirth period
12 months
Clutch size
1-2
Mating system
Monogamous
Mating season
Summer
Reproduction in captivity
Difficult
Research
Research levels
| Level | Unlocks | Research gate |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Thriving Requirement 1: Light Soil terrain | |
| Level 2 | Thriving Requirement 2: at least 12 objects or plants with the Climbable tag; Secretarybird Fact Sheet | |
| Level 3 | Release groups and release to the wild | |
| Level 4 | Thriving Requirement 3: Food Grade 2; Fertility Level 1 (+15% fertility) | Before this level: an Observation Network (Observation Platform) in Great Rift Valley Reserve and this species released in Great Rift Valley Reserve |
| Level 5 | Thriving Requirement 4: at least 50% native plants | |
| Level 6 | Thriving Requirement 5: Canopy Platform Nest - Large, at least 2; Fertility Level 2 (+30% fertility) |
Researched by
Vets
Researched at
Habitat or exhibit and Research Centre
Wildlife Reserve
Great Rift Valley Reserve
Every level of this species' research, with its unlock conditions.
Release groups
Valid release groups
| Group | Type | Animals |
|---|---|---|
| Breeding Partners | Breeding partners | 1 male, 1 female |
Release requirements
| Requirement type | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Ecosystems Required | Grassland |
| Nature Requirements | Canopy Platform Nest - Large |
Ecosystems
Release groups, reserve requirements and the roles this species fills.
Animal facts
- Although the secretarybird can fly, it rarely does and travels mostly by walking.
- The secretarybirds’ scientific name, ‘Sagittarius serpentarius’, means ‘the archer of snakes’.
- The secretarybird is thought to have been named because the fringe of feathers around its head looks like quills tucked behind its ears in the manner of a 19th century law secretary.
- The secretarybird has a very strong kick that it uses to kill snakes.
- Despite their association with snakes, the secretarybird’s prey also contains insects, arachnids and small mammals.
Taxonomy
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
