South Africa/NC: Khalagadi NP – Secretary Birds

Second largest bird after ostriches in Khalagadi Transfrontier Park is the Secretary Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius). It’s a very bizarre-looking bird of prey with long legs, eagle-like head, and snake-hunting skills. Unlike most birds of prey, Secretary Birds prefer to walk rather than fly. They cover up to 30 km (19 mi) per day on foot, searching for prey like insects, small mammals, reptiles, and birds. They are famous for stomping on snakes, including venomous cobras and puff adders, using powerful kicks and strikes with a force five times their body weight in just 15 milliseconds, stunning or killing their prey instantly. Secretary Birds mate for life and defend large territories, They build large nests in camelthorn trees, sometimes up to 8 fr wide, and both parents incubate eggs and feed chicks. And just when you think they are flightless, turns out they are very powerful flyers and actually roost high up in the trees.