THE secretary bird is found throughout South Africa, except its forested areas.
Standing at about 1.3-m tall, this bird is very conspicuous and so is not easily overlooked.
It is usually silent but makes a croaking ‘korr-orr-orr’ at the roost, and is usually found in pairs, sometimes three to four birds.
Secretary birds flock to waterholes in arid areas, with up to 50 birds visiting at a time. It strides slowly across the veld, at about 120 paces a minute at a rate of about 2,5km to 3kms an hour.
It catches all its prey on the ground, usually with its bill, but sometimes by stamping on it with its feet. The prey is swallowed whole and food is made up of 87% insects, 4% rodents, 3% lizards and 1% snakes.
It flies seldom but well, soaring like a vulture with its broad wings to great heights. It takes off with a run and when landing, runs several paces with its wings open – much like an aircraft with its flaps and speed brakes.
The secretary bird roosts on the tops of trees or bushes at night and its nest is a platform of sticks, the central depression lined with grass and dung.
It prefers thorny bush or acacias and exotic pines.
The bird lays one to three eggs, which are elongated oval, white or pale blue in colour, some eight days apart. Incubation is 40 to 46 days.
The young nest for some 65 to 106 days and are fed by both parents.
The bird’s Zulu name is iNthungunono.
