AFRICA : SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
SAVE A CRITICAL SAVANNA HABITAT FOR SECRETARY BIRDS AFRICA
The elegant Secretary Bird , instantly recognizable by its long legs and the dramatic plume of feathers on the back of its head , is one of only two living terrestrial birds of prey . Endemic to sub-Saharan Africa ’ s savannas , grasslands and shrublands , Secretary Birds live primarily on foot and only fly to reach their nests in Acacia trees or to impress potential mates .
It ’ s no coincidence that their scientific name — Sagittarius serpentarius — translates to “ the archer of snakes ,” as snakes are the main food source for the species , who kill their prey by stomping on them or dropping them from high distances .
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54,650
ACRES
1,183,737 ACRES
5,704,067 ACRES
12,277
ACRES
18,277
ACRES
While these impressive birds used to roam the landscape freely , their natural range is steadily being converted to agricultural land and cattle pastures . For nearly a decade , the Secretary Bird was classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable , but as populations decline due to habitat fragmentation and hunting or capture for the illegal wildlife trade , it was reclassified in 2020 as Endangered .
Rainforest Trust is working urgently to save the disappearing savannas of Africa for Secretary Birds and all other species that rely on them . We currently have projects in Kenya , Central African Republic and Mozambique that safeguard this species .
TOP : SECRETARY BIRD BY HANS WAGEMAKER / SHUTTERSTOCK ; LEFT : SECRETARY BIRD BY MIKE VAN KAL / SHUTTERSTOCK