Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month, November 2018

Discussions and information on all Southern African Birds
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Flutterby
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by Flutterby »

Lovely pics Dingindwe and Lis! \O


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Peter Betts
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by Peter Betts »

We had lots of rain one night in April and the next morning pre sunrise I found this fella searching the VERY muddy Nossob River bed next to R Puts Camp for flushed out snakes ..opportunists deluxe
Sectretary Bird Hunting.jpg


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Flutterby
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by Flutterby »

\O


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Dindingwe
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by Dindingwe »

A couple (they mate for life), at Nossob waterhole :

1O4A9790.jpg
1O4A9796.jpg


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Flutterby
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by Flutterby »

Dindingwe wrote: Thu Nov 15, 2018 9:09 pm A couple (they mate for life), at Nossob waterhole :
I didn't know that! :ty:


ExFmem
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by ExFmem »

Love the portrait Dindingwe, and the forlorn looking drenched Secretary Peter ^Q^


On my solo trip in 2016 I saw this pair collecting material and constructing their nest, though it was quite far away.



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The monogamous pair works together to build a large nest reaching up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) across. The nest is built of twigs, sticks, animal fur and dung, leaves, and grasses.



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The busy couple works on and visits the nest for up to six months; pairs often use the same nest for many years.



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One to three pale-green eggs are laid every two to three days, and the female does most of the incubation duties. The eggs hatch in the order they were laid, a few days apart. Both parents feed regurgitated and liquefied insects and small animals directly to the youngsters. Unlike other birds of prey, secretary bird parents often raise more than one chick successfully.


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Flutterby
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by Flutterby »

Great pics and info. \O


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Richprins
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

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Like Flutts said, Ex! \O


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Lisbeth
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by Lisbeth »

Another thing that I have never seen.

Great sequence, Sis and interesting info ^Q^ ^Q^


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ExFmem
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Re: Secretary Bird - Bird of the Month November 2018

Post by ExFmem »

Thank you my three amigos (amigas) \O \O \O

The secretary bird’s taxonomic name, Sagittarius serpentarius, means “the archer (or hunter) of snakes.”


Eons ago I took these pics of one who had successfully caught a snake and after much wrangling, devoured it. (It was very far away, so they are heavily cropped and somewhat blurred, but it's the only time I've seen a secretary bird with a snake.)



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