secretary bird

noun

1. a large, long-legged, raptorial bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, of Africa, that feeds on reptiles.

secretary bird

noun

1. a large African long-legged diurnal bird of prey, Sagittarius serpentarius, having a crest and tail of long feathers and feeding chiefly on snakes: family Sagittariidae, order Falconiformes (hawks, falcons, etc)

Word History and Origins

Origin of secretary bird¹

1790–1800; < French secrétaire, perhaps by folk etymology < Sudanese Arabic ṣagr al-ṭēr, equivalent to ṣagr hawk + al the + ṭēr birds (collective)

Word History and Origins

Origin of secretary bird¹

C18: so called because its crest resembles a group of quill pens stuck behind the ear

Example Sentences

In the bird kingdom, the Andean condor, secretary bird, bateleur and martial eagle are now at high risk of extinction.

From BBC

Unlike most birds of prey that swoop down from the air to make a kill, the secretary bird hunts its quarry mostly on foot.

From Reuters

UK researchers have completed a mechanical study of the strike of the secretary bird - a large species that lives in sub-Saharan Africa and kicks its prey to death with remarkable agility.

From BBC

When the lanky leg of a secretary bird kicks a snake in the head, the killer blow can transfer five times the bird's own weight in a hundredth of a second.

From BBC

Picture a sea of chest-high elephant grass, swirling brown rivers, ribbons of papyrus and the occasional black-and-white secretary bird swooping elegantly through rose-colored skies.

From New York Times