Secretary Bird in the Serengeti
This long-legged raptor walks the open savanna on foot, stomping snakes and small prey with powerful kicks. With its crested head, grey body, and black flight feathers, the secretary bird is one of the most distinctive birds on a Serengeti game drive.
Three ways to spot a secretary bird
Walk slowly with binoculars across short-grass plains. Secretary birds cover ground on foot and stand taller than most grass.
The spiky head feathers and long tail are visible from a distance. Pairs often forage together in daylight.
They hunt insects, rodents, and snakes around mounds and low scrub at woodland edges.
1.3 m
Standing height in adults
Snake-hunter of the savanna
Secretary birds (Sagittarius serpentarius) deliver fast kicks to venomous snakes and small mammals. Unlike eagles, they hunt on foot across open country, making them easy to watch when conditions are calm.
Compare with the ostrich on the same plains or the soaring martial eagle above the trees.
How to identify a secretary bird
Grey body, black wing and tail feathers, orange-red bare skin around the eyes, and a crest of black quills. In flight the long legs trail behind and the neck is tucked. Juveniles are similar but crest feathers are shorter.
Where secretary birds walk in Serengeti
Open grassland, acacia savanna, and firebreak edges from Seronera to the southern plains hold secretary birds year-round. They avoid dense forest but cross woodland margins daily while hunting.
See every species on the wildlife gallery or plan routes on the Northern Circuit. Full context in our Serengeti wildlife guide.
Unlike most raptors, secretary birds hunt while walking. Slow drives on quiet tracks work best.
Birds are active after dew lifts. Heat haze can make distant IDs harder by midday.
Family groups stay loosely together. Juveniles follow adults through open feeding grounds.
Safari tips for secretary bird sightings
Assign one seat to scan the horizon on open drives. Crest silhouette stands out against short grass.
A low angle from the vehicle window captures the long legs and hunting posture well.
Ask for extra time on a 7-day Northern Circuit safari linking secretary birds, ostriches, and raptors.
Plan a Serengeti safari with secretary birds on the route
From ground-hunting secretary birds to eagles in the sky, we tailor birding time into every private safari from Arusha.
