SANParks.org Forums

Here is a link to a Secretarybird efficiently despatching a Puffadder:

www.niall.co.za/Species/bird-pages/118.htm

It is about a 3MB download...

Cheers

Niall.

I agree about this sighting being very special.

I was amazed to see the bird skinning (and it seems as if it cleaned out the entrails too) the snake before swallowing. Afterall, the puffy wasn't THAT big! Would sectretary birds do that to all snakes?

I once saw a crowned plover swallow a (small) snake, but it didn't bother with cleaning... Also a Jackal Buzzard feeding on a (big) snake... it got disembowled and skinned, but not as methodical as with your SB... and I believe that also took place because that snake was very big and couldn't be swallowed in one go!

Great series, Niall! Thanks for sharing.

Hi,

Saw this very rare sighting of a Secretarybird standing in the grass.

Haven't seen one of these in ages in the Kruger



Samantha

Hi Mant,
The Secretarybird is definitely one of my favorite birds. According to Newman's it is a common resident but I've also only seen it once and that being in central Kruger. In KTP it really is a common sight.

The only time we saw Secretary birds in KNP was in 2007 and in 2 completely different parts. 1 Just under Shingwedzion the banks of the Shingwedzi river and 1 down South in the region of Mlondozi. They are not that abundoned, but I always keep an eye out for them.

Have seen Secretary bird on quite a few occasions, nearly always in the Lower Sabie Tshokwane and even up to Satara regions. But always special to see. Have last year seen two on the top of a tree - nesting...

Have also seen them regularly in Kruger........The Central and Southern regions are definately the better places to look, with all the open grass lands........

As RJ says much more easier to see on the open grasslands esp. between Tshokwane & Olifants.

Have seen them quite regularly there as well as on the H10 around L/Sabie.

Saw one on farmland near Philadelphia (WC) on Saturday.

On our recent trip to a Northern KZN park we came across this wonderful sighting of a Secretary Bird feeding its 2 chicks in the nest.

Large size

Large size

Large size

I am starting to think that Secretary Birds no longer exist in the Kruger. We will be travelling through the central (southern most point is Talamati) & northern part of the park & would love to know from other forumites where they have spotted this elusive bird.

Hi Ive often seen them on the plains north of satara on the main road north and on the H10 back road between Lower sabie and Tshokwane.
Hope you get to see them .

Saw one at Boyela waterhole to the South of Babalala if that's any help?

This one near Phalaborwa about a month ago.

My one and only - on the edge of a veld fire, between Boyela waterhole and Shingwedzi camp. Presumably waiting for the fleeing snakes and lizards?