{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "secretary-bird",
  "name": "Secretary Bird",
  "scientificName": "Sagittarius serpentarius",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a long-legged African raptor that stamps snakes, rodents, and large insects to death on open grassland. Adults weigh about 4 kg, stride across savanna from Senegal to South Africa, and are listed Endangered as farmland conversion and poisoning shrink prey-rich plains.",
  "conservationStatus": "Endangered",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Accipitriformes",
    "family": "Sagittariidae",
    "genus": "Sagittarius"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 4,
    "lengthM": 1.3,
    "topSpeedKmh": 30,
    "lifespanYears": 15
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Sagittarius serpentarius"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (snakes, rodents, insects)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Savanna, grassland, and open woodland"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 15 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 4 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 30 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Endangered (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Open grasslands and savannas across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to South Africa.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/secretary-bird/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/secretary-bird/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}