The writer's bird is a strange bird of prey, and we will see this in its physical appearance and behaviour.
The writer's bird - or secretary bird as it is also called - spends most of its days on the ground although it is a good bird, as it nests and perches high in
the acacia trees at night Flying is also used during courtship and courtship displays, but it can cover more than 20 miles on a day of hunting on foot.
Here is a lot of interesting information and facts about this strange bird.
History and description of the writer's bird
It was believed that the English name of the writer's bird comes from the nineteenth century, when Europeans first discovered these birds, and at that time, male secretaries wore a gray coat, dark long knee-length trousers, and also used goose feather pens that they carried behind their ears.
This long-legged bird shares many of these traits. The bird has long, dark quills at the back of the head, long gray wing and tail feathers that look like a coat, and black feathers that run down the middle of the leg like shorts.
The secretary bird is closely related to hawks, eagles, harriers, and kites, but unlike their prey cousins, the secretary bird spends most of its time on the ground, but can it fly
Of course, it may spend its days on the ground, but the writer's bird is a good bird and nests and perches high in the acacia trees at night, and while in flight, rolls its long legs behind it in the air.
Habitat and habitat of the writer's bird
It is native to Africa, and the writer's bird was found south of the Sahara desert from Senegal east to Somalia south to South Africa, and the elegant writer's
bird stands more than four feet high, sailing through the weeds on long legs while searching for food, and the writer's bird prefers savannah with Scattered acacia trees and short grass allow him to see easily while strolling.
A few hours after dawn, the writer's bird descends on the ground from its place at night to begin its daily hunt. Pairs of writer's birds keep track of what is happening in their territory, which
can be as large as 19 square miles (50 square kilometers), and is known to cover more than 20 miles (32 km) on a hunting day, the writer's bird forages throughout the day, resting in the shade of a tree during the hottest part of the day, and returning to its perch just before sunset.
Writer's bird food
The writer's bird and the caracara are the only wild birds of prey that forage on foot.
Adults are often seen working in large pairs, or even small family groups, stalking in the grass in search of small mammals, reptiles, birds, and large insects.
Catching and killing snakes of all kinds, even venomous ones, the writer's bird is smart enough to take advantage of recent fires, scavenging all over the burn site for small prey that couldn't escape from the fire.
The intelligent writer bird uses two different methods of hunting, catching the prey by chasing it, then hitting it with its beak or trampling on it until the prey dies or is surprised to swallow it, usually whole, and when attacking the prey, the writer bird spreads both wings and raises
the crest of feathers at the back of the head, and some indicate Studies suggest that the dinosaur-like terror birds that roamed the Earth five million years ago may have used this same attack strategy.
A venomous snake may attempt to sting the writer's feathers, but the bird uses them as a distraction or a safe target, and because a bite from its hollow feathers would not harm it at all, the feet of the writer's bird are adapted for walking and lack great prehensile ability.
Instead of holding prey with the feet, it usually eats food.
On the spot or take it in the beak, at the San Diego Zoo, the writer's bird is offered a mixture of a commercial diet made for the zoo's carnivores and thawed mice.
Interesting facts about the writer's bird
- No one knows exactly where the writer's bird got its name from, and it's all jurisprudence.
- The name of the scientific writer's bird means snake-thrower, and this is because the writer's bird loves to hunt snakes, and uses its large wings to distract the snake, while its large legs prevent snake bites.
- The writer's bird rarely flies.
- The writer's bird travels on foot most of the time, and only flies to reach its nests or for courtship displays.
- The wings of the writer's bird, when spread, reach about 2 meters, and it uses its wings while hunting to distract its prey and also during mating rituals.
- They are one of only two birds of prey that hunt on the ground, the only other birds that hunt on the ground are the caracara birds.
- The writer's bird has one of the strongest (and fastest) kicks in the animal kingdom, and they can kick with force 5-6 times their own body weight, and that happens quickly too, and within 15 milliseconds a foot can go from rest to movement.
- The writer's bird has been seen hunting big cat cubs, and has been observed using the trampling method to kill cheetah cubs, as well as deer cubs.
- Writerbirds hunt in pairs, and sometimes familiar groups will hunt together.
- The writer's bird mates for life, and once paired, they will stay together for life, even using the same nest year after year.
- Even though they mate for life, they still perform elaborate mating displays, taking pendulum flights, swooping up and down again, and on the floor dancing together.