History:

They came to us from the Abilene Zoo in TX. Stan is named after a board member at the Abilene Zoo. 

CONSERVATION: The Phoenix Zoo supports BirdLife South Africa’s work to track secretary birds and monitor their nests, and to better understand the threats to these endangered raptors.

LEARN MORE HERE: https://www.birdlife.org.za/what-we-do/species-conservation/what-we-do/secretarybird/

More Information:

• Name thought to come from Europe in the 1800's when male secretaries wore gray tailcoats and dark knee-length pants

• Lives in open grasslands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa

• Prefers areas scattered with acacia trees

• 4 - 5 ft tall

• 7 ft wingspan

• 5 - 9.5 lbs

• Longest legs of any bird of prey and mush crouch to feed or drink

• Lower legs have scales that may protect them while walking through brush or when attacking prey.

• Largely nomadic, they are estimated to walk 12 to 18 miles per day searching for prey

• Able to fly up to 3,800m, using rising thermals to soar to cool off during the hottest part of the day or to move to another area within their territory

• Insects make up 86% of their diet, with small rodents, amphibians, freshwater crabs, tortoises, lizards and snakes also being prey.

• Immobilizes prey by kicking and stamping with feet before picking it up by the bill.

• IUCN: Endangered