Hunting the open grasslands and savanna of the sub-Saharan regions of Africa, the secretary bird spends most of its time on land, as opposed to its cousins the kites, hawks, vultures, and harriers. With an eagle-like body perched on crane-like legs, this tenacious raptor is rather large, standing at up to 4 feet in height, sporting a wing span of 75–87 inches, and weighing in at ~ 11 pounds. With its hooked bill and and strong legs, the secretary bird is a formidable hunter. Grabbing smaller prey with its beak, or stunning larger prey by stomping, this terrifying raptor feasts on a wide assortment of delicacies such as: insects, mammals ranging in size from mice to hares and mongoose, crabs, lizards, snakes, tortoises, small birds, bird eggs. .................................................................................................................................................................... #science #biology #nature #animals #education