Secretarybird (Sagittariidae)

Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) - HBW 2, p. 215

French: Messager serpentaire German: Sekretär Spanish: Secretario

Taxonomy: Falco serpentarius J. F. Miller, 1779, Cape of Good Hope.
Shows most morphological, behavioural and molecular affinities with Falconiformes, especially Accipitridae. Also some behavioural affinities with Ciconiidae. Proposed relationships to Cariamidae and other Gruiformes unsubstantiated. Birds of W Africa have occasionally been awarded separate race, gambiensis. Monotypic.

Distribution: Senegambia E to Ethiopia and Somalia, and S to South Africa.