How tall is the secretary bird?

The secretary bird is a large bird of prey that is native to Africa. With its long legs, long neck, and distinguishing head crest, the secretary bird stands out from other raptors. One of the most striking features about the secretary bird is its height. So exactly how tall is this iconic African bird?

Quick Facts on Secretary Bird Height

Here are some key facts about the height of the secretary bird:

• The secretary bird can reach up to 1.2-1.4 meters (3.9-4.6 feet) tall
• Their long legs account for much of their height, with the legs reaching around 0.8-1.0 meters (2.6-3.3 feet)
• On average, the body height of a secretary bird (without legs) is around 70 centimeters (2.3 feet)
• Males tend to be slightly bigger than females
• Young secretary birds are much shorter, starting life at just 25 centimeters (0.8 feet) tall

With its long slender legs and elongated neck, the secretary bird has a unique and statuesque profile among birds. Now let’s look in more detail at the body proportions that give this raptor its lofty stature.

Leg Length

The most prominent contributor to the secretary bird’s height are its extraordinarily long legs. The legs alone account for between two-thirds to three-quarters of the bird’s total height. When standing upright, the legs can range from around 80-105 centimeters (31-41 inches) tall.

This great leg length provides the secretary bird with a few key advantages:

• Gives them greater speed and agility when running through grasslands
• Allows them to see over tall grasses while hunting for prey
• Enables them to deliver harder stomps to kill small prey or snakes

The secretary bird’s tarsi (lower legs) are covered in featherless scales, while their toes have short but sharp claws for grabbing prey. By comparison, the upper legs and thighs are covered in soft white downy feathers.

Torso and Neck Length

If you subtract the secretary bird’s long legs, their body stands around 60-75 centimeters (24-30 inches) off the ground. The torso itself tends to be around 50-65 cm (20-26 in). Combined with the elongated S-curved neck, this gives the secretary bird a good deal of height outside of its legs.

Some key body measurements include:

• Neck length: 20-25 cm (8-10 in)
• Wingspan: 195-220 cm (6.4-7.2 ft)
• Tail length: 50-60 cm (20-24 in)

The secretary bird’s wings are relatively short but broad, providing good soaring ability. Their long rudder-like tail gives them agile steering in flight.

Head Crest

Crowning the secretary bird’s head is a distinctive crest of downward-curving black feathers. This crest becomes more prominent in adults, especially during courtship displays. When perked upright, the crest adds some height at the very top of the bird.

Height Differences Between Genders

There is slight sexual dimorphism between male and female secretary birds when it comes to height. On average:

• Males tend to be 110-140 cm (43-55 in) tall
• Females are 100-125 cm (39-49 in) tall

However, there is considerable overlap between the sexes. The height difference is more subtle than in many other birds of prey.

Growth Rate of Secretary Bird Chicks

Secretary bird chicks start off life very small, but have incredibly rapid growth in order to reach adult size. Some key points:

• When hatching, secretary bird chicks are only around 25 cm (10 in) tall
• They are covered in soft white down feathers
• Chicks grow quickly on a diet of regurgitated mice and small prey
• They reach half their adult height by around 2 months old
• Young secretary birds approach adult height by 4 months old
• They begin flying at around 3 months, before reaching full height

The secretary bird’s fast growth rate enables the vulnerable young birds to reach a safer size as quickly as possible.

How the Secretary Bird’s Height Compares to Other Species

The secretary bird stands tall compared to many other bird species. Here’s how it compares to some other large African birds:

The ostrich far exceeds the secretary bird in height. But among other African savannah birds, the secretary bird is unmatched in its lofty stature.

How Habitat and Posture Influence Height

When estimating the height of a secretary bird, both their posture and habitat must be considered:

• Standing upright in open terrain, secretary birds achieve their full height
• When walking and running, they tend to hold their necks low
• In tall savannah grasses, the legs and body may be partly concealed
• Perching in trees, they are lower down and often stoop while roosting

So if you want to get a true sense of the secretary bird’s impressive dimensions, observe them standing tall atop a rocky kopje or termite mound on the African plains.

Why the Secretary Bird’s Height Matters

The secretary bird’s large size and height provide key evolutionary advantages:

• Hunting ability – Their vantage point helps them spot prey over grasslands
• Speed and agility – Long legs allow faster pace to catch prey by foot
• Defense – Large size deters potential mammalian predators
• Adaptation to environment – Tall grassland habitat shaped its growth over time

By standing tall above the savannah grasses, the secretary bird occupies a unique ecological niche unmatched by other raptors across Africa.

Fascinating Facts About Secretary Bird Height

• Some secretary birds in excellent condition can grow even taller than the average range, potentially reaching 150 cm (59 inches).
• There are historical accounts of secretary birds up to 180 cm (71 inches) tall, but these extreme heights are doubtful.
• Relative to body size, the legs of a secretary bird are proportionally the longest of any bird of prey.
• Many flightless birds like ostriches have long legs, but secretary birds are unique for their height combined with the ability to fly.
• At just over a meter tall, the secretary bird child in the famous painting “Arrival of the Secretary Bird in Egypt” by Jean-Leon Gerome looks short compared to the usual height range.

Conclusion

With its lengthy legs, elongated neck, elevated torso and crowning head crest, the statuesque secretary bird stands between 1 and 1.4 meters tall. This lofty height allows the secretary bird to see far across the savannah grasslands as it hunts for prey. The next time you visit Africa, keep an eye out for the tallest birds patrolling the plains.