Secretary Bird
Secretary BirdSecretary BirdSecretary BirdSecretary Bird

Secretary Bird

Sagittarius serpentarius

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Masai Mara National Reserve
1,031 Verified records at Masai Mara National Reserve
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The secretarybird or secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large bird of prey that is endemic to Africa. It is mostly terrestrial, spending most of its time on the ground, and is usually found in the open grasslands and savanna of the sub-Saharan region. John Frederick Miller described the species in 1779. A member of the order Accipitriformes, which also includes many other diurnal birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, kites, vultures, and harriers, it is placed in its own family, the Sagittariidae. The secretarybird is instantly recognizable as a very large bird with an eagle-like body on crane-like legs that give the bird a height of as much as 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in). The sexes are similar in appearance. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Secretary Bird sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 1,031 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

White-backed Vulture
CR

White-backed Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps africanus

40–50% · Likely
Bateleur
EN

Bateleur

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Terathopius ecaudatus

40–50% · Likely
Tawny Eagle
VU

Tawny Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila rapax

30–40% · Possible
Lappet-faced Vulture
EN

Lappet-faced Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Torgos tracheliotos

30–40% · Possible
Black-winged Kite
LC

Black-winged Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Elanus caeruleus

20–30% · Possible
Black-breasted Snake Eagle
LC

Black-breasted Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus pectoralis

20–30% · Possible
Hooded Vulture
CR

Hooded Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Necrosyrtes monachus

20–30% · Possible
Ruppell's griffon

Ruppell's griffon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps rueppellii

10–20% · With luck
African Fish-Eagle
LC

African Fish-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus vocifer

10–20% · With luck
Martial Eagle
EN

Martial Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Polemaetus bellicosus

10–20% · With luck
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
LC

Dark Chanting-Goshawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melierax metabates

10–20% · With luck
Brown Snake Eagle
LC

Brown Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus cinereus

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
30–40
Feb
30–40
Mar
20–30
Apr
30–40
May
30–40
Jun
30–40
Jul
30–40
Aug
40–50
Sep
30–40
Oct
40–50
Nov
20–30
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
40–50%
2 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
3 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
4 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
5 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
6 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
7 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
8 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
9 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
10 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
11 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
12 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
13 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
14 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
15 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
16 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
17 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
18 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
19 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5–10%
20 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
21 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
22 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
23 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
24 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
25 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
26 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
27 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
28 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
29 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
30 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
31 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
32 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
33 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
34 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Secretary Bird in Masai Mara National Reserve?

About 36% of wildlife watchers report a Secretary Bird sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 1,031 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Secretary Bird in Masai Mara National Reserve?

September has the highest sighting rate for Secretary Bird in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

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