Even snakes FEAR this Bird | The Kung Fu Secretary Bird

With a name like theirs, you'd think secretary birds are some kind of sweet indoor pet. But you'd be terribly wrong. These lanky raptors are nightmares to not just snakes, but any other animal that dares cross their path. But how badass are we talking? How can this be revered as a deadly predator? Let's get into it. Secretary birds are scientifically known as Sagittarius Serpenarius, which translates to And boy do they live up to that name. They're known to stomp vegetation to flush out prey, then strike with their bill or kick the crap out of their victims. And these carnivores do so efficiently, boasting one of the most vicious kicks in the bird kingdom. They kick with a force up to five times their body weight. It's been said that this force is enough to crack a tortoise's shell, delivering a deadly kick within a few milliseconds. I mean, if you're gonna stomp a snake to death, you'd better do it quick and hit hard before you regret tangling with them in the first place. Secretary birds have a face that's hard to miss, white plumage with brightly colored eyes and nose areas, and a bad hair day. Or is this a good hair day in the bird world? Secretary birds are one of the strangest looking birds you'll ever see. Standing up to four feet tall with the head of an eagle and a body of a stork, kind of what you'd get if you somehow magically got those two birds to mate. I'd imagine this would be the spawn of such measures. These tap dancing birds don't generally tear their prey to bits before eating them. They don't have that kind of time, so they typically swallow them whole, just like pelicans and seagulls. They definitely share the same no respecter personality with those savages. These birds of prey rarely fly, but trust me, they can, and they bear a strikingly similar takeoff and flight to flamingos. But they tend to only fly for more complicated things like, you know, courtship display. And when successful in their courtship ritual, these birds mate for life, using the same nest year after year. In the rare times they do decide to fly, they take off like a plane on a runway, then soar through the air with their weapons of mass destruction, I mean legs, sticking straight out behind them. They're for sure one of the weirdest avians in all of Africa. Take a look at this secretary bird. It's going about its usual business while wearing its signature black shorts when it spots something in the bushes. The animal tries to escape after it sees the bird, but once the secretary got its eyes fixed on prey, it's game over, and a snake is high on their list of must-have meals. After a very short brawl and a few kicks to the back of the head, the snake is eaten like fried noodles. You know, he eats kind of like me. Is it weird to be comparing my eating habits with that of a chicken raptor? If you thought these guys only feast on tiny snakes, here's another secretary bird chowing down on a bigger snake like nobody's business. Being humans and all, we have absolutely no idea how hard it is to be a snake living in terrain with these majestic nightmares. You definitely can't fight back because it's fruitless. You can't outrun them thanks to their long legs, and you sure as heck can't catch a break. How are snakes supposed to go tanning and catch their own meals when they're surrounded by honey badgers and, you know who, secretary birds? Both these predators have developed defense mechanisms against snakes to be able to take on such deadly prey and come out relatively unscathed. Not only do secretary birds move their feet swiftly like Cristiano Ronaldo, the tough scale on their legs and feet make it near impossible for the snakes to land successful bites. Couple that with thick feathers protecting their body, these lanky birds are seemingly impenetrable as most bites end up in a mouthful of feathers. This snake was unfortunate enough to run into a secretary bird, and as expected, it gets kicked into oblivion. The poor snake was half dead when this bird of prey tried to eat it, so it tried its hardest not to end up in the belly of the bird. But it was too little, too late. I wonder why watching these birds swallow snakes reminds me of my favorite Chinese food joint. I guess watching them eat makes me hungry. Forget I ever said that. Cobras are snake eaters themselves, so maybe they can stand a chance against a predator out to end the existence of their kin. But it turns out they too are at the mercy of these vicious killers. This is a matchup between a king cobra and a secretary bird. The cobra is set in its trademark strike position and poised to strike the bird of prey at its clearest chance. Unfortunately, that opportunity never came. To make matters worse for the cobra, another secretary bird joins in on the hunt. One secretary bird versus a snake is by no means a fair fight. Never mind two. So we all know there will always be one outcome. In other cases, these goofy birds decide to toy with their catch a little bit before putting them out of their misery. Just how annoyingly cocky can they get? Will you stop playing with your food already? Show some respect. Of course, it isn't every time they get a rich supply of snake protein. I mean, McDonald's sometimes runs out of fries. So there have been times secretary birds have had to settle for small rodents, frogs, and insects. Though I'm sure it's not really settling. More like they'll take anything that crosses their path and aren't picky eaters. Even when they ambush these poor defenseless creatures, they usually suffer the same fate. Death by stomping. While heading back from a snake hunting day, these pair decide to make a quick stop at a mice hideout for a snack. And it was worth it. Lizards? Definitely on the menu. After all, a couple of lizards could be the equivalent to a snake. The best part? They aren't venomous. From crawly critters to bigger opponents, secretary birds prove their status as the most savage bird in sub-Saharan Africa by occasionally harassing much larger animals like jackals. I mean, these birds really have no chill. Here we see a secretary bird trying to shoo a jackal off its terrain. These birds rule the grasslands and wouldn't entertain any competition. Rabbits may be quick and nimble, but not against these guys. They too can't survive a kick strong enough to break a man's hand. And after these two birds get their prey, they have a go at each other about who gets to eat the rabbit. Sharing isn't really a thing for them. For a bird that hunts and eats alone, it won't be willing to give up any portion of their food to another bird of prey, even if it's their cousin, the kite bird. They'll throw hands with the best of them just to keep their Secretary birds have no problem hunting on the ground. In fact, they can walk as far as 20 miles in search of food, and sometimes it could last for days. But can we take a minute to discuss how they came about that name? Obviously, they don't look like or act as secretary to the king of the jungle. You see, it's believed that they got their moniker because their crested head feathers look like historical secretaries who put their quill pens behind their ears. However, some other researchers believe the name may have originated from an Arabic word soccer at tear, which scarcely means hunter birds. Whichever it is, these birds have surely got heads turning with their appearance and brute force. If you're like me, you might wonder how these raptors find it so easy to kill snakes. While secretary birds spread their wings, which could be as long as 200 centimeters to appear big and also distract and prevent the snake from making a break for it. While the snakes busy focusing on their wings, they hit them with a sucker punch. I mean a kick. A kick punch. Is that a thing? These feathered friends are so good at their job that some people in the snake and pest infested areas of Africa have made the secretary birds their pets. Not to keep organized files and remind them of what appointments they have. Okay, that was a lame joke. But to hunt down snakes and pests that encroach their properties. Turns out training them is very easy since they absolutely love to destroy anything that resembles their favorite prey. Here's a fact you probably didn't know. Secretary birds are the only birds of prey that kill their prey by stomping. The only close second is the hawk who punches their prey and renders them senseless. We'll catch you later.