Apatosagittarius (SciiFii)

The secretary hawk (Apatosagittarius buteo), also known as the American secretarybird and the false secretarybird, is a species of hawk that originally lived from the Late Miocene of Nebraska as an extinct species, Apatosagittarius terrenus, and the genus itself was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and introduced to the modern open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, scrublands, and deserts across North America to help boost biodiversity. The secretary hawk is instantly recognizable among North American birds 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 meters (4 feet 3 inches). The sexes are similar in appearance. Adults have a featherless gray face and predominantly grey and white plumage with black flight feathers. The secretary hawk hunts and catches prey on the ground, often stomping on victims to kill them. Insects and small vertebrates make up much of its diet. Secretary hawks soar with their primary feathers splayed to manage turbulence. Their wings can flap, though in a slow laborious manner and requiring uplift to be sustained; otherwise they may become exhausted. In the heat of the day, they use thermals to rise up to 3,800 m (12,500 ft) above the ground. Breeding can take place at any time of year, but tends to be late in late spring. Secretary hawks form monogamous pairs and defend a large territory of around 50 km2 (19 square miles). The nest is built at the top of a tree, and a clutch of one to five eggs is laid. In years with plentiful food all five young can survive to fledgling. The lifespan is thought to be 10 to 15 years in the wild, and up to 19 years in captivity. The conservation status of the secretary hawk is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the secretary hawk's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii