In Touch With Nature – African’s most unusual bird of prey – Ode to a Secretary Bird #southernafricanwildlife #birds #poetry
Posted: January 22, 2025 Filed under: Africa, Birds, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Poetry, Writing to be Read | Tags: African Wildlife, Birds, In Touch With Nature, Photography, Poetry, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Secretary Bird, Video, Writing to be Read 68 Comments
During our recent trip of Babanango Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, we had a good sighting of a secretary bird roosting in a tree. That sighting prompted the creation of this poem which tells you all about this fascinating bird.
Ode to a Secretary Bird
My mouth smiles, a grin spreading from ear to ear
When I spy the Secretary Bird perched in a tree
It looks around, hoping its favourite food will appear
A slithering snake its equivalent of scones and tea
An eagle type body perched atop legs like a crane
Giving it a height of up to 1.3 meters; tall for a bird
Crazy feather spikes surround its face – a bad hair day
Or does it think it’s a lion with a shaggy black mane
During a courting ritual, its frog-like call is heard
The rest of the year, a calm silence holds sway
***
Breeding usually takes place once in a year
During spring and summer when food is plentiful
The male helps to incubate the eggs, he’s quite a dear
Mating with one female for life, he’s also faithful
Preferring to stay grounded, it will fly if it must
Legs sticking out behind it in a ridiculous way
Outside of mating or nesting, it does its thing alone
When it needs to run, you only see a cloud of dust
With a wingspan of two metres, it creates a great display
Living out its life within a fifty square kilometre zone
***
Grey tailcoat and dark knee-length pants its claim
To male secretary status – it even has goose-quill pens
Carried behind its ears, the combined cause of its name
Also called ‘Devil’s horse’ by its traditional African friends
In honour of the great speed at which it hunts its prey
Including reptiles, amphibians, and mammals like rats
And venomous snakes which it beats to death on the ground
Popular due to their diet, people encourage them to stay
At keeping land free of vermin, they’re better than cats
Once they were numerous, but they no longer abound
***
This bird’s endangered classification mankind’s great shame
Along with its relatives, buzzards, vultures, and harriers
The fault of human greed and selfishness, nothing else to blame
I’m grateful some are protected behind fences and barriers
An important feature in the South African coat of arms
It’s chest a protea, also endangered or vulnerable to extinction
Powerful legs formed by a crossed knobkierie and long spear
Symbolism as the protector of the nation one of its many charms
You’d expect its status to afford it a measure of distinction
The loss of this messenger of the heavens not something people fear
A fascinating YT video featuring a secretary bird (not my video):
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of sixteen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of three poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5
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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
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Roberta, I’m overwhelmed by the information you give us with your beautiful poem concerning the “Devil’s Horse” and its spiky feathers! Many thanks and all the best:)
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Hi Martina, I am delighted you enjoyed this poem and the pictures. I was so excited to see this bird and get these shots. We saw it twice. Have a lovely evening. Hugs.
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Thank you very much, Roberta, for your kind answer!
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My pleasure, Martina. I am always pleased to see you.
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The same for me, Roberta!
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Thank you Robbie for this beautifully informative post.
I love your words and your photographs are amazing.
The secretary bird is amazung !
Wonderful share.
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Hi Maggie, I agree, this bird is amazing. I was beyond thrilled to see it and get these pictures. And then the muse was kind enough to bring a poem too – smile
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Hi Robbie
I love it when the muse plays ball 😉
And your photographs of course remind me of my birth country 💕
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Yes, I don’t write if the words don’t come easily. I’m a bit lazy that way. Of course, this is a South African bird of prey.
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I used to try and force it, but there is no point.
Yes, South Africa is truly beautiful in terms of wildlufe and scenery.
Have a lovely day Robbue.
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Very interesting creatures.
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Absolutely, Craig. Africa is a wonderful place.
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What a stunning and fabulous bird! Thank you for sharing!
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Aww, wonderful birds!!
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Thank you, Chris. Africa is a wonderful place.
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Excellent, informative poem, Robbie! That is one interesting-looking bird!
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Hi Dave, seeing this bird and the brown snake eagle were highlights of this trip.
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These are neat-looking birds, and your poem does a great job of describing their habits. A bird that’s fast and kills venomous snakes like that gets a lot of respect from me!
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Hi Dave, I was beyond delighted to see this bird in action. I didn’t get a good shot of him running but I got these ones of him roosting later in the day.
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Robbie, when I was studying creative writing at Western, we did a writing exercise where we created a character with attributes of an inanimate object, like a stiff and proper character created from the idea of a butter knife. When I look at this bird, all I could think was what a great character you could create using its attributes. I love this bird. 🙂
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HI Kaye, it is a wonderful bird and that is probably why it is special in African culture. I made the guide wait for ages so I could watch it – smile!
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🙂
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A beautiful post for this most interesting bird!
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HI Dwight, I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post / poem. I was thrilled to see it twice during this trip to the bush. So special.
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It is an odd-looking creature for sure!
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The close ups show a different look – not as unkempt 🙂 beware secretaries! 🙂 Love the poem and the info too, learned from this.
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Hi Paul, I am delighted you enjoyed this post / poem. I was so excited to see this bird and get these great photographs.
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Thank you for sharing the joy 🙂
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My pleasure
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Most informative, Robbie. I had heard the name but knew nothing about this bird. Your presentation is delightful!
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HI Audrey, I’m delighted you enjoyed this post/poetic presentation. I was so thrilled to get these shots of this bird. They are quite rare.
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Fascinating information! He certainly is a scruffy-looking bird.
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Hi Liz, in a tree, he is scruffy. On the ground, he is amazing. I was thrilled to see this extraordinary bird.
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His legs are very long!
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Yes, they are also very strong and they kick and trample prey to death.
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[…] https://writingtoberead.com/2025/01/22/in-touch-with-nature-africans-most-unusual-bird-of-prey-ode-t… […]
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Thanks for sharing, Patty. 🙂
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I love not only the poem, but all the information on this cute bird! Thank you for sharing your photos and experience.
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Thank you, Denise. I am so pleased you enjoyed this poem and information.
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I wonder why it’s named a secretary bird? Those legs are certainly at odds with perching up high.
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It is called a secretary bird because it looks like it’s wearing a grey tailcoat and knee length pants. Its head feathers are reminiscent of quill pens. Thanks, Janet.
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I enjoyed the poem. It seems a lot of bird to be resting in that flimsy tree. Great hairdo though!
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HI Jo, these poor trees are well used in the bush. They are a food source for many animals too. Isn’t he great looking? I just loved it.
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Beautiful xx
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What an unusual-looking bird, Robbie! I appreciate your information about Secretary Bird, the “Devil’s horse.” I hope the protection keeps these birds around to help humans.
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Hi Miriam, the game reserves make money for the country and individuals so they will stay.
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That’s a good way to do it, Robbie!
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Yes, it is the only way.
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I am enthralled with this education, as I never realize what I didn’t know until you so poetically make me aware. Thank you, Robbie!
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My pleasure, Annette. I don’t suppose many people know about secretary birds.
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Thank you for the lesson on a bird I was not familiar with.
I love this line: “A slithering snake its equivalent of scones and tea.”
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Hi Pete, I’m delighted you enjoyed this post. I like that line and I’m glad you enjoyed it too.
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An important part of the ecosystem. Lots of great information here Robbie. And your photos illuminate your words, as always. (K)
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Hi Kerfe, I always think of you when I post about birds. I find them endlessly entertaining.
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Well, here’s something you don’t see every day – an ode to a bird. Thanks for that most unusual reading!
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HI Nicholas, I am glad you found this entertaining. It is a smashing bird.
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A wonderful poem. A tribute to an amazing bird.
Those amazingly long legs are unusual in a bird of prey.
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Thank you, I’m delighted you enjoyed this poem. It is very unusual looking.
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What a great way to learn about a bird, through poetry! I’ve never seen a secretary bird, not even in a zoo. It’s a huge bird! It looks a lot like a bald eagle, I think, so I looked them both up. They’re kind of related in that they have a common ancestor.
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Hi Priscilla, you are correct. It is a fascinating bird and I was thrilled to see it. I just read your wonderful poem over at Hotel by Masticadores. Congratulations.
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A fascinating bird. Your words describe it well. The video is good too. (even though it is not yours)
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HI Darlene, I am pleased you enjoyed this little forage into South African bird life.
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Love the poem and the information, Robbie! I appreciate so much your love of wildlife.
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I’m glad you enjoy these wildlife posts, Dawn.
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Your poetry is always visually stirring, Robbie. The beauty you paint with words leaves me awestruck!
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Hello Beem, this is such a nice comment. Thank you so much. I am just about to watch your latest YT video with Jan …
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This is a fascinating bird, and your poetry is well done. Thank you for educating us on this bird, Robbie.
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Fabulous! What a great Ode, post and series.
Thank you Robbie and Kaye Lynne.
As there are 2 blogs involved , I did a special post on Blue Sky with links to both blogs.
UCH! I just realized I forgot to credit Robbie’s photo of this gorgeous bird.
I promise I will remember next time!
Chapeau!
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