Steve and Bee recently witnessed the unforgettable stand-off between a secretary bird and a jackal near the Kij Kij waterhole in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
It’s easy to forget how large a secretary bird actually is, however the travelers saw close-up the immense size of the bird as it pitted itself against a jackal.
Secretary birds can reach heights of approximately 1.3 meters and their remarkable wingspan can span between 1.9 and 2.1 meters.
It was possibly with good reason it sought to intimidate the jackal, which put up its own good fight. Jackals have been known to take secretary bird eggs as food.
A bird that means business
The reserve visitors had been driving back towards Twee Riviere Rest camp when they came across the sighting.
“The car in front of us had stopped and we could see gemsbok (oryx antelope) and wildebeest lying down. As we drove closer we could see the jackal and the secretary bird standing facing each other. We stopped the car and I immediately started taking pictures.”
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
They said that the jackal appeared to be attacking the bird at first. It was coming at the bird, mouth open, however not managing to successfully make any bites.
“It then became clear that the secretary bird was in fact the aggressor. The jackal was just defending itself.”
Every which way the jackal moved, the bird jumped in to block it. With wings outstretched, it appeared to dance around the jackal.
“It wouldn’t let the jackal move in any direction, blocking every attempt the jackal made to move away. Circling around the jackal and jumping over it and kicking out at its back.”
“At one point the secretary bird landed a thumping blow to the jackal’s head. The jackal backed right down and managed to make his escape towards the back of our car. The secretary bird stood and watched. Seemingly satisfied with its victory. Turned and went back to foraging.”
If the jackal had entertained any thoughts about taking a secretary bird egg, it no doubt had changed its mind. However, its attempts to leave the scene were met with fury and onslaught from the secretary bird.
Secretary bird blocks jackal from all directions
While instances of direct predation on adult secretary birds are uncommon, their eggs and chicks face significant risks from various predators, including jackals. These predators are opportunistic and often target nests due to the vulnerability of the young birds.
To counter these threats, the nests of secretary birds are typically built in the upper branches of trees, such as acacia trees. Additionally, much as this secretary bird was, the adult birds are extremely vigilant, often taking turns guarding their nests and scanning the surroundings for potential threats.
They have sharp eyesight and when they detect a possible threat, they have a quick reaction, warding off intruders before harm to the nest can be done.
This might provide some kind of explanation for the bird’s attacking behaviour.
A display of vigilance and active defense
It’s this combination of vigilance, strategic nesting, and active defense which ensure the survival of the birds’ offspring in the challenging environments they inhabit.
“I have never seen anything like this and probably won’t again in my lifetime. It was our first trip to the Kgalagadi and it has been a magical experience. I can’t wait to come back!”