The Big Bird we're all used to seeing roaming Sesame Street is kind, caring, and gentle. However, there is another big bird roaming Africa that is a calculated killer with a unique method of attack.
The secretary bird stands over four feet tall when fully grown, has long, slender stork-like legs, and can be found strutting all around sub-Saharan Africa, Forbes reported. However, don't let its delicate features fool you; this bird is closely related to birds of prey, such as eagles and hawks.
Instead of swooping down and snatching its prey with powerful talons like other birds of prey, the secretary bird uses its long legs to kick its prey with a violent force that would make Chuck Norris proud. It's also fearless, as it will smash a deadly cobra right in the face like it's no big deal.
Forbes recently took a close look at a 2016 Current Biology study that broke down the exact science behind the secretary bird's unique and impressive fighting method.
The study found that the deadly kick has an average peak force of 195 newtons, or five times its body weight — enough to kill a snake in milliseconds. As a matter of fact, each kick only makes contact for 15 milliseconds, which means if you blink, you'll miss it.
This video from the Hawk Conservancy Trust features Angola, a secretary bird that's been trained to show off this incredible talent on a fake snake.
The speed, force, and precision that go into this unique attack make the secretary bird stand out from other birds of prey. It's too fast to make mid-kick adjustments, so the bird has to pre-plan each smashing blow, striking a small, fast-moving target like a snake's head, which also happens to have sharp, deadly fangs.
The secretary bird, like many animals, has been formed by its environment. The open grasslands and savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa offer few places for animals to hide, so most are constantly aware of their surroundings, which makes typical bird-of-prey hunting strategies more difficult.
That's why the secretary bird walks through the grassland, purposefully disrupting the hiding spots of smaller animals. When a rodent, lizard, or snake is forced out into the open, the bird's legs are long enough to keep it out of danger and powerful enough to quickly deliver a deadly blow.
It's a fascinating look at the biology of this amazing creature. The video's viewers were blown away by the impressive bird, with one person commenting, "That kick packs quite a wallop."
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Another viewer commented on the raptor by writing, "What an adorable little dinosaur."
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