Frikkie Van Jaarsveld submitted his video of the amusing antics to Latest Sightings. Unfortunately, we have no information about where it was filmed.
Unusual round object
As the action starts in Frikkie’s video, we see a mature secretarybird standing on a burnt patch of ground. At the bird’s feet, we can see an unusual round object.
The object is most likely an ostrich egg. Judging by the egg’s discolouration, its parents likely abandoned it when the fire swept through the area.
As ground-nesting birds, the ostriches would have had no way to protect their precious egg when the fire swept through.
Tempting treat
No doubt delighted to find such a protein-rich treat lying in the veld, the large raptor set about trying to open it up. With its wings raised for balance, the long-legged bird was trying to either grab or smash the egg.
When hunting, secretarybirds will literally batter their soft prey into submission. However, its efforts to use this tactic on the egg were not going very well.
Ostrich eggs have extremely thick shells, making them difficult to break. Compounding matters, its slippery surface meant that every time the secretarybird tried to grasp the egg, its talons slid off.
Slippery soccer
Making matters worse, because of its shape, each contact meant the egg rolled away. Consequently, as it stomped and slipped and chased, its thwarted efforts came to resemble a football player dribbling a ball.
As it chased the egg across the ground, the bird seemed to get increasingly frustrated. Though it would try, try and try again, it was unable to either clutch or break the egg.
Turning heads
As the adult bird continued chasing the egg, a juvenile secretarybird wandered by. Although it watched what was going on, it just sauntered on.
Like many a teen, it wasn’t about to embarrass itself by joining its parents’ futile football fumbling.
However, it ended up embarrassing itself anyway. Engrossed with the other birds’ behaviour, it tripped over something and nearly fell flat on its face.
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Elegantly comical
Undeterred by its offspring’s disdain, the adult continued to chase the egg about. While comical, there was a certain elegance to the display.
Their hunting style often mirrors the sweeps and strides of a ballroom dancer.
Whatever your thoughts on that notion, the bird was no closer to breaking the egg than when the video started. Accordingly, Frikkie’s video concludes with the determined raptor still chasing the egg in circles.
Whether or not it finally managed to enjoy the fruits of its labour is unknown.
More about secretarybirds
Secretarybirds are so named for the long feathers found on their heads, which are said to resemble writing quills used before the invention of modern pens.
A relative of eagles and hawks, they are easily recognisable, standing about 1.3 metres tall on long, powerful legs.
Though capable fliers, they spend much of their time on the ground looking for prey. Their diet includes reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, insects and eggs.
The latter, that is, when they can grasp and open them.
