Which African bird of prey is famous for killing snakes by stamping on them?

The secretarybird is the African bird of prey famous for killing snakes by stamping on them.

Unlike most raptors, the secretarybird spends much of its time walking across open grasslands and savannas. Its long legs let it deliver rapid, forceful kicks to prey, including snakes, lizards, insects, and small mammals. The bird may also seize prey with its bill or strike it against the ground.

Adults have a tall, upright profile, gray body, black flight feathers, long dark leg feathers, and a crest of elongated feathers at the back of the head. The species’ common name has uncertain origins; proposed explanations connect the crest with old-fashioned clerks’ quill pens or with a historical term related to attendants.

Despite its eagle-like hunting reputation, the secretarybird is placed in its own family, Sagittariidae. It is not a crane or stork, although its long legs and terrestrial lifestyle can make those comparisons tempting. Habitat loss and agricultural change have contributed to conservation concerns across parts of its African range.