Secretarybirds hunt by walking. They stride through grass, flush prey, then deliver a downward stamp with a foot that is short-toed and blunt-clawed compared with other raptors, built for striking rather than gripping.
Biomechanical work with a trained bird striking a target measured contact times in the region of 10 to 15 milliseconds and peak forces around five times body weight. That is far too fast for the strike to be steered mid-flight, so accuracy must be set before the foot leaves the ground, which fits the deliberate approach and the long, precise legs.
The snake-killing reputation is real but partial. Snakes are taken, and the long legs keep the bird's body away from a striking head, but the diet is dominated by insects, especially grasshoppers and beetles, along with rodents and lizards. The species is now listed as Endangered, with grassland conversion and degradation the leading concerns.