Large snakes predating on birds eggs chicks etc.. (1 Viewer)

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scuba0095

Well-known member

• Dec 30, 2006

• #1

Hello

Over the summer i saw a rat snake totaly devour a whole nest of baby birds. THe parents were unable to stop the snake though they tried


Have any of you seen this? I did not get in the way because it was a natural predation but god iw anted to ! I felt so sorry for the birds!


Are any birds able to sucessfully defend their nests from maruading snakes??? The birds seemed pretty helpless

 

MlZad

On-duty SnakeMan, 0-24h

• Dec 31, 2006

• #2

I haven't seen this phenomenon yet, but I know that I have snakes that do that.
I don't think that there are any birds that are attacked in this way that can defend the nest, because I think that snakes choose those birds that cannot harm them.

If you did decide to get in the way, you would've probably ended up being bitten a couple of times (which wouldn't be a problem), but getting it out of the tree, that would've been your big problem, especially if its a large snake. I tryed it once, it took me more than 30 min to get it out of the tree...

Good for the snake, bad for the birds.

 

Mike Richardson

Formerly known as Skink1978

• Dec 31, 2006

• #3

I know that many species of bird mob snakes, as they do birds of prey etc. This possibly annoys the snake so much that it goes to try and find food elsewhere. However, I suspect that in most cases the bird/eggs still get eaten by the snake.

While the majority of snakes readily predate birds and their eggs, many bird species eat snakes! As Elton John once sung...'It's the Circle of Life''

 

blackbirdy

Member

• Dec 31, 2006

• #4

While I was visiting Louisiana I saw a speckled kingsnake about 3 ft. long finishing off some cardinal nestlings. The cardinal parents, a yellow-breasted chat, and a white-eyed vireo were all mobbing the snake but without any success.

Closer to home I did see a pair of western scrub-jays send a Racer packing from the top of a shrub and into the grass. This snake was a little over 2 ft. long, and I don't know whether the jays had a nest or if they were harassing the snake just because he was there.

 

talon_dfa

Well-known member

• Jan 4, 2007

• #5

I have seen this several times...
6 ft black rat snake - flicker eggs (30 feet in limbless pine tree)
3 ft garter snake - Cedar Waxwing nestlings
7 ft King snake - Ate full clutch of friends Chicken eggs (Jumbo sized)

(I have seen chickens eat small snakes (including Cobra)...

The ability for the birds to defend depends upon the size of the bird, the size of the snake, the weapons the bird brings to the party and the motivation of the snake.

 

MlZad

On-duty SnakeMan, 0-24h

• Jan 4, 2007

• #6

talon_dfa said:

The ability for the birds to defend depends upon the size of the bird, the size of the snake, the weapons the bird brings to the party and the motivation of the snake.

Click to expand...

...and also the "terrain" where the encounter took place. It is easyer to knock a snake of a couple of small thin flexible branches than 1 strong sturdy one, but again, that depends on the size of the snake and its grip on the branch.

 

S

scuba0095

Well-known member

• Jan 9, 2007

• #7

the snake i saw was about 6 foot long seemed HUGE


what birds would be able to handle drive off a snake of that size? OTher then a eagle of course !

 

MlZad

On-duty SnakeMan, 0-24h

• Jan 9, 2007

• #8

I think none (except mayve raptors).