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In nature, most animals eat whatever they can to survive. While some animals have adapted to eating nuts, seeds, or berries, others have evolved to consume other animals. Some of these hunters have developed the taste and skills needed to hunt snakes. Ophiophagia, or “eating snakes” in Greek, refers to the habitual eating of snakes. Many animals include snakes in their diet. Some, like mongooses, mostly eat snakes, while others eat snakes only occasionally to survive. For example, there are a number of birds that eat snakes. These feathered hunters have sharp beaks, claws, and hunting instincts to catch snakes in the wild. In this article, we’ll take a look at 7 different birds that eat snakes. Along with their eating habits, we will also discuss their physical characteristics and where they live. With that said, let’s start by talking about these serpentine birds.
# 7: Red-Tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk, also known as the hawk, is one of the most abundant hawks in the world. It spreads throughout North America, living in the north to Alaska and in the south to Panama. They thrive in a variety of habitats including grasslands, forests, mountains, deserts, and urban areas. On average, they are 18 to 26 inches long and weigh between 1.5 and 3.5 pounds. Although they vary in appearance, most adult red-tailed hawks have light or dark brown plumage and red tail feathers. Red-tailed hawks eat a wide variety of animals, including rodents, small mammals, other birds, and reptiles. Due to geographic restrictions, some of these snake-eating birds consume them as a large part of their diet. In some regions, snakes make up more than 40% of the red-tailed hawk’s diet. To date, scientists have identified about 40 species of snakes that are hunted by red-tailed hawks.
# 6: Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird common in North America, the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. It is the largest native heron in North America, measuring 36 to 54 inches long and weighing 4 to 7.9 pounds. The great blue heron gets its name from its large size and blue-gray plumage. They live in various wetland habitats and spend most of their time walking along the water’s edge in search of food. Great blue herons mainly eat fish, but also eat birds, rodents, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. As one of the birds that feed on snakes, the great blue heron also occasionally hunts and eats snakes. To catch a water snake, the heron will stand still and allow the snake to slip a distance. Once the snake is within reach, it will lash out with its long beak and swallow the snake whole.
# 5: secretary bird
The secretary bird is a large bird native to the meadows and savannas of Africa. In many ways, it looks like a mixture of an eagle and a crane with long legs and a predatory body. The secretary birds are 44 to 59 inches long and weigh 8.2 to 9.4 pounds. They have gray-blue feathers on the crown, upper body and wings, as well as white feathers on the underside of the body. Unlike most birds of prey, the secretary bird hunts on foot, although it can fly. They eat a wide variety of prey including insects, rodents, crabs, small birds, and reptiles. Among the birds that eat snakes, the secretary bird uses a unique method of killing. As soon as he spots the snake, he will step on it with a force five times its weight. Due to the loss of habitat, the IUCN classifies the secretary bird as an endangered species.
# 4: Laughing Falcon
The laughing falcon, also known as the snake hawk, is a member of the falcon family Falconidae. Its Latin and common name refers to its unusual vocalizations that make it sound like a bird is laughing. Laughing falcons are common throughout Central and South America and prefer to live in humid regions with few trees. Medium sized laughing falcons are 18 to 22 inches in length and 0.9 to 1.8 pounds in weight. They have a whitish head, neck and lower body, dark brown wings, and a brown and white striped tail. Like some birds that eat snakes, the laughing falcon’s main food source is snakes. It even hunts venomous snakes like the coral snake. To kill the snake, the laughing falcon will attack it from the air and bite the snake’s head with its sharp beak.
# 3: Great Horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl or Tiger Owl is a large bird of prey and the most common species of true owl in the Americas. It is also one of the largest owls, measuring 17 to 25 inches in length and weighing 2.5 to 5.5 pounds. The Great Horned Owl got its name from its large size and characteristic tufts of the head, similar to horns. It has a dark brownish gray plumage that allows it to blend in with its surroundings. Like most owls, the great horned owl hunts at night. Almost no creature is immune to the Great Horned Owl, and it eats a wider variety of prey than any other predator. Although its diet mainly consists of rodents and small mammals, it is also one of the birds that eat snakes. Horned owls use stealth and ambush tactics to sneak up on their prey.
# 2: brown snake eagle
The brown eagle is a large predator that lives in parts of Africa. A relatively solitary bird, the brown snake eagle’s territory can extend for hundreds of miles. They usually live in a forest or meadow with a lot of trees. They average 26 to 31 inches in length and 3.3 to 5.5 pounds in weight. As the name suggests, the brown snake eagle gets its name from its almost uniform dark brown plumage. Its diet is similar to that of other snake eagles, which are all classified as snake-eating birds. In fact, he almost exclusivel
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eats snakes in the wild and does not discriminate to which type. Brown eagles will eat large, small, or venomous snakes, including vipers, cobras, and black mambas. Once they catch the snake, they will swallow it whole or tear it apart if the snake is too big.
# 1: chicken
Chicken is one of the most common pets – and the most abundant poultry – on the planet. These backyard birds live on all continents and are considered a staple food in many cultures. People usually raise chickens for meat and eggs. However, some people also contain chickens as a natural form of pest control. Not only do they eat ticks, they are also one of the snake-eating birds. The chicken instinctively attacks and kills the little snake. To kill the snake, the chicken will peck at it with its sharp beak and may even grab it with its feet. If the snake is small enough, the chicken will continue to swallow the whole snake.
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