The answer to the question “do snakes eat birds?” is no, as they are not predators. However, snakes do eat a variety of other animals, including lizards, frogs, mice, and even dogs. They do not eat humans, however, as humans are a threat to their existence.
Cantil snakes
Cantil snakes are predators that feed on birds, mammals, and amphibians. They are found in Central America and Mexico.
These snakes are very sneaky. They use fake lures made from body parts to entice prey to enter the snake’s territory. The color of the lure varies depending on the species.
There are many different cantil snakes. Usually, they are dark brown to black. Some cantil snakes also have a yellow tip to their tail. This helps the snake trick birds into coming to it.
Cantil snakes are considered venomous. If they bite, they can kill you. Symptoms include swelling and discoloration. A bite from an adult can lead to large swellings, renal failure, and death.
The Common Cantil is a large and heavy-bodied snake that is native to southern Sonora in Mexico and Guatemala. It is often brightly patterned. However, it is not as elaborately patterned as the Ornate Cantil.
Some cantil snakes can be very aggressive. They will strike if they feel threatened. To keep these snakes in captivity, it is best to keep them in zoo-like settings. You can find these snakes in the Smithsonian National Zoo and the Little Rock Zoo.
A snake’s eyes are open even when it is asleep. It has a special pit near the eye that can detect heat and vibrations from the air. When it is dark, these snakes can use their special pit to trap their prey.
Pythons
Many people have heard that pythons eat birds. However, there are several species of pythons that do not. These snakes are nocturnal animals, which means they do not spend much time on land.
In the wild, pythons eat rodents, birds, and other reptiles. They can kill large mammals.
Depending on the species, pythons may take a long time to eat their prey. But once they start eating, they do so at a remarkably high rate. One of these species, the Burmese Python, has been known to kill humans.
The White-Lipped Python is native to Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest and longest snakes in the world. This creature has a long, jet black head and white scales around its lips.
Pythons are also known to be able to regurgitate their food. If threatened, they will do so. Although pythons are silent and sluggish, they can cause serious injury to humans.
Some species of pythons are known to eat animals that are endangered. One species, the Key Largo woodrat, might be on the verge of extinction due to the predation of pythons.
Unlike other snakes, pythons have a prehensile tail. That’s why they are able to hang from branches and make use of their ribs for support. When they are in danger, they search for a safe place to hide.
Shedao pit vipers
The Shedao pit viper is one of the largest species of pit-vipers in the world, growing to over two feet in length. It lives on a tiny island in the Bohai Sea, off the coast of China.
This species feeds on migratory passerine birds. They can be found in ambush postures in the trees during bird migration. Adults use terrestrial ambush-sites, while juveniles prefer arboreal ambush-sites.
They use a variety of cues to detect prey, such as thermal cues. Some snakes also track their prey using visual cues. These cues may be used to detect larger prey items.
Adults of this species feed almost exclusively on passerine birds. Smaller birds are rarely consumed, but are frequently killed. Prey size increases with predator size.
Interestingly, the minimum size of prey in the adult Shedao Pit-viper is significantly larger than in the juvenile. This is probably due to ontogenetic shifts in foraging behavior.
The primary reason for this size shift is the refusal of large snakes to strike at small prey. However, there may be other factors contributing to this ontogenetic shift.
One possible explanation is that adult snakes are able to increase their encounter rate with dead birds by selecting the appropriate terrestrial ambush-sites. In turn, this may also increase the likelihood that they will encounter smaller, but more readily available, prey items.
