The snake-eater searches for snakes, large and small, all year round. The bird tracks the prey from above, dives sharply, grabs the (usually) snake with razor-sharp claws.
Individual features of the species
- first swallows the head of the snake, the tail sticks out of the mouth;
- performs a difficult dance in the sky during the mating season, one of the elements is tossing kites;
- hangs over the prey for a long time before falling down and grabbing the victim.
Where snake eaters are found
They live in southwestern and southeastern Europe, including France, Italy and Spain, northwest Africa, east of Iran, Iraq, India, western China and the islands of Indonesia.
Natural habitat
Snake-eaters prefer open areas with scattered trees, meadows, forests and rocky slopes where birds nest and spend the night. In warm climates, it is located on dry plains, hills and mountains. In northern latitudes, the bird lives in wastelands, wet meadows and the edges of wetlands adjacent to forests.
Hunting and food habits
The snake-eater attacks its prey from a distance of up to 1500 m thanks to its exceptional vision.
The snake eagle is an experienced snake hunter, 70-80% of the diet consists of reptiles. The bird also eats:
- reptiles;
- frogs;
- wounded birds;
- rodents;
- small mammals.
The snake-eagle hunts at heights, uses branches to track prey, and sometimes chases prey on land or in shallow water.
When hunting for snakes, the bird grabs the victim, breaks its head or tears it off with its claws / beak, then swallows. The snake eater has no immunity to the bites of poisonous snakes, but it swallows them without being bitten, the poison is digested in the intestines. The bird is protected by thick feathers on its paws. When it eats a large snake, it flies up, and the tail looks out of its beak. The snake-eater feeds its partner or chick, throwing its head back, the other bird pulls the prey out of its throat. Young snake eaters instinctively know how to swallow food.
Bird reproduction in nature
In the mating season, the snake eagle flies up to a height, performs breathtaking stunts. The male begins the mating dance with a steep rise, then repeatedly falls and rises again. The male carries a snake or twig in his beak, which he throws and catches, then passes it to the chosen one. After that, the birds fly up together and emit loud cries similar to the call of seagulls.
Couples are created for life. Each year, the female builds a new nest from twigs and sticks in trees high above the ground, not visible from below. The nest is small compared to the size of the birds, deep, covered with green grasses. The female lays a smooth white oval egg with blue streaks.
The mother incubates eggs on her own for 45-47 days. Newborn chicks are fluffy white with gray eyes that then turn bright orange or yellow. Young snake-eaters have large heads. First, feathers grow on the back and head, protecting the body from the scorching sun. Both parents feed the chick, which fledges after 70-75 days. Juveniles migrate to nearby branches in 60 days, after fledging they leave the territory of their parents. Chicks are fed with torn pieces of snakes or lizards.
If the egg does not hatch, the female will incubate for up to 90 days before surrendering.
Behavior and seasonal migration
Snake eaters protect living space from other birds of their own kind. In a threatening demonstration flight, the bird flies with its head fully extended and issues warning signals that discourage competitors from crossing the boundaries of the feeding area.
After the breeding season, they migrate, traveling singly, in pairs or in small groups. European snake-eaters winter in the northern latitudes of Africa; eastern populations in the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia.
