Sometimes the snake eats the bird and sometimes the bird eats the snake. We thought it might be interesting to highlight the relationship between snakes and birds which might not often be thought of. In one week we discovered an eastern rat snake searching for prey in a mourning dove nest under our barn and then shortly after observed the use of shed snake skin in a house wren nest in one of our boxes. Some speculate that the use of scent associated with snake skin could deter mammalian predators from entering the nest, using one predator to defend itself against another. Previously we’ve seen species like red-shouldered hawks carrying an eastern garter snake and watched as an eastern rat snake stalked a fledgling northern cardinal. While it may seem like a bird is no match for a hungry snake and their unprotected nests often fall victim to them, plenty of bird species will prey on snakes, highlighting how species can depend on each other and balance populations in ways we might not at first realize.
Birds & Snakes
