Photo Contribution and Enquiry by Neels Niesing with Comments by Johan Marais. 21/08/2008
Neels Niesing: "While camping at Mbizi, near Bela-Bela (Warmbaths) in the Limpopo province in February 2007, we spotted this Boomslang in a tree next to our campsite. It was following the bird, which was making a lot of noise as if mocking the snake, but keeping just out of reach. Eventually the bird flew away, and the snake moved on to the other side of the tree where I could take the last few pictures with the sun behind my back. I could not see a nest or any other smaller birds. Could the snake be preying on this bird? I would think this bird was slightly too large for the Boomslang to swallow.
Thank you, I am looking forward to your reply."
Johan Marais: "The snake is a male Boomslang (Doispholidus typus) and it would have loved to make a meal of the bird which was not too big for it to swallow. However, it never really had any chance and the bird was mocking the snake. When a bird spots a snake it invariably gets quite close to the snake and makes a lot of noise to warn other birds. They prefer to be close and see the snake and then at least know where the danger is.
The Boomslang does not strike very fast and has a far better chance of getting young birds in their nests."
| Total images: 5 | © Johan Marais| Help |
