Owls are considered the wisest animal due to their preying behavior. There are over 300 species of owls in the world. Owl species can vary in size.
The smallest species of owls is the Little Owl while the Blakiston fish owl is the largest owl species in the world. This bird has the wisest preying behavior as it can easily hunt during the nighttime as well.
But on which animal does this bird hunt? Small insects and small animals are the common diets of this bird. But do these birds prey on snakes?
This question is often asked as snakes are preyed on by eagles usually. So In this article, I’ve explained the connection between snakes and owls.
Do owls Eat Snakes?
Yes, owls do eat snakes and snakes are the biggest part of their diet. The owls have a diverse and highly adaptable diet that allows them to hunt anything that moves.
But they must be able to challenge the prey in terms of size. Snakes are part of the versatile diet of some owls. Whether snakes are on land or in water, owls can prey on the snakes at any place.
Do great horned owls eat snakes?
Great horned owls are large and powerful birds that are native to the Arctic, and South America.
There are many varieties of snakes available in this habitat. Therefore, these owl species happily consume snakes as part of their meal.
Do snowy owls eat snakes?
Snowy owls are the owl species that are native to tundra areas across Alaska, Canada, and Euro Siberia. However, these species of owls are not very interested in having snakes in their meal.
They prefer preys that can be found in the Arctic environment, such as seals, fish, lemmings, and even smaller birds.
Do barn owls eat snakes?
Barn owls are versatile and wide-ranging owls that can be found across the world in many varied habitats. These owls are found in drier regions and are more likely to eat replies.
Therefore, they are prone to eating snakes. For instance, Australian masked owls are a variety of barn owls and they are native to Southern New Guinea and Australia.
For Australian Masked owls, various types of native snakes are their common prey.
Do barred owls eat snakes?
Barred owls have a varied diet that includes snakes. These owl lives in wooded areas and stays in the Eastern United States and Southern Canada.
Owls are known to hunt by wading into water and prey on fish and crayfish. This indicates that water snakes stay in danger as well.
What types of snakes do owls eat?
The types of snakes that owls eat depend on what kind of snake species are available in the habitat of owls. Great-horned Owls are large owl species found in North America and South America.
They have diverse habitats and diets because of this range. These owls prey on snakes but it is not a major part of their diet. They often prey on small and medium-sized animals like hares and rabbits.
The common types of snakes that are often hunted by certain owl species include rat snake, common garter, smooth green snake, rat snake, eastern hognose, and ribbon snake.
How do Owls hunt and catch snakes?
Owls have binocular vision and both of their eyes face towards. It is different from most other birds as birds usually have eyes on the sides of their heads.
This unique feature of these birds gives them excellent depth perception. They can easily make judgments on the distances that are necessary to strike their prey.
With the combination of eyesight and ability to strike helps the owls to prey on snakes effectively.
Owls use their powerful talons to grab the snakes from the ground and take them off to a branch to consume them.
But when snakes become off the ground, then snakes cannot strike the owls and becomes helpless as there is no support for the snake’s body.
Snakes become part of the owl’s dinner as they cannot escape the owls.
How do owls kill snakes?
Owls have the quality of flying silently over their prey. The same stands true for hunting snakes as well.
They approach the snakes silently and then kill them swiftly and immediately. However, this strategy can be different from that of other birds such as hawks and eagles.
Can owls keep snakes away?
Certain owls eat snakes are their regular diet. These owls can keep the snakes low in that place.
Owls can potentially reduce the number of snakes by eating them. Many experts state that Owl Scarecrows can be beneficial to keep the snakes away from a place.
Do owls prey on snakes for food only?
Owls may hunt the snakes as food but there are certainly other reasons why owls prey on snakes. Owls also show awareness of snake behavior and they interact with certain snakes in different ways.
For instance, the Screech owls bring Texas blind snakes to their nest and keep them alive at that place. These snakes eat the insect larvae and help in keeping the nest clean.
While the Burrowing owls were seen imitating rattlesnakes by hissing at predators when threatened. This behavior is often witnessed on numerous occasions.
Conclusion
The diet of the owl depends on the species of owl. It includes insects, small animals, and reptiles as well.
Owls often prey on snakes but some species of this bird are not fond of this meal. However, the habitat of the owls also affects this behavior.
At last, I hope this article was informative enough for you. Thank You For Reading!
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