Snakes are Frequently Defeated by Predators, Such as the Scarlet-headed Minivet

Snakes are often imagined as very powerful animals by many people, frequently eating small animals, but they also have their own predators and are often defeated by them. They have no resistance at all. This includes some birds. The Scarlet-headed Minivet is one such species that loves to eat snakes.

Scarlet-headed Minivet: A large crow, with a body length of 54-65 cm. The mouth, feet and head, neck, throat and chest are black, with a white to pale white or gray-purple patch from the crown to the back of the neck, the rest of the upper body is purple-blue gray or pale blue-brown. The tail is long and has black subterminal spots and white terminal spots. The lower body is white. Yellow-billed Magpie is very similar in appearance and plumage to this species, but the Yellow-billed Magpie has a yellow beak and a white patch on the forehead. The distinction is still obvious, and it is not difficult to identify in the wild. It can emit a variety of noisy and whistling sounds. It is common and widely distributed in forest edges, shrubs and even villages. It is aggressive and forms small groups to activity. It feeds on fruits, small birds and eggs, insects, etc. It actively attacks raptors. It is found in the Himalayas, Northeast India, China, Myanmar and Indochina.

Scarlet-headed Minvets are relatives of crows and have a mixed diet, mainly eating animal food such as insects, and also eat plant fruits, seeds and grains such as wheat and corn. Common animal food includes head-turning insects, golden beetles, locusts, grasshoppers, flies, June bugs, crickets, beetles, moth larvae and other insects. It also eats spiders, snails, worms, fireflies, frogs, lizards, chicks, bird eggs and other small invertebrates and vertebrates. Plant-based food mainly consists of various tree and shrub fruits and seeds, and occasionally eats wheat, corn and other crops.

It sometimes fiercely invades other birds' nests, attacking and devouring the remaining chicks and bird eggs. The breeding season for Scarlet-headed Minvets is from March to May, and during this period, the parents are extremely protective of their nests and have a very fierce temper. If people approach their nest area, they will scream and flutter incessantly, and even attack humans.