What Eats Snakes?

Although snakes are predators, they are also themselves eaten by other creatures, making them secondary consumers in the trophic pyramid. Birds of prey, such as hawks and eagles, are some of the most common predators of snakes. These birds have keen eyesight and powerful talons, making them well-equipped to spot and capture snakes from the air. (The central emblem of the flag of Mexico is a notable depiction of an eagle preying on a snake.) Other birds that eat snakes include herons, roadrunners, crows, and owls.

Mammals also prey on snakes. One of the most famous examples is the mongoose, which attacks such highly venomous snakes as king cobras. Feral pigs and cats have been documented as predators of the brown tree snake. The presence of such predators can significantly impact snake populations in certain areas.

Interestingly, some snakes fall prey to other reptiles. Monitor lizards, for example, are known to hunt and eat snakes. King snakes derive their name from the common king snake’s habit of feeding upon other snakes, including rattlesnakes and copperheads, to whose venom they are immune. Some snakes, including the king snake, engage in cannibalism.