REPTILE-EATING BIRDS

Reptiles are popular prey items for a wide variety of birds, but only a few raptors are truly reptile specialists.

American Kestrel

eating an Earless Lizard

American Kestrel w30-1-029.jpg
American Kestrel      Falco sparverius
USA; South Dakota, Tuthill

Black Vulture

foraging on dead sea-turtle, bill in eye socket

Black Vulture s68-1-032.jpg
Black Vulture      Coragyps atratus

Black Vulture

eating dead alligator

Black Vulture w02-43-006.jpg
Black Vulture      Coragyps atratus
USA; Florida, Everglades National Park, Monroe Co.

Crested Caracara

2 birds with snake (Western Coachwhip)

Crested Caracara l07-45-064.jpg
Crested Caracara      Caracara cheriway
USA; Texas, Las Colmenas Ranch, near McCook, Hidalgo Co.

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

with lizard

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl n06-2-159.jpg
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl      Glaucidium brasilianum
USA; Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Willacy Co.

Great Blue Heron

eating baby alligator

Great Blue Heron g19-3-004.jpg
Great Blue Heron      Ardea herodias
USA; Florida, Everglades N.P., Anhinga Trail

Great Blue Heron

snake in bill

Great Blue Heron m17-51-031.jpg
Great Blue Heron      Ardea herodias

Great Egret

lizard in bill, skink

Great Egret m17-13-019.jpg
Great Egret      Ardea alba

Greater Roadrunner

spiny lizard Sceloporus in bill

Greater Roadrunner b61-2-026.jpg
Greater Roadrunner      Geococcyx californianus

Greater Roadrunner

with lizard in bill

Greater Roadrunner s80-2-008.jpg
Greater Roadrunner      Geococcyx californianus
USA; California, Anza-Borrego State Park

Gull-billed Tern

with anolis lizard in bill

Gull-billed Tern m17-74-081.jpg
Gull-billed Tern      Gelochelidon nilotica
USA; Florida, Alafia Bank, Tampa Bay

Harris's Hawk

with Ruthven's Whipsnake(Masticophis schotti ruthveni)

Harris's Hawk l07-45-113.jpg
Harris's Hawk      Parabuteo unicinctus
USA; Texas, Las Colmenas Ranch, near McCook, Hidalgo Co.

Herring Gull

2nd year bird with diamondback terrapin in beak - later escaped, Malaclemys terrapin

Herring Gull w02-53-075.jpg
Herring Gull      Larus argentatus
USA; New Jersey, Delaware Bay

Hood Mockingbird

turtle egg in bill

Hood Mockingbird m47-9-043.jpg
Hood Mockingbird      Nesomimus macdonaldi

Laughing Kookaburra

eating a legless lizard

Laughing Kookaburra c26-2-040.jpg
Laughing Kookaburra      Dacelo novaeguineae

Loggerhead Shrike

Texas horned toad in bill

Loggerhead Shrike m17-69-093.jpg
Loggerhead Shrike      Lanius ludovicianus
USA; Texas, Forshage Ranch, Edinburg

Northern Pygmy-Owl

Eastern fence lizard in beak

Northern Pygmy-Owl b53-4-126.jpg
Northern Pygmy-Owl      Glaucidium gnoma
USA; Colorado, Jefferson Co.

Pygmy Falcon

lizard in bill

Pygmy Falcon c33-1-042.jpg
Pygmy Falcon      Polihierax semitorquatus
Namibia, Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

Roadside Hawk

With lizard prey in bill

Roadside Hawk m57-6-029.jpg
Roadside Hawk      Buteo magnirostris

Short-toed Snake Eagle

at nest, snake in bill

Short-toed Snake Eagle s68-1-058.jpg
Short-toed Snake Eagle      Circaetus gallicus

Turkey Vulture

with road-killed turtle

Turkey Vulture m17-38-091.jpg
Turkey Vulture      Cathartes aura

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

head-shot, small Painted Turtle in bill

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron s36-30-003.jpg
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron      Nyctanassa violacea
USA; New York, Jamaica Bay NWR, Big John's Pond, Queens