A flock of adult weaver birds works together to surround a highly venomous boomslang snake to protect their chicks in the nest.
(Video: Latest Sightings)
Georgie Lawless, a visitor at the Ngala private game reserve in South Africa, captured footage of southern masked weaver birds diving at a long green snake as it wrapped around a teardrop-shaped nest. The boomslang snake was intent on attacking the hanging nest. Meanwhile, the flock of weaver birds continuously swooped in to peck at the intruder.
The snake coiled half its body around the bird’s nest while attempting to bite back at the weaver birds. At one point, the snake nearly fell to the ground but ultimately managed to poke its head into the nest, rummaging for food before slithering away. The weaver birds were forced to retreat.
The nest defense battle between weaver birds and the boomslang snake.
Southern masked weaver birds are renowned for their nest-building skills. Their nests are typically located at the ends of branches and are quite sturdy. These birds often choose acacia trees with sharp thorns to deter predators. However, in this instance, the thorns of the acacia tree were no match for a large venomous snake like the boomslang. Boomslang snakes primarily feed on small animals such as chameleons, frogs, birds, and bird eggs.
