A Coffee Break and a Show
Kruger field guide, Frank De Beer was on a game drive with his group when they decided to take a pause near a water hole for a cup of coffee. Just as they all began to pack up to head back on the road, something caught Frank’s attention.
Nearby, some birds were making quite a racket, and Frank’s first thought was that a snake must have been attacking. Upon investigation, the group discovered a pair of Blacksmith Lapwings, and sure enough, they were mobbing a Common Egg Eater who was after their eggs!
As their name suggests, common egg eaters consume eggs as a large portion of their diet. What’s most impressive, however, is their ability to expand themselves to swallow the eggs whole.
Fierce Defenders
As Frank and his group carefully approached the scene, they watched the lapwings take turns swooping and pecking at the snake in attempt to drive it away from their nest. The snake hadn’t yet gotten close enough to grab an egg, but it was showing no signs of backing down.
Blacksmith Lapwings build their nests on the ground, making them easy pickings for predators. As a result, these birds defend their nests aggressively and are used to all kinds of animals trying to grab an easy snack.
Despite the ruthlessness of the birds, however, the egg eater continued its assault. It dodged the birds’ attacks with a sort of effortless elegance.
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Frank described the moment the snake made it to the nest:
“The egg eater soon reached the nest, and we held our breath as it began biting at one of the lapwings’ eggs. The lapwings continued to attack, but they were no match for the quick and elusive egg eater.”
The Heist
Within seconds of reaching the nest, the snake grabbed an egg. It unhinged its jaw and managed to stuff the egg all the way into its mouth in an impressive display.
Then, despite its balloon-like appearance, it slithered away completely unbothered. Frank described it as both comical and bizarre, and was delighted that he was able to capture the whole encounter on video.
After a while, the egg broke within the snake so you could say its appearance became more or less deflated. Eventually, it disappeared into the bush to digest its meal in peace.
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Frank emphasized how rare the sighting, stating that he had seen more pangolins than common egg eaters consume eggs!
Nature Doesn’t Always Play Fair
This encounter is a perfect reminder that the bush rarely unfolds the way you expect. A quiet morning coffee became a front-row seat to one of nature’s more peculiar dramas.
The egg eater did exactly what it was built to do, and it pulled it off with remarkable efficiency, even if the exit lacked a little dignity. Meanwhile, the lapwings suffered a hard loss.
For Frank and his guests, it was the kind of sighting you simply cannot plan for, and one that nobody in that vehicle will forget in a hurry.