Headless adder found

[ViperaBerus]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Most likely a mammal. They tend to target heads, decaitation is very common in felids, canids and mustelids. Could potentially be a bird but no reson to rule out mammal from the description. A photo would help if you have one.

That is true, though I've performed numerous necropsys on headless adders but I've never examined a single adder specimen so far where the head was taken by mammals first (not so for slow worms, grass and smooth snakes - this was common). The majority of mammals tend to eat from the tail upwards with an adder, avoiding the head completely for obvious reasons. They do bite the head quickly to kill it, but after that they tend to leave the head alone. Stoats, weasels, hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, mink, otters, rats and cats will all have a go at an adder.

Avian attacks were exactly the opposite, with them attacking the head first and ripping out the brain and lower jaw before targeting the body. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. A picture would certainly confirm it either way. I have had a few that were caused by spades too. It's more common than you would hope for

[newtkid1234]

Help!! What type of newt is this and is it male or female??

[GCN lova]

i replied on another thread

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by ViperaBerus

That is true, though I've performed numerous necropsys on headless adders but I've never examined a single adder specimen so far where the head was taken by mammals first (not so for slow worms, grass and smooth snakes - this was common). The majority of mammals tend to eat from the tail upwards with an adder, avoiding the head completely for obvious reasons. They do bite the head quickly to kill it, but after that they tend to leave the head alone. Stoats, weasels, hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, mink, otters, rats and cats will all have a go at an adder.

Avian attacks were exactly the opposite, with them attacking the head first and ripping out the brain and lower jaw before targeting the body. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. A picture would certainly confirm it either way. I have had a few that were caused by spades too. It's more common than you would hope for

Very interesting information, which makes logical sense. I find that mammalian predators such as foxes often take the head off (general prey not snakes) but don't actually feed on it burying it separate from the rest of the body. This is also true of some predatory birds such as barn owls which often take heads off bird prey without feeding on them. You have more experience in respect to adder predation so I will take your word for it.

[Flywaver]

My money is on a Pheasant.

[The Woodman]

Buzzards can do this, I took an image of a headless Adder last year when I disturbed one as it was being harried by another, both flying low under a canopy of Alders along a beck at some speed, dropping the snake which landed quite close to me.