Ramshorn Snails

[Pondlife]

Quick query, I think. A couple of monthss ago I was aware of a number of ramshorn snails around the perimeter of my wildlife pond, which I put down to my carelessness when clearing out old leaves etc, and I had missed them resulting in their demise. Today when I have come home I noticed another couple of ramshorn shells around the pond again with the snails no longer in the shells. I wonder is their a creature or bird capable of extracting these snails from the pond and then able to get them out and eat them. There is no noticeable damage to the shells themselves.

Any ideas/views?

[Red Robin]

I have no experience of Ramshorn Snails to be helpful to your query but out of curiosity are they native to Britain?

[NYBraby]

Yes they are, I put some into my pond about a month ago I see the odd one now and again happily grazing away. I have found a few empty shells floating but not on the pond edge. Do you have fish in your pond ? I know they eat them but wouldn't explain them being out of the pond

[Red Robin]

Originally Posted by NYBraby

Yes they are, I put some into my pond about a month ago I see the odd one now and again happily grazing away. I have found a few empty shells floating but not on the pond edge.

....Thanks, buddy

[Pondlife]

No, no fish. Another one outside pond today as well?
We have lots of garden birds, the biggest being blackbirds, collared doves and wood pigeons, but I cannot see any of them being able to get the snails out of the pond.
I have a few days off this week, and will keep an eye out for any possible culprit.

[Red Robin]

Originally Posted by Pondlife

No, no fish. Another one outside pond today as well?
We have lots of garden birds, the biggest being blackbirds, collared doves and wood pigeons, but I cannot see any of them being able to get the snails out of the pond.

....Not the Collared Doves - Very gentle vegetarian. The Wood Pigeons are too fat and nervous of falling in! Not difficult for Blackbirds who also, like Thrushes I think, are partial to some tasty snail. What are your pond edges like?

Thrushes/Blackbirds would smash the shell on a stone to get inside to the meat.

[NYBraby]

I see blackbirds and thrushes pecking away at the pond edge all the time so would be a good bet.

[JeffH]

We have the same problem and, unlikely as it may seem, the culprits (in the case of our ponds at least) are..........Jays

I've actually seen the birds taking the snails from the water by perching at the edge of the ponds and on rocks in the shallows.

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

[Ukwildlifeo]

Ive seen crows and magpies take snails often. In fact Ive seen magpies takle newts from the shallows of ponds and sticklebacks from briefly unguarded pond did trays!