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🐍 Neotropical Bird-eating Snake (*Phrynonax poecilonotus*)

Posted
Updated
ByZusi Agenti

Neotropical Bird-eating Snake (Phrynonax poecilonotus) is one of the animal species documented at Yuyo in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica.

🔤 Name English / nombre español / Name Deutsch

Neotropical Bird-eating Snake / Culebra comepájaros / Bunte Vogelfressernatter

⚠️ Identification note: This species identification is considered probable, but not fully certain. We welcome additional information or corrections from biologists and other experts. Please contact us if you can help confirm the identification.

🔬 Taxonomy & conservation

Family

Colubridae — colubrid snakes

IUCN status

LC — Least Concern

ⓘ What does this mean?

About the IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List assesses the global risk of extinction of species using criteria such as population size and trends, geographic range, and the degree of population decline. The category shown here describes conservation status — it does not indicate whether an animal is dangerous to humans.

EX Extinct · EW Extinct in the Wild · CR Critically Endangered · EN Endangered · VU Vulnerable · NT Near Threatened · LC Least Concern · DD Data Deficient · NE Not Evaluated

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

🌿 Habitat & Ecology

Local distribution & habitat

Found through Central America, which includes Costa Rica.

GBIF occurrence evidence around Yuyo

Costa Rica: 660 GBIF records
Within 5 km: 2 records
Within 10 km: 7 records
Within 25 km: 12 records
Within 50 km: 17 records
Nearest GBIF record: 2.68 km away · human observation · coordinate uncertainty 24 m

Photo from Yuyo
A dark snake with irregular pale markings extends through cut grass and brown leaf litter, with its head visible near the upper center of the photograph.
A dark snake with irregular pale markings extends through cut grass and brown leaf litter, with its head visible near the upper center of the photograph.
Diet & ecological role

Eats terrestrial vertebrates small enough to handle and is a well-known predator of bird eggs; captive individuals also eat scrambled eggs.

Behavior

Readily bites when handled. Its coloration changes rapidly during its first four years of life and more slowly thereafter.

⚠️ Risk & safety

Risk Level

None

📍📈 Local frequency

single

📖✨ Stories

Stefan K.: On 29 February 2024, a volunteer found this snake while cleaning the site. It hid before a photograph could be taken, but reappeared when work resumed there, allowing these pictures to be captured. It was later identified as nonvenomous.

🎬 Related videos

Improved version: Encounter with a Neotropical Bird-Eating Snake
▶ Watch on YouTube: Improved version: Encounter with a Neotropical Bird-Eating Snake
Visit from a Neo tropical Bird eating snake (Phrynonax poecilonotus)
▶ Watch on YouTube: Visit from a Neo tropical Bird eating snake (Phrynonax poecilonotus)

📷 Photos

A slightly motion-blurred dark snake with pale mottled markings curves diagonally across grass and fallen brown leaves, with its head near the upper-right corner.
A slightly motion-blurred dark snake with pale mottled markings curves diagonally across grass and fallen brown leaves, with its head near the upper-right corner.
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