Hawk vs. Snake

I received an email from a friend that contained an amazingstory involving what appears to be a Cooper’s Hawk (1) (2) (3) that isentwined by a Texas rat snake (4) . I’m not sure of the story’s truth that goes with the pictures,but to me it seems entirely plausible. I do not know the author/photographer’s name, but whoever waslucky enough to come across an experience such as this was indeed veryfortunate.

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Comal River (New Braunfels) Texas

"This has to be the weirdest thing that ever floated by me in the river. They were stuck together in death lock, each wanting to kill the other first. My guess is that the falcon snatched up the tasty snake, and it somehow got its tail around the falcons neck, strangling it in midair causing both of them to crash into the Comal River.

They are both alive and well, considering. I think a few more minutes and the snake would have won.

The tail was actually tied in a knot around the neck, and getting tighter by the second. I got the snake untied, and well, as you can see, they both made it.

This is another one of those stories you tell, and are always acknowledged with "yeah, right!" Well, heres the proof.

Neither of them bit me or scratched me, the snake didn't want to stop biting the falcons leg, and only let go after I had untied everything else.

I got the water out of the falcons lungs with birdie inversion technique, and stayed with him until he was almost dried off in the sun, and flying a little. Ball of snake and falcon, that is the weirdest thing I have pulled out of the water so far, it beats the wagon wheel!"