This is a mini essay, because there are only two photos in this series. This post goes with one of a few days ago- Red-shouldered Hawk swallowing a snake. It shows and contrasts two very different ways in which raptors can eat a snake. I am guessing that the two different styles are at least somewhat dependent on the size of the snake. It would be much harder to swallow a gopher snake the size that this Red-tailed hawk is eating, so it shreds the meat, almost looking like it simply unzipped the snake.

Posting these pictures was inspired from a comment on the other post. Thanks Pamalah.

Enjoy these two pictures,

Galen

I took this photograph from slightly farther away

After walking a little closer I was able to capture this image which showed at least a little more detail of the snake being "unzipped"