Well-known local resident Werner Nagel witnessed an amazing incident during a recent drive in a game reserve when birds (not of the same feathers) banded together to chase off a puff adder to protect their baby birds.
During a drive through Pilanesberg, Nagel and his family suddenly heard a bird commotion. “There were a lot of birds making noise and running and flying around. Their behaviour immediately stood out, and that’s what drew our attention to the scene. More and more birds — even of different species — joined in and added to the noise. And then we saw the puff adder that was the cause of the frenzy,” he said.
“The Thick-Knees were at the forefront of the confrontation, and it seemed as if the other birds were there to give backup. The snake was on its way to a clump of bushes, where we later discovered there were two Thick-knee babies. The Thick-knee spread its wings and repeatedly blocked the snake’s path. The bird was making continuous loud distress calls and, with spread wings, positioned itself directly in the snake’s way. More birds circled the snake, and every time it attempted to move toward shelter, the birds blocked its way. The puff adder eventually ended up exposed in the open, and it was clear it was trying to reach cover,” Nagel said.

“The standoff lasted about 15 minutes, and the Thick-knee was definitely the winner. The snake was pushed off course and eventually disappeared into the bush in a direction it hadn’t planned to go. Even after the snake was gone, the Thick-knee stayed alert for about another 10 minutes, still calling loudly before settling.”
It was then that Nagel noticed the nest. “Inside the nest, there were two very small baby Thick-Knees. There was no visible damage to them. I was genuinely amazed at how effectively the birds chased the snake away. I honestly didn’t think the outcome would favour the birds.”
The Nagel family love to escape to Pilanesberg. “I love Pilanesberg — it’s a quick getaway for me — and I’ve been fortunate to witness several leopard, cheetah, and lion kills. One memorable moment was watching a serval hunt for rats. This bird-puff adder encounter ranks as one of the most fascinating defensive interactions I’ve seen.”