Melanocephalus Gallery

Non-European songbirds, chromolithograph, published in 1897

Non-European songbirds: 1) Waxbill (Habropyga astrild, or Estrilda astrild); 2) Black-rumped waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes, or Habropyga cinerea); 3) Red avadavat (Amandava amandava, or Pytelia amandava); 4) Zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata, or Zonaeginthus castanotis); 5) Cut-throat finch (Amadina fasciata, or Spermestes fasciata); 6) Bronze mannikin (Lonchura cucullata, or Spermestes cucullata); 7) Black-headed weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus, or Hyphantornis melanocephalus); 8) Long-tailed paradise whydah (Vidua paradisaea); 9) Java sparrow (Lonchura oryzivora, or Padda oryzivora); 10) Brazilian tanager (Ramphocelus bresilius, or Ramphocelus brasiliensis); 11) Red-billed leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea, or Leiothrix luteus); 12) Red-cowled cardinal (Paroaria dominicana); 13) Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis, or Cardinalis virginianus). Chromolithograph, published in 1897

Black-headed ground snake

Black-headed ground snake (Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus). This is a small harmless snake, which is endemic to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Near East. It belongs to the Colubridae family. Photographed in Israel in July

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973900754, Animals, Biological, Body, Coldblooded, Colubridae, Differential Focus, Fauna, Grass Snake, Ground, Harmless, Israeli, Nocturnal, Nonpoisonous, Protected, Serpent, Single, Snakes, Wild, Wild Animal, Wildlife, Zoological

Black-headed Python

DH-3191
Black-headed Python
Kalumburu Rd, Kimberleys, Western Australia
Aspidites melanocephalus
An inhabitant of drier regions of northern Australia, in seasonally arid selerophyll forests and rocky hills. Shelters in earth cracks, hollow logs, ground debris
and animal burrows. Feeds on lizards, other snakes. As they feed on reptiles they lack the heat pits of other pythons. Uses its black head in a unique way. Where other snakes need to expose their whole body to the sun, the python can leave most of its body concealed and just expose its black head to the sun. Because dark colours heat up quicker than light colours, its dark head alone can heat its whole body. On very hot days these snakes have been seen to bury their heads in sand to cool themselves. This snake is one of the traditional foods of aboriginal people of Australia.
Don Hadden
Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way

© Don Hadden/ardea.com