Which snake is known for eating bird eggs and has specialized vertebrae to break them?

The egg-eating snake is known for swallowing bird eggs and using specialized vertebrae to break them inside its throat. African egg-eating snakes belong mainly to the genus Dasypeltis, including the common egg eater, Dasypeltis scabra.

These snakes are highly specialized ovivores. They have reduced teeth and flexible jaws that let them swallow eggs whole, often taking eggs much larger than their heads appear able to accommodate. Once an egg reaches the esophagus, sharp bony projections called hypapophyses press against the shell and puncture it.

The snake then squeezes out the liquid contents and regurgitates the collapsed shell. This adaptation lets it exploit bird nests while avoiding the need for venom or constriction. “Egg-eating snake” describes several related species rather than one single worldwide species, but it is the canonical answer to this general quiz clue.