Doubts about animal behaviour...

[dilodi83]

The South African secretary bird preys on insects, snakes, tortoises and rats. Small prey are picked up in the bill and swallowed. Larger prey are first stamped to death and then eaten.

I've got two questions about this text:

1) Can the verb "swallow" be substituted with "to wash down" in this case, like in the case of a tablet or something similar?

2) Could you explain the meaning of "to stamp to death"? Might it mean that the prey are hit (with feet or bill) untill they die?

Thanks so much for your help.

[Gillnetter]

The South African secretary bird preys on insects, snakes, tortoises and rats. Small prey are picked up in the bill and swallowed. Larger prey are first stamped to death and then eaten.

I've got two questions about this text:

1) Can the verb "swallow" be substituted with "to wash down" in this case, like in the case of a tablet or something similar? No. If you eat a piece of meat, you swallow it but you do not have to "wash it down."

2) Could you explain the meaning of "to stamp to death"? Might it mean that the prey are hit (with feet or bill) untill they die? Yes.

Thanks so much for your help.

Gil

[JohnParis]

The South African secretary bird preys on insects, snakes, tortoises and rats. Small prey are picked up in the bill and swallowed. Larger prey are first stamped to death and then eaten.

I've got two questions about this text:

1) Can the verb "swallow" be substituted with "to wash down" in this case, like in the case of a tablet or something similar? You need water handy to wash something down the esophagus. So, if the secretary is standing in or near a source of water, and it it habitually takes a mouthful of liquid before or while swallowing, I suppose you could replace swallow with wash down. But, in general, I would say no.

2) Could you explain the meaning of "to stamp to death"? Might it mean that the prey are hit (with feet or bill) until they die? Yes

Thanks so much for your help.

John