Woodpecker heroic struggle for nest

The crimson crested woodpecker made repeated attempts to drive the snake out of the tree and was bitten by the snake five times.
On each occasion the snake, thought to be an olive whipsnake, held the much smaller bird in its mouth and then let it fall to the ground below.
After a fight lasting about four minutes, the wounded bird left the area and is likely to have died of its injuries or been killed by a predator.