Hello mike
First let me set the facts strait, Robert has never seen a wild croc nor thus he knows anyone who did, also he’s never analysed stomach content on any specimens.
This is why he was looking for me on every forum a few years ago.

Not that I have seen them or studied them, but because I know guys trapping them for the trade and I exchange with birders who observed crocs feeding habits, sins birders are very concerned with BIRDS seeing any crocs eat them would have been reported to me, in 7 years none of the guys I talk to have seen them raid nests, but they have seen them eat bats, katydids, grass hoppers, crickets, fruits, rodents and frogs, never lizards, birds, snakes, crabs, leaches, millipedes, spiders, smaller monitors, fish or eggs. I am sure captives would eat them if theirs no options.

Trapped crocs often regurgitate bats for the most part, notice how well adapted they are for such a prey, excellent body camouflage, fits inn nicely with leafs and flowers, second they turn instantly at whatever touches them, its easy to see how this habit can ensure results when a fruit bat touches them, next there teethes are in pairs of 2,a specialised prey adaptation if you need to see a photo let me know.

Last but not least, I know of no monitors that will eat stick insects, have you tried them? Yuck they stink and taste like hell.

Other species of monitors are known nest rubbers, but they inhabited different habitats, perhaps lower trees? Or simply of less density allowing a better view? It could mean death for a monitor to plummet 100 feet because of a defensive mother birds attack? Of course albigularis or other savannah monitors have little to fear if only 20 feet up? Maybe it’s a question of species? Or even season? Or saving energy, theirs no point in going after a prey you cant catch? Who knows?
I know captive crocs will eat any bird you throw at them, and I have fed them lots of birds, but I know birds are of little interest for them in nature.

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