White-Necked Hawk (Amadonastur Lacernulatus) Feeding on Amphisbaenidae

Abstract

The White-necked Hawk (Amadonastur lacernulatus) is an Atlantic Forest endemic bird of prey with a poorly known diet. Here, we describe three different predatory interactions between White-necked Hawks and worm lizards (Amphisbaenidae) from Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. During these events, hawks were recorded grasping, killing and consuming amphisbaenids. Due to their fossorial life, worm lizards are uncommon prey items for most birds of prey and such predator-prey interaction can be related to flooded amphisbaenians galleries after heavy rain episodes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of White-necked Hawks preying on amphisbaenids.

Predation of Atlantic Ghost Crabs Ocypode Quadrata (Decapoda: Ocypodidae) by White-Necked Hawk Amadonastur Lacernulatus (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) in Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil

“…Considered a broad generalist with opportunistic feeding habits, White-necked Hawks prey on mollusks, small birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects (Sick 1997, Garsk & Andrade 2004, Olmos et al 2006, Srbek-Araújo et al 2009, Sigrist 2013, Tanaka et al 2019; however, they feed predominantly on invertebrates, particularly arthropods (Martuscelli 1996, Bierregaard et al 2020. Nonetheless, there is insufficient information about its specific prey choices (Srbek-Araújo et al 2009).…”