Opportunistic predation of a Common Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis poecilinotus) by a Goliath bird-eating spider (Theraphosa blondi) in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon

Carvalho, William Douglas de; Norris, Daran; Michalski, Fernanda

Opportunistic predation of a Common Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis poecilinotus) by a Goliath bird-eating spider (Theraphosa blondi) in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon

2016

Carvalho, William Douglas de | Norris, Daran | Michalski, Fernanda

We report the opportunistic predation of a female Common Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis poecilinotus) entangled in a mist-net by a Goliath bird-eating spider (Theraphosa blondi) in the Brazilian Amazon. We suggest that the predation event occurred for the following combination of reasons: the spider is common in the study area; the bird became entangled at dusk, when the spider begins its activity; and the lowest mist-net shelf was suspended close to the ground. To reduce opportunistic predation events we recommend that it is critical to keep intervals between mist-net checks to a maximum of 15 min in Amazon forests. We also emphasize that attention is required when installing mist-nets to avoid nets touching the ground when animals become trapped in them.

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