Is the Tiny Hawk (Accipiter superciliosus) Really a Specialized Predator on Hummingbirds? Using Citizen Science Data to Elucidate Dietary Preferences of a Little-Known Neotropical Raptor | ¿Es Accipiter superciliosus Realmente un Depredador Especializado de Colibríes? Usando Datos de Ciencia Ciudadana Para Determinar las Preferencias de Dieta de una Rapaz Neotropical Poco Conocida
2021
Berryman, Alex J. | Kirwan, Guy M.
We used photo-documented citizen science data held in publicly accessible databases to better elucidate the diet of one of the smallest Neotropical Accipitridae, the Tiny Hawk (Accipiter superciliosus). Previous data are exclusively anecdotal, but a suggestion that this species is to some extent a specialized predator on hummingbirds (Trochilidae) is widely reported in the literature, despite being based on few observations. Using a total of more than 680 photographs of Tiny Hawks, we identified 33 items of avian prey from 15 families and at least 25 genera, including one hummingbird and some comparatively large non-passerines. Prey also included one bat. Although the Tiny Hawk is perhaps more liable to predate hummingbirds than most other Neotropical raptors, the available data suggest that the Tiny Hawk, like many other Accipiter species, is primarily a bird specialist. As evidenced by other recently published studies, internet-sourced photographs might prove useful for similar dietary analyses for other poorly known raptors.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library