Photographic documentation of the predation of the Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) (Passerellidae) by the Great Thrush (Turdus fuscater) (Turdidae) in Colombia and a review of its diet based on citizen science data
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59517/oc.e669Keywords:
citizen science, Colombia, natural history, PasseriformesAbstract
Predation and feeding on small vertebrates by birds of the family Turdidae has been reported in recent years, but it is still a poorly understood phenomenon. The Great Thrush (Turdus fuscater) is among the species that have been reported to prey upon small vertebrates, but reports are still scarce. In 2025, we photographed this thrush preying on a chick of Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) in Subachoque, Cundinamarca, Colombia. We reviewed the 10,866 images available on the eBird/Macaulay Library online platform and found seven records of this thrush feeding on mammals, lizards, anuran amphibians and birds. Field and online data confirm that the Great Thrush's diet includes small vertebrates and shows the importance of natural history observations obtained in the field and bird photography as a basis for citizen science and conservation.
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