Toucan predation attempt on a Neotropical pygmy squirrel

摘要

Predation on arboreal squirrels is rarely observed directly. Here we report the observation of a predatory attack on a Neotropical pygmy squirrel, Sciurillus pusillus (?. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803), by a white-throated toucan, Ramphastos tucanos, from north-eastern Peruvian Amazonia. The toucan plucked the squirrel from a trunk at ca. 8 m height in flight and then slammed the individual against a liana in an apparent attempt to kill the prey item. This is the first field observation on a predation attempt on S. pusillus, and adds further evidence for predatory habits in toucans.