Date: 11/3/25 5:01 pm From: Michael H. Morris via groups.io <lilmorris2000...> Subject: Re: [NWCALBIRD] Hermit Thrush predation on salamander
Well, I remember my first childhood encounter with a Slender Salamander; at first I thought it was an earthworm. Seems only natural.Michael H. Morris
On Monday, November 3, 2025 at 03:44:16 PM PST, Ken Burton via groups.io <shrikethree...> wrote:
Yesterday in the Arcata Community Forest, Sonali Bera and I observed a HETH subduing and then flying off with a California Slender Salamander. I hadn't ever considered the possibility that Catharus thrushes would eat vertebrates, but a little research revealed that they do eat salamanders, at least occasionally and opportunistically, and one paper even suggests they actively look for them and may eat them preferentially when other foods are also offered. The salamander in our observation had autotomized its tail, which was twitching nearby; the aforementioned paper said thrushes may be inclined to eat such tails before consuming the rest of the animal.
Ken BurtonMcKinleyville
