Exchanging carrion for fresh meat: the vulture Cathartes burrovianus (Aves, Cathartidae) preys on the snake Xenodon merremii (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes burrovianus) is known mainly for its necrophagic habits, typical of the Cathartidae. However, members of this family also hunt live prey, though this behavior is not well documented. We report here on a C. burrovianus preying on the non-venomous snake Xenodon merremii, at an anthropogenic site in southeastern Brazil.

Keywords

• boipeva
• diet
• Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
• Minas Gerais
• predation