Abstract

BAUTISTA-TREJO, Rogelio  and  RAMIREZ-ALBORES, Jorge E.. Predation of a Red-headed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus pyrocephalus) by a Golden-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysogenys) in the southwestern of State of México, Mexico. Huitzil [online]. 2021, vol.22, n.2, e618.  Epub Oct 24, 2022. ISSN 1870-7459.  https://doi.org/10.28947/hrmo.2021.22.2.501.

We report a predation event on 13 January 2018 of a Red-headed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus pyrocephalus) by a Golden-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysogenys) in the tropical deciduous forest of the Gordo Volcano, in southwestern Mexico State. The event consisted in observation of an adult Golden-cheeked Woodpecker perched on a tree holding within its beak a Red-headed Spiny Lizard. The Golden-cheeked Woodpecker consumes mainly insects and fruits, and vertebrate consumption has not been reported for this species. Although there are some reports of other Piciformes predating lizards, this record represents the first documented case of lizard predation for this species in Mexico.

Keywords : Diet; feeding behavior; food opportunism; Phrynosomati dae; Picidae; Tejupilco de Hidalgo.

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