Predation of little white heron by the greater Brazilian owl: Jacurutu

Abstract

The snowy egret (Egretta thula) inhabits the edges of lakes, rivers, and seashores, being common in estuaries, mangroves, and mud puddles on the coast, and can also be found in pastures, psychocultures, canals, and at high altitudes in the Peruvian Andes mountain range. The great horned owl (Bubu virginianus) is a large and powerful owl and is considered the largest nocturnal raptor in Brazil, having prominent ears, large yellowish eyes, and powerful claws covered with feathers. It lives on the edge of forests, dry forests and fields, and in semi- open areas with trees, ravines, Cerrado, and in areas with rocky outcrops with trees and bushes and in anthropogenic areas or parks and squares. During a study of birds in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, the predation of the little white heron by a jacurutu was recorded, which greatly contributes to its feeding preference, since birds are mentioned in the literature in a generic way.