Description of new predatory behavior of Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum) on forest land snail with validation through citizen science data

The feeding behavior of birds is diverse and interaction between consumer and prey may represent selective pressure for both. Birds which feed on gastropods may present specialization to deal with prey’s shell. We report for the first time the passerine Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum manipulating, breaking the shell, and eating a snail, the forest land snail Leiostracus perlucidus, an unexpected behavior and prey for this mostly frugivorous bird. To validate our finding, we used data from citizen science platforms, that are robust and contain information not available in the scientific literature. We analyzed text and 5595 images from two important platforms (Birds of The World and WikiAves) and conclude that there is no record of Palm Tanager eating snails. Therefore, we describe a new feeding behavior for Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum and demonstrate once again the potential of collaborative platforms of citizen science to support science by providing evidence about animal behavior and ecology.