Passerine predation on lizards: A novel record of the chalk-browed mockingbird Mimus saturninus (Aves, Passeriformes) feeding on Tropidurus itambere (Reptilia, Squamata)

Abstract Predation plays a central role in structuring biological communities, yet vertebrate prey consumption by omnivorous passerines remains underreported in Neotropical ecosystems. Here, we describe a predation event involving the chalk-browed mockingbird, Mimus saturninus , feeding on the lizard, Tropidurus itambere , recorded in a Cerrado fragment in southeastern Brazil. The bird employed multiple prey-handling strategies, including pecking, battering, and shaking, over approximately 20 min of observation. Shaking behavior resulted in the detachment and ingestion of a forelimb, indicating effective fragmentation of a relatively large vertebrate prey item. The sequence of manipulation behaviors suggests a flexible and potentially specialized capacity to subdue active and morphologically defended prey. This record contributes to the understanding of trophic interactions in anthropogenic landscapes and underscores the importance of documenting natural history events to refine ecological interpretations of food webs and community dynamics.