Frogs and toads in the food of the Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor): larders and skinning as two ways to consume dangerous prey

Abstract

AbstractIn this note we present several previously unpublished cases of Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor, predation in western Poland on adult amphibians, including poisonous toads, and a novel special behaviour — skinning toads. We briefly discuss the potential implications of these observations for understanding shrike foraging behaviour and gaps in our current knowledge on bird-toad interactions.