Avian and mammalian predators of terrestrial gastropods.

Abstract

This chapter provides an introduction to the sparsely dispersed data on those species of birds (Aves) and mammals (Mammalia) that eat terrestrial gastropods, concentrating on why, how, when and where they do it, and whether they affect the population dynamics of their molluscan prey. Although there are important differences in details between predation by birds and predation by mammals (e.g. in how they detect and handle terrestrial gastropods), they share, amongst other things, high levels of metabolism and advanced capabilities of learning. This chapter contains a list of recorded predation by birds, their gastropod preys and the locations they were found in, factors for eating gastropods, defences, handling, effects on population dynamics and exploitation by man.