word of advice : This post contains a graphic image of injured bird hatchlingsThe Orion has become the hunted in the age - sometime battle between slug and bird .
Biologists from Poland have documented their inadvertent discovery of cigar - sized slugs rise into bird nests then mutilating and eat the dame . Their study can be found in theJournal of Avian Biology .
The researchers mention that carnivorous conduct is rare among earthbound slugs and snail . There has been the odd report of slugs assail tiddler over the past century , but there ’s been very little field of study into the demeanor , or how often it occurs .
Now they ’ve nail the main suspects as the Red slugArion rufus , the Black slugArion ater , and the trespassing Spanish slugArion vulgaris .
“ The actual present moment of slugs predating on nestlings is n’t easy to observe , ” Katarzyna Turza?ska of the University of Wroclaw in Poland toldNew Scientist . “ You are more likely to get across the trace of the ‘ cataclysm ’ : dead or alive nestlings with sullen injuries , covered in muck – and often slugs ’ droppings get nearby . ”
The flak itself is somewhat gruesome and leave markings that are flatly different to other vulture . The study excuse the soundbox is typically cover in a blockheaded guck , while suffering from holes in the belly , immense injuries on the wings , back , neck opening or head , part eaten muscles or bills , and even the personnel casualty of oculus .
How the slug find oneself the nests remains a mystery . Although slugs detect the scent of a potential meal , they researchers have no grounds to propose this is the case . In fact , they intend it ’s much more probable the slugs merely stumble upon the nests by chance .
However , as you’re able to imagine , clout are not the most athletic of predators . So how do they get forth with it ? According to the survey , it could be the birds do n’t make out slugs as a peril to their youthful .
Bird hatchlings suffering from some pretty heavy injuries from anarion slug , seen left . Traynor Biasiolli
[ H / T : New Scientist ]
