As I looked out my window yesterday I observed a male American Robin swoop
in and attack a Least Shrew. I had seen the shrew previously foraging
under my feeders. The Robin would jump at the shrew and peck it, pick it
up and carry it for a short distance, drop it, and then repeat this
behavior. The shrew was making a hissing sound and obviously trying to
bite the bird and escape. Several times the Shrew escaped and hid in the
grass only to be found by the bird. After about five minutes the bird
finally succeeded in killing it. It carried it for about 20 feet and tried
to eat it but was unsuccessful. It picked it up several more times and
then dropped it and hopped off. I promptly retrieved the dead shrew,
measured it for identification purposes and salvaged it. I got out Bent's
Life Histories and found examples of Robins attacking snakes, eating fish,
eating liver, and eating a mouse (although the author thought the mouse had
been killed by a dog). Has anyone observed this behavior or know of other
sources? Several years ago I observed a Blue Jay knock a Red Bat from a
tree and then prey upon and carry off one of two suckling young attached to
the mother. I can understand a Jay but a Robin! Maybe a new species
(Turdus raptorius) will evolve, hope it stays to nest so I can ponder the
fate of the neighbors cat and the sweater-wearing yard deficating poodle
down the street!

Mark A. Brogie
508 Seeley
Creighton, NE 68729
mbrogie at nde.unl.edu
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From: Shelf Elf <REINERS at LIBRI.EDINBORO.EDU>

When I was a kid, we observed a robin killing a garter snake. It then
flew to the nest on the branch over our heads and tried to feed it to the
nestlings. Of course, the snake was too large, so after awhile the robin
pushed it out. Since we were directly under the nest.....yep, you guessed
it! If I'm not mistaken, I think my parents got "the kill" on movie film.

Lee Ann Reiners
Edinboro, Pa.
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From: Eric Miller <eam2e at UVA.PCMAIL.VIRGINIA.EDU>

In answer to Mark Brogie, I can affirm that in June, 1991, in the town square
adjoining the Cathedral of Freiburg-in-Breisgau, I observed one of our
robin's congeners, a European Blackbird (*Turdus merula* or *auf Deutsch* an
*Amsel*), consuming-- like a good German-- a sizeable chunk of *Wurst*,
variety unknown! This was a jealous blackbird; it didn't want to be
interfered with, and hopped away with its find; but I managed despite the
bird's timidity and possessiveness to take a snapshot.

Eric Miller
University of Virginia