Predation on an Okinawa Tree Lizard by an Amami Thrush Endemic to Amami-Oshima Island

Researchers documented the first recorded instance of vertebrate predation by the Amami Thrush (Zoothera dauma major), a bird endemic to Amami-Oshima Island, which preyed on an Okinawa tree lizard (Diploderma polygonatum polygonatum). This observation, made at the Amami Nature Observation Forest in February 2025, provides critical insight into the feeding habits of this scarce-foraging species. The study highlights the significance of such records for understanding predator-prey dynamics and the ecological role of endemic birds in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Ryukyu Archipelago.

Higo, Y., & Mizuta, T. (2026). 奄美大島の固有鳥類オオトラツグミによるオキナワキノボリトカゲの捕食. Journal of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, 58(1), 75–78. https://doi.org/10.3312/jyio.58.75