Birds in the Diet of Invasive Boa imperator on St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands

Abstract

Giant constrictor populations in Florida and the Caribbean have top-down impacts on prey that are still poorly understood. We report opportunistically documented predation events by introduced Boa imperator (Central American Boa Constrictor) on four species of native birds on St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands, compare these to more detailed dietary studies from Aruba, and encourage detailed studies of Boa imperator diet on St. Croix to better understand population and community-level impacts of predation by this invasive snake.