@article{ author = {Gonçálvez, Catarina and López-Baucells, Adrià and Rocha, Ricardo}, title = {Opportunistic predation of a silky short-tailed bat (Carollia brevicauda) by a tawny-bellied screech-owl (Megascops watsonii), with a compilation of predation events upon bats entangled in mist-nets}, journal = {Journal of Bat Research & Conservation}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, abstract = {Bat casualties caused by opportunistic predation of entangled animals during surveys employing mist-nets are scarcely reported in the scientific literature. Consequently, predator induced mortality associated with this sampling method is probably underestimated. Here, we report a predation attempt of a silky short-tailed bat (Carollia brevicauda) by a tawny-bellied screech-owl (Megascops watsonii) while the bat was entangled in the mist-net. The event took place in the Central Brazilian Amazon and represents the first report of bat predation attempt by this owl species. Additionally, we searched the literature for published records of bat predation during mist-net surveys since 1990. Twelve publications, covering at least 15 bat species and 11 predators, have reported opportunistic predation on entangled animals. We consider that predation of entangled animals is likely underreported and we recommend than in order to reduce opportunistic predation of entangled animals, researchers should: a) periodically visit the mist-nets every 15 to 20 minutes, and b) avoid that mist-nets reach ground-level once an animal becomes trapped.}, keywords = {mist-netting guidelines Amazon bat predation diet mist-nets Strigidae trophic interactions}, DOI = {https://doi.org/10.14709/BarbJ.10.1.2017.07}, year = {2017}, type = {Journal Article} }