Editing American pygmy shrew (section)

== Diet ==
Primarily [[Insectivore|insectivorous]], this animal forages in moist soil and dead leaves to find its prey. Because of the pygmy shrew's small size, its diet primarily consists of [[Insect|insects]] and [[insect larvae]], while the larger shrews eat insects and [[Worm|worms]].<ref name="WhyAreShrewsSoSmall">{{Cite journal|title=Why are shrews so small? The costs and benefits of small size in northern temperateSorex species in the context of foraging habits and prey supply|journal=Acta Theriologica|date=2002-03-01|issn=0001-7051|pages=169–184|volume=47|issue=1|doi=10.1007/BF03192486|first=Sara|last=Churchfield|s2cid=7593435}}</ref> Its diet is almost exclusively protein-based.<ref name="MetabolismFoodCapacityFeeding">{{Cite journal|title=Metabolism, Food Capacity, and Feeding Behavior in Four Species of Shrews|journal=Canadian Journal of Zoology|date=1964-03-01|issn=0008-4301|pages=259–279|volume=42|issue=2|doi=10.1139/z64-026|first=Charles H.|last=Buckner|bibcode=1964CaJZ...42..259B }}</ref> To stay alive, the pygmy shrew has to eat three times its body weight daily, which means capturing prey every 15 to 30 minutes, day and night; a full hour without food means certain death. Because of this high [[metabolism]], the pygmy shrew never sleeps more than a few minutes at a time, as it is in a constant search for food.<ref name="NWF" /> Although due to its small body size it is always losing body heat, being small has its advantages during the winter when food is scarce. Predators of the American pygmy shrew include hawks, [[brook trout]], owls, snakes, and domestic cats.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wund |first=Matthew |title=Sorex hoyi (pygmy shrew) |url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sorex_hoyi/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Animal Diversity Web |language=en}}</ref><ref name="SunyESFPygmyShrewPage"/>