The Most Poisonous Bird is Hooded pitohui, Did you know that?

-

 

File:Pitohui dichrous.jpg
 From Wikimedia Commons-Pitohui dichrous


Hooded pitohui (Pitohui dichrous) is a beautiful songbird found in the rainforests and tropical jungles of New Guinea. It inhabits the tropical jungles and rainforests. The bird is found on the main island and also on the nearby islands. It’s medium-sized and is a social bird belonging to the genus Pitohui and family Oriolidae. The bird is commonly found in hills and low mountains living in groups. It has black plumage, with a rich chestnut and orange or red belly. The bird is about 22-23 cm long and weighs about 65-76 grams. The beak is strong and the legs are black with sharp claws. The wings being tinged with brown and the tail is black. Both the male and the female look similar. 


Hooded pitohui bird is poisonous; it contains toxic compounds in its body parts that include the skin, feathers and the other parts. The bird is known to make different types of calls in the form of whistles. It is not killed by the local hunters due to its toxic nature. Pitohui feeds on figs, fruits, grass seeds, insects (the insects include ants, beetles, earwigs, bugs, caterpillars and spiders) and invertebrates. The bird's toxicity comes from eating the beetles. The nests and the young ones are protected by the family groups. They get their toxin substances from the food they consume and it helps the birds to keep them away from predators and also prevents them from parasites. The level of toxic substances varies from bird to bird depending on its geographical habitats. 


It was reported that scientists who were handling these birds skins for museum collection in 1990, felt burning sensations and numbness. The bird's poison can lead to paralysis and even death. The bird was first documented as a poisonous bird after it was found that they contained neurotoxins called batrachotoxins. The toxic substances are found more in the skins and feathers of the bird. The birds build their nests in the form of cup- shape using thin branches and vine tendrils. They lay one or two eggs that are white or pink with brown or black spots. The bird is reported to be of ‘least concern’ by the International Union Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.


Cockatoos Fun Loving Birds



Cockatoos are intelligent and popular birds. They are noisy and love to play all the time and seek a lot of attention.  They are habitats of rain forests and eucalyptus grooves. To know more about Cockatoos interesting facts visit https://hubpages.com/animals/cockatoo-interesting-videos


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Birds with Unusual Head crowns

-
Image
Birds are beautiful feathered winged animals. They are colourful, unique and unbelievable spectacular species on the earth. Some birds are unusually different, they have a group or tuft of feathers on top of their head called the crest or crown. The appearance of a bird's head varies in different birds. The crests are used for displaying purposes,  also for communication and courtship. Birds display their crests when they are frightened or when they are about to fight.  Exotic birds showcase spectacular body designs and display amazing colours.  Here is a list of some birds with unusual head crowns.  1. Golden pheasant The Golden pheasant or the Chinese pheasant is a brilliantly coloured bird. They are game birds found in the mountain forests of western China,  Western Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. These birds live for about 5 years and some are known to live for more than 20 years. The bird has a striking golden crest and rump and a bright red body. M
Read more

How 'Valley of Flowers' in Uttaranchal Got its Name

-
Image
  Do you know how ‘Valley of Flowers' got its name and where is it located?   Want to know about this splendid valley’s biodiversity and its richness? Then read this article to know about the flora and fauna that habitats this beautiful ‘Valley of Flowers”. Also, view the ‘Breathtaking Flower Meadows"   of ‘Valley of Flowers’    The Valley of Flowers is located in North Chamoli and Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand state. It is known for its meadows of alpine flowers and a variety of flora, butterflies, and birds with beautiful feathers. This Himalayan area located at an altitude of about 3,600 meters above the sea-level in the Uttaranchal region has the most gentle landscapes with beautiful scenery. Due to its diversity of alpine flora and rich wide range of species it has gained international importance and is becoming a popular destination for travelers.  While returning from a successful expedition to Mt. Kamet, the British mountaineers   Frank   Smythe, Eric Shipton, and R.L
Read more

The Great Barrier Reef Australia's Natural World's Wonder

-
Image
The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, in the continent of Australia. It is the World's Natural Wonder, the largest and longest coral reef system. The coral reef consists of 2,900 individual reefs and about 900 islands. The Great Barrier reef is unique and has a diverse range of marine ecological habitats.  The Barrier Reef is considered to be special as it forms the most complex natural ecosystems in the world. There are about 400 types of coral, 4,000 types of molluscs and 1,500 species of fish.  The Great Barrier reef is the biggest single structure that is made by billions of living organisms. It was declared as a World Heritage Site in 1981.                                                        Cod Townsville-Great  Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is an incredible natural habitat for thousands of marine life. It is labelled as one of the seven natural wonders of the world and it can be seen from outer space. The spectacular coral
Read more