Bicolor Pitohui
Introduction
The two-tone Pitohui (Pitohui dichrous) is one of the rare birds to be venomous with other birds of the genus Pitohui or Kowald's Ifrita.
Division
The bicolor Pitohui is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Discovery of its toxicity
The bicolor Pitohui is so common that it has been known for more than a century. However, it was not until 1990 that its toxicity was discovered.
Indeed, Jack Dumbacher was scratched with a paw. He noticed that his lips and tongue began to tingle and burn as he licked his wound, the effect of the poison lasting for several hours. Later, he put a pitohui feather in his mouth and the same effect happened, but stronger: “like a 9V battery”.
He later published his discovery, as no poisonous birds were then known to the scientific community.
One of the main toxins of this bird is homobatrachotoxin, an alkaloid with a steroid structure similar to batrachotoxin found in the venom of frogs of the genus Phyllobates.