Pitohui is the most toxic bird in the world. Why does he need poison at all?
This bird can outshine some truly powerful candidates from the animal world in its toxicity. What do we know about the inconspicuous hooded flute?
The hooded flute (Pitohui dichrous) is considered the most toxic of the bird species that possess poison and is endemic to the forests of New Guinea. The second part of its scientific name, “dichorus”, means “two-colored” in ancient Greek and refers to its characteristic color: orange body and black head, wings and tail.
Hood flute
In the natural world, similar bright colors usually mean a warning to the environment: “I am toxic!” This discourages predators by informing them of the consequences of sinking their teeth into the flute’s body. Its toxins belong to the group of Batrachotoxins – highly potent compounds that are also found on the skin of tailless amphibians from the Dendrobatidae family and beetles from the Melyridae family. Larger doses of this substance can cause muscle paralysis and even lead to death.
So far, batrachotoxins have been found mainly in poisonous species of frogs. Hence the name of the compound – “batrachos” in ancient Greek means frog. In flute monkeys, the poisonous substance is found in two places – both in their skin and on their feathers.
How (and why) does Pitohui dichrous create its toxin?
Similarly to amphibians, food is the source of resources for birds to produce poison. Studies have shown that when a diet is changed, frogs stop producing poison. The necessary compounds are obtained from special insects.
The hooded flute feeds on the same insects. It is no accident that it produces the same poison. However, the question is why this species needs such protection. It is known that the concentration of the toxin is not as high as in amphibians that are more vulnerable to attacks. Some scientists even claim that in birds it is a side effect of the diet and a matter of chance, not necessity.
However, one study found that the toxins work well against external parasites that try to attach themselves to the skin and feathers of flute monkeys. They may therefore be important as a built-in deworming agent for the species described here.
