Pitohui bird

Similar to amphibians, the pitohui, a toxic bird in New Guinea, appears to derive its toxic alkaloids from its invertebrate diet (Dumbacher etal, 2000). 

Human Knowledge of Pitohui and Ifrita Birds Containing Batrachotoxins... 

In New Guinea, traditional hunters are aware that Pitohui and Ifrita birds carry neurotoxins. Local names for these birds often reflect the fact that they are bitter or contain burning chemicals. Toxins in these birds are more diffuse than in the frogs, but even a single feather, if tasted, can cause an acute burning... 

Studies on the total synthesis of batrachotoxins (steroid alkaloids found in the skin of frogs of the Phyllobates species and the feathers of birds of the Pitohui and Iflita families from New Guinea) 04YGK1205. 

Dumbacher, J.P. et al. 1992. Homobatra-chotoxin in the genus Pitohui Chemical defense in birds Science 258 799-801. SeealsolettertotheeditorbyJ.I. Glendin-ning, 1993. Pitohui How toxic and to whom Sciencez 582 J.P. Dumbacher etai. 1993. Science-Lyy-. 582-583. 

Batrachotoxin (from certain species of frogs Dendrobatidae), melyrid beetles, and birds Pitohui, Ifrita kowaldi, Col-luricincla megarhyncha)) Human, subcutaneously 2-7 pg/kg of bw (est.)... 

In the meantime, it was shown that the arrow poison frogs are not affected hy the ahove-mentioned poison, since the sodium (Na ) channel of these frogs does not react to hatrachotoxin. However, how the poison birds of the Pitohui sp. are protected from their poison remains unsolved. Batracho-toxin has not been detected from these poisonous birds, and the biosynthetic origin of homobatrachotoxin is Still unknown [2]. 

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