Blue-capped Ifrita
Encyclopedia
The Blue-capped Ifrita also known as the Ifrit, is a small insectivorous
bird endemic
to the rainforests of New Guinea
. It measures up to 16.5 cm long and has yellowish brown plumage with a blue and black crown. The male has a white streak behind its eye, while the female's is a dull yellow. It creeps on trunks and branches in search of insect
s.
The Blue-capped Ifrita is placed as the only member of the genus Ifrita, which is itself placed in the family Cinclosomatidae
. This enigmatic bird is one of only three bird genera known to have poisonous members, the others being the genus Pitohui
- also from New Guinea, and the Little Shrike-thrush
(Colluricincla).
The Blue-capped Ifrita, like the Hooded Pitohui
, sequesters batrachotoxin
in its skin and feathers, which causes numbness and tingling to those who handle the bird. The toxin is acquired from part of its diet, specifically Choresine spp. beetle
s.
Widespread and common throughout its large range, the Blue-capped Ifrita is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species.
Insectivore
An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....
bird endemic
Endemism in birds
An endemic bird area is a region of the world that contains two or more restricted-range species, while a "secondary area" contains one or more restricted-range species. Both terms were devised by Birdlife International....
to the rainforests of New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. It measures up to 16.5 cm long and has yellowish brown plumage with a blue and black crown. The male has a white streak behind its eye, while the female's is a dull yellow. It creeps on trunks and branches in search of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s.
The Blue-capped Ifrita is placed as the only member of the genus Ifrita, which is itself placed in the family Cinclosomatidae
Cinclosomatidae
Cinclosomatidae is a family of passerine birds native to Australia and nearby areas. It has a complicated taxonomic history and different authors vary in which birds they include in the family. It includes at least the quail-thrushes , 5 species of ground-dwelling birds found in Australia and New...
. This enigmatic bird is one of only three bird genera known to have poisonous members, the others being the genus Pitohui
Pitohui
The pitohuis are a genus of birds endemic to New Guinea, belonging to the family Pachycephalidae.Currently six species are classified in the genus, though current molecular genetics research suggests that significant reclassification of the Pachycephalidae may be needed.-Species:* Variable...
- also from New Guinea, and the Little Shrike-thrush
Little Shrike-thrush
The Little Shrikethrush is a species of bird in the Colluricinclidae family.It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea....
(Colluricincla).
The Blue-capped Ifrita, like the Hooded Pitohui
Hooded Pitohui
The Hooded Pitohui, Pitohui dichrous is a songbird of New Guinea with black and orange plumage.This species and its two close relatives, the Variable Pitohui and the Brown Pitohui, were the first documented poisonous birds...
, sequesters batrachotoxin
Batrachotoxin
Batrachotoxins are extremely potent cardiotoxic and neurotoxic steroidal alkaloids found in certain species of frogs , melyrid beetles, and birds...
in its skin and feathers, which causes numbness and tingling to those who handle the bird. The toxin is acquired from part of its diet, specifically Choresine spp. beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s.
Widespread and common throughout its large range, the Blue-capped Ifrita is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species.