Toxins in the feathersSourced
A bird’s outer covering can contain toxic compounds
The hooded pitohui of New Guinea can contain toxins in its skin and feathers. Researchers think it acquires the compounds through its diet rather than making them itself. Amounts vary between places and individuals. Appearance alone does not reveal the chemistry of its feathers.
The feather surface carries more than visible color.
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Hooded pitohui · Wikimedia contributors
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Reviewed: 2026-10-05