From Opus
Alternative names: Blue-capped Ifrit; Blue-capped Ifrita; Bluecapped Babbler; Bluecap
- Ifrita kowaldi
[edit] Identification
16 - 17cm. One of the few poisonous birds.
- Black crown with broad shiny blue tips
- Ochre sides of head
- Mottled dusky ear coverts
- White or buffy streak behind eye
- Short white supraorbital line
- Dark-olive brown upperparts and tail
- Ochre underparts with paler throat
- Dark brown iris
- Brown bill
Females are similar but have a dull yellow streak behind the eye. Juveniles resemble females.
[edit] Distribution
Endemic to New Guinea.
Fairly common but in low densities.
[edit] Taxonomy
Two subspecies accepted:
- I. k. brunnea in the Weyland Mountains and Nassau Range in west-central New Guinea
- I. k. kowaldi in the central and eastern highlands of New Guinea (including the Huon Peninsula)
[edit] Habitat
Rainforests
[edit] Behaviour
Diet includes insects found on trunks and branches moving like a nuthatch. It slowly climbs bracing itself with its tail as it hangs over the edge in search of food.
Most probably breeds all year. The nest is a deep, buly bowl made of green moss ans some leaf-fern. It's placed 3 to 6m above the ground in a sapling. Lays 1 egg.
Probably a sedentary species.
This species has toxic qualities which are known to the locals who frequently hunt birds for food. If not prepared correctly the toxin causes burning of the mouth and lips.
[edit] References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
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