# Poisinous Birds? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2000, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222 "2000-10-17T03:23:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222/1 "2000-10-17T03:23:36Z")
I think I read somewhere about a certain bird that is poisinous. I can’t relocate the reference. Could this be true? ---
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222/2 "2000-10-17T03:30:41Z")
Do you mean venemous, or do you mean that you will get sick if you eat it? ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222/3 "2000-10-17T03:40:00Z")
Desmond Morris’ _Animalwatching_ makes no reference to poisonous birds, so I’d say there aren’t any. He does say that cassowaries are the only birds you could describe as armored. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222/4 "2000-10-17T03:43:21Z")
Indeed there _is_ a poisonous bird! The pitohui of New Zealand has an alkaloid subastance on its feathers and skin which is similar to the poison arrow frog. Not reported until 1992 (which explains why I never read about them in _Ranger Rick_ as a youth), the locals call it the “rubbish bird” or “garbage bird” based on its foul taste. Oddly enough, they never thought of it as poisonous and that status wasn’t given to it until some scientist noticed he got a rash from handling the feathers of the bird. Keep in mind that the poison is used as a defense, not as an attck mechanism. Getting the poison in your mouth will give you a nasty burning feeling and some inflammation, but it won’t kill you unless yo make a point of trying to die from pitohui overdose. If so, you’d be the first as no known fatalities have been caused by pitohui poisoning. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222/5 "2000-10-17T04:06:40Z")
Well maybe if I could spell posionous my search would’ve worked. But thanks for the quick response Jophiel. Here is a link I found Pitohui - A-Z Science - Homework Help - Discovery Channel School Address: [http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/worldbook/atozscience/p/432630.html](http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/worldbook/atozscience/p/432630.html) ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222/6 "2000-10-17T05:23:30Z")
Is it possible, after knowing that this bird is foul (fowl?) tasting, to see the word “pitohui” and not hear it in your head being pronounced as, “patooey” (as in the spitting sound)? Now, tell me that this is the correct etemology of the word and my day will be complete. ---
**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poisinous-birds/37222/7 "2000-10-17T06:47:29Z")
Joph, you’re just **so** glad you beat Wood Thrush to answering this one, aren’t ya?