Toxic birds are bird

Bird

Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...

s that produce toxin

Toxin

A toxin is a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms; man-made substances created by artificial processes are thus excluded...

s to defend themselves from predators. No species of bird is known to actively inject venom, but some birds are known to be poisonous to touch or eat. These birds usually sequester toxins from animals and plants that they feed on, commonly from poisonous insects.

The 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...

, the ifrita, and the Rufous or Little Shrikethrush sequester batrachotoxin

Batrachotoxin

Batrachotoxins are extremely potent cardiotoxic and neurotoxic steroidal alkaloids found in certain species of frogs , melyrid beetles, and birds...

 in their skin and feathers. The African Spur-winged Goose

Spur-winged Goose

The Spur-winged Goose is a large bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks, but distinct from both of these in a number of anatomical features, and therefore treated in its own subfamily, the Plectropterinae...

 is toxic to eat as it sequesters poison in its tissues from the blister beetle

Blister beetle

Blister beetles are beetles of the family Meloidae, so called for their defensive secretion of a blistering agent, cantharidin. There are approximately 7,500 known species worldwide. Many are conspicuous and some aposematically colored, announcing their toxicity to would-be...

s that it feeds on. Common Quail

Common Quail

The Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is widespread and is found in parts of Europe, .- Description :It is a small rotund bird, essentially streaked brown with...

 are also known to be toxic to eat around the time of certain migrations.

Sinornithosaurus

Sinornithosaurus

Sinornithosaurus is a genus of feathered dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the early Cretaceous Period of the Yixian Formation in what is now China. It was the fifth non–avian feathered dinosaur genus discovered by 1999...

, a dinosaur related to birds, may have had a venomous bite.

See also

• List of poisonous animals
• Poisonous Amphibians
  Poisonous amphibians
  Poisonous Amphibians are amphibians that produce toxins to defend themselves from predators.Except certain salamandrid salamanders that can extrude sharp venom-tipped ribs, amphibians are not known to actively inject venom, most toxic amphibians are instead known to be poisonous to touch or eat...
  
  
• List of venomous animals
• Venomous snake
  Venomous snake
  "Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...
  
  
• venomous fish
  Venomous fish
  Venomous fish are fish that produce venom. There are at least 1200 species of venomous fish, and they include the Stonefish, Lionfish, Scorpion Fish, Stargazer, and Toadfish .-See also:* Hallucinogenic fish...
  
  
• Venomous mammals
  Venomous mammals
  Venomous mammals are animals of the class Mammalia that produce venom, which they use to kill or disable prey, or to defend themselves from predators. In modern nature, venomous mammals are quite rare. Venom is much more common among other vertebrates; there are many more species of venomous...