Two birds that can poison you with just a touch

Time of India

04-05-2025

Researchers have discovered two unusual bird species in New Guinea that are unlike most others. These birds don't just stand out for their bright colours or where they live– they carry a deadly neurotoxin in their feathers. The toxin is strong enough to harm humans on contact. While birds are usually seen as symbols of peace and beauty, this new finding shows that some can be surprisingly dangerous.
The dangerous feathers
Two newly discovered bird species– the
regent whistler
and the rufous-naped bellbird– have been found in the rainforests of New Guinea. These birds may look beautiful, but what sets them apart is the presence of a powerful poison called batrachotoxin in their feathers. While the toxin is dangerous to humans, the birds themselves are unaffected by it, making them rare and risky creatures in the wild.
'We managed to identify two new species of
poisonous birds
on our most recent trip. These birds contain a neurotoxin that they can both tolerate and store in their feathers,' explained Knud Jønsson, Natural History Museum of Denmark, as quoted by India Today.
The toxin that kills
Batrachotoxin is a powerful poison that affects the muscles. It keeps sodium channels in the muscles open, which can lead to muscle spasms, seizures, and even heart failure if the dose is strong enough. This is the same deadly toxin found in poison dart frogs from South and Central America.
'The bird's toxin is the same type as that found in frogs, which is a neurotoxin that, by forcing sodium channels in skeletal muscle tissue to remain open, can cause violent convulsions and ultimately death,' explained researcher Kasun Bodawatta, as quoted by India Today.
Although the exact amount of toxin found in these birds may not always pose an immediate risk to humans, the fact that their feathers carry such a deadly substance is a significant finding for scientists.
How do these birds survive the poison?
What makes these birds truly special isn't just the poison– they've also evolved a way to survive it. Scientists found that the birds have genetic mutations in their sodium channels, which stop the toxin from harming them. Interestingly, these mutations are different from those in poison dart frogs, meaning the birds developed this resistance on their own. This is an example of convergent evolution, where different species come up with similar ways to solve the same problem, even if they live in different places.
Why this discovery matters
While these birds don't pose an immediate threat to humans, their discovery is still important. It helps scientists better understand how toxic substances interact with living creatures. By studying how these birds store and tolerate batrachotoxin, researchers might uncover new insights into how toxins affect the body, and how some animals evolve to resist them.
'Obviously, we are in no position to claim that this research has uncovered the holy grail of shellfish poisoning or similar poisonings, but as far as basic research, it is a small piece of a puzzle that can help explain how these toxins work in cells and in the body,' explained Knud Jonsson.
A rare discovery with far-reaching implications
Toxic birds are very rare, and this discovery gives scientists a fresh look at how animals adapt to their surroundings. The fact that these birds can carry a deadly toxin without getting sick themselves raises big questions about evolution and how some species develop survival skills.
Even though these birds may not pose an immediate danger to humans, studying them could help researchers understand how toxins work in the body and might even lead to new ideas in medicine and science.