🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Nov19.220904.7146@u.washington.edu> jespah@carson.u.washington.edu (Kathleen Hunt) writes:
>And since you mentioned the pitohuis.... One thing that immediately leapt
>to mind when I read that paper was "Are these birds monomorphic?"  You'd
>think that both males and females would want to advertise their toxicity,
>so that both males and females would have the bright coloration. ...

The suggestion that the Hooded Pitohui's coloration evolved to advertise
their toxicity seems dubious to me. Their coloration didn't look that striking
(in the picture on the cover of Science), especially for a New Guinea bird.
Other (presumably non-toxic) members of the same family are much more
striking than the Hooded Pitohui e.g. Crested Shrike-Tit (monomorphic),
male Golden Whistler (dimorphic, female is drab).

It'll be interesting to find out if predators recognise Hooded Pitohuis
by sight (they also have a strong odour).

Andrew Taylor