Blue-capped Ifrit

Ifrita kowaldi (De Vis, 1890)

Blue-capped Ifrit, Ifrita kowaldi, is a passerine of the montane forests of western to south-eastern New Guinea, where it breeds in Australasia. It belongs to the family Ifritidae and is the only member of that family. Its most striking feature is the blue cap on the crown. The bird carries batrachotoxin in its feathers and skin, a powerful neurotoxin associated with its diet, especially Choresine beetles. It is insectivorous and is usually seen in small groups in high-altitude forest.

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Ifritidae — Ifrit

Breeding range

Australasia: montane w to se New Guinea