Animalia Life

Ifrita kowaldi
TAXONOMY
Todopsis kowaldi De Vis, 1890, Owen Stanley Mountains, New Guinea. Two subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Blue-capped babbler; French: Ifrita de kowald; German: Blaukappenflцter; Spanish: Hablantнn de Gorra Azul.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
6.5 in (16.5 cm); 1.1–1.3 oz (30–36 g). A small bird with olive upperparts and light brownish golden cheeks and underparts. White eye stripe, black bill, and blue cap from forehead to nape.
DISTRIBUTION
T. k. kowaldi: central and east New Guinea; T. k. brunnea: New Guinea: central and west New Guinea. From 4,818 to 12,144 ft (1,460 to 3,680 m), mainly 6,600–9,570 ft (2,000–2,900 m).
HABITAT
Montane forest, particularly mossy forest.
BEHAVIOR
Active; unlike most species in this family, it is not shy and can be easily observed. Usually seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes encountered in mixed-species foraging parties.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds mainly on insects, occasionally soft fruit. Forages from near ground level on fallen logs to branches in the upper canopy. Creeps up trunks and along branches like a nuthatchlike fashion, probing in the moss for food and bending around branches to inspect the undersides.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
The nest is placed about 12 ft (3.6 m) from the ground. It consists of moss made into a bulky, deep cup. A single egg is laid; this is white with dark spots most densely placed at the large end. Records of active nests indicate that the breeding season is the mid-late dry season to early and late wet season.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Generally fairly common, though thinly distributed in many places.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Recognized by the local people as unsuitable for eating. It was recently found that this bird has a toxin in its feathers and soft tissues.

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