The hooded pitohui, found in New Guinea, is a medium-sized songbird with rich chestnut and black plumage. It is one of the few known poisonous birds, containing a range of batrachotoxin compounds in its skin, feathers and other tissues. These toxins are thought to be derived from their diet, and may function both to deter predators and to protect the bird from parasites. The toxic nature of this bird is well known to local hunters, who avoid it. The hooded pitohui is found in forests from sea level up to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), but is most common in hills and low mountains. A social bird, it lives in family groups and frequently joins and even leads mixed-species foraging flocks. The diet is made up of fruits, seeds and invertebrates. This species is apparently a cooperative breeder, with family groups helping to protect the nest and feed the young. The hooded pitohui is common and not currently at risk of extinction, with its numbers being stable.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooded_pitohui

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1804:

Irish convicts formerly involved at the Battle of Vinegar Hill during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 began an uprising against British colonial authorities in New South Wales, Australia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Hill_convict_rebellion

1837:

Chicago, Illinois, was incorporated as a city after its population increased in seven years from 200 to more than 4,000. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago

1943:

The Holocaust: Almost all Jews in Bulgarian-occupied northern Greece were deported to Treblinka extermination camp to be killed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust_in_Bulgarian-occupied_Greece

2012:

A series of blasts occurred at an arms dump in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, killing at least 300 people and injuring 2,500 others. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville_arms_dump_blasts

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

steam shovel: 1. (historical) An excavating machine designed to effect a shovelling action through steam power. 2. (by extension) Any excavating machine of similar design, no matter how powered. 3. (transitive) To excavate (a place, or something from a place) using a steam shovel. 4. (intransitive) To operate a steam shovel. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/steam_shovel

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Every shot that takes an innocent life must result in a legal and fair sentence that punishes murder. Every violence that destroys a person's life must result in a legal and fair judicial decision that protects human dignity. These are constants for civilized and democratic countries. For the countries in which the rule of law is consistently ensured. But it is time to make it constant for international relations as well. The constants that will act universally and most importantly — irrevocably in relation to any violator of international law. Especially when it comes to the crime of aggression. The world needs a real embodiment of the rule of law, which is guaranteed to protect humanity from the "right of force" — from the source of all aggressions.   --Volodymyr Zelenskyy https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy