I question just why was the bird in such a state of paralysis. Could it
have been in something of a state of catatonic shock after being
squirted in the eyes with venom? ie more from shock than actual poisoning.
The bird was extremely lucky to survive at all after swallowing the toad
whole.
Peter
Del Richards wrote:
Recently a friend of mine in Kuranda was taking her usual morning
walk and noticed a male Papuan Frogmouth lying on it's back on the
kerbside. She was able to pick the bird up as it was in a state of
paralysis at the time.
Although she was not able to find any sign of superficial injury
she delivered the frogmouth to a local wildlife carer. After some
hours the bird regurgitated a cane toad and in due course was returned
to it's home habitat after five days in care apparently unaffected by
the ordeal..
Many of the species that fall victim to poisoning from Cane Toads
as in the frogmouth's case have to swallow them whole and are not able
to be discriminate as to which parts are safe to eat. Indeed there are
quite a number of would be hunters such as raptors etc. which are
equipped to take pieces that do not cary the toxins. ( It occurs to me
that some species that are able to taste the poison and therefore
avoid it. If indeed this is not a factor how else would the select
species learn the art. They would invariably die first if it came down
to a process of elimination.)
As an outcome in this particular case it interesting that
frogmouths are able to regurgitate this food item and this may because
the birds have such a huge gape.
Del Richards, Fine Feather Tours, Mossman, NQ.
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