Noisy pitta

Pitta versicolor

Photo by H. Glover (CQC Landcare Network)

Common name:
noisy pitta (en); pita-ruídosa(pt); brève versicolore (fr); pita bulliciosa (es); lärmpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pittidae

Range:
This species breeds along the eastern coast of Australia, from northern Queensland to southern New South Wales. The more northern populations migrate north to winter along the coast of southern New Guinea.

Size:
These birds are 17-21 cm long and weigh 70-130 g.

Habitat:
The noisy pitta is mostly found in rainforests, but also use dry woodlands and scrublands, mangroves and even urban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.500 m.

Diet:
They feed on insects and other invertebrates, including caterpillars, worms, centipedes, spiders and snails, even the giant panda snail Hedleyella falconeri, which it cracks open using a rock or another hard surface as anvil. They also take some fruits.

Breeding:
Noisy pittas breed in October-February. They nest on the ground, in a domed structure built by both sexes using sticks and dry leaves woven together with grasses. The nest is lined with moss and lichens, and placed in a concealed location, often among the buttresses of a tree. The female lays 3-4 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents but there is no information regarding the length of the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be rare in New South Wales and locally moderately common in Queensland. The population is suspected to be in decline as a result of habitat degradation caused by agricultural expansion, loss of lowland rainforests and predation by introduced cats.

Blue-winged pitta

Pitta moluccensis

Photo by Alvin Loon (Nature in Singapore)

Common name:
blue-winged pitta (en); pita-d'asa-azul (pt); brève à ailes blueues (fr); pita aliazul (es); blauflügelpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pittidae

Range:
This species is found breeding from south-eastern Myanmar and Laos to southern Vietnam and Thailand. They migrate south to winter in Malaysia, Singapore and in Indonesia, in Sumatra, Borneo and Java.

Size:
These birds are 18-20,5 cm long and weigh 74-90 g.

Habitat:
The blue-winged pitta is mostly found in both dry and moist tropical forests, but also in mangroves, moist scrublands, plantations and even within urban areas during migration. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed on various invertebrates, especially earthworms, centipedes and other arthropods, and snails.

Breeding:
Blue-winged pittas breed in May-August. They are monogamous, solitary nesters, the nest consisting of a large, untidy, spherical structure with a side entrance, made of twigs, roots, grasses, leaves and mosses. The nest is usually placed on the ground, often between the roots of a tree and near water, or sometimes in a low scrub. The female lays 3-6 white or cream eggs with light purple speckles, which are incubated by both parents for 14-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 2 weeks after hatching, but continue to be fed by the parents for several days afterwards.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be fairly common. The blue-winged pitta is fairly tolerant of habitat alteration and survives well in secondary habitats. However, it is commonly caught for the cage bird trade and is hunted locally in Thailand.

Hooded pitta

Pitta sordida

Photo by Chris Li (Flickr)

Common name:
hooded pitta (en); pita-de-capuz (pt); brève à capuchon (fr); pita encapuchada (es); kappenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pittidae

Range:
This Asian species is found from southern China and northern India, throughout Indochina and into Indonesia and Papua-New Guinea. The population in mainland Asia migrate south to winter along the southern parts of the range.

Size:
These birds are 16-19 cm long and weigh 42-70 g.

Habitat:
Hooded pittas are found in various forested and wooded habitats, namely primary rainforests, secondary forests, bamboo forests, swamp forests, mangroves, tropical dry forests, scrublands, plantations and cultivated areas. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 2.000 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, searching for food among the forest litter. They mostly eat adult and larval insects, such as beetles, ants, termites, cockroaches and bugs, but also earthworms, snails and berries. 

Breeding:
Hooded pittas breed in February-August. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a dome-shaped structure, made of made of roots, bamboo leaves, rootlets, moss, and twigs, and lined with finer material. It is placed on the ground. There the female lays 3-4 white eggs with grey, brown, or dark purple spots, which are incubated by both sexes for 15-16 days. The chicks are fed both parents and fledge 16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as relatively common in parts this range, but rare or localised in other areas. The population has declined rapidly owing to habitat destruction and collection for the cage bird trade, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Fairy pitta

Pitta nympha

(Photo from Best Bird Photos)

Common name:

fairy pitta (en); pita-ninfa (pt); brève migratice (fr); pita ninfa (es); nymphenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Pittidae

Range:

This Asian species breeds in Japan, South Korea, south-eastern China and Taiwan and migrates south to winter in Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Size:

Faity pittas are 16-19,5 cm long and weigh 90 g.

Habitat:

These birds are mostly found breeding in evergreen broad-leaved forests, and sometimes in mixed conifer and broad-leaved forests. They may also be found in plantations, scrublands and along rivers and streams. Outside the breeding season they tend to prefer tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, but are also found in dry forests and along rivers and streams.

Diet:

Faity pittas forage among the leaf litter on the forest floor, taking beetles and ants, caterpillars, earthworms, centipedes and snails. They are also known to occasionally eat small crabs and even small frogs, snakes and lizards.

Breeding:

These birds are monogamous and territorial, breeding in May-July. They build an oven-shaped nest, either on the ground in the tree up to 5 m above the ground, using leaves and moss and lining the interior with pine needles. There the female lays 3-7 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-14 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)

This species has a very large breeding range, but the population is currently estimated at just 2.500-10.000 individuals. A number of pressures within the species range are driving habitat loss and conversion. As a result the species is suspected to be declining rapidly. The key threat is the extensive lowland deforestation in its breeding range, particularly in China where most forest have been cleared or modified through conversion to agricultural land and logging for timber. Uncontrolled fires have further reduced remaining forest cover. Human disturbance, hunting and trapping for the cage-bird trade are other significant threats.

Indian pitta

Pitta brachyura

Photo by Nidhin Poothully (Wikipedia)

Common name:

Indian pitta (en); pita-da-Índia (pt); brève du Bengale (fr); pita india (es); bengalenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Pittidae

Range:

This species breeds in the foothills of the Himalayas, in northern India, Pakistan and Nepal. They winter in southern India and Sri Lanka.

Size:

The Indian pitta is medium-sized passerine, 15-19 cm long. They weigh 47-66 g.

Habitat:

They breed in the under-story of evergreen and deciduous forests, often near ravines with dense brush or bamboo. During migration and winter they use forested areas, including small fragments and wooded gardens.

Diet:

They forage for invertebrates in the leaf-litter of the forest floor. Food items include ants, termites, insect larvae, slugs, snails, millipedes, and earthworms. They can also eat fruits and have been noted to take kitchen food scraps from the ground.

Breeding:

Indian pittas breed during the monsoon season, in June-August. The nest is a globular structure with a circular opening on one side, built on the ground or on low branches with dry leaves and grasses. The clutch consists of 4-5 glossy white eggs with brown or purple spots and speckles. Both parents share the task of incubation for 14-16 days. The altricial chicks are fed and brooded by both parents for 11-17 days until fledging. They continue to be fed by the adults for a few weeks after fledging.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The global population of this species as not been quantified, but the species is described as not uncommon. They are believed to be declining as a result of ongoing forest clearance to make way for agriculture and urban development. During migration, they are also caught in large numbers human consumption. Despite this, the species is not considered threatened at present.