Indian Pitta - Definition and Overview

The Indian Pitta, Pitta brachyura, is a medium-sized passerine bird. It breeds in the Himalayas and north east India and winters in south India and Sri Lanka.

It is a stocky terrestrial birds of wet forest floors, which eats snails, insects and similar invertebrate prey. It has long strong legs, a very short tail and stout bill. It lays up to six eggs in a large spherical nest in a tree or shrub.

This is a stunning, brightly coloured bird. It has a buff crown, thick black eye stripe and white throat and neck. The upperparts are green, with a blue tail, and the underparts buff, with bright red on the lower belly. The legs are buff.

Sexes are similar, but young birds are duller than the adult. Despite its bright colours, this species can be very difficult to see as it forages low in its dense forest habitat. It is much readily heard, and has a distinctive two-note wolf-whistle.

References

• Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
• Birds of Goa (video)