Philippine Pitta

Overview

The Philippine pitta, or blue-breasted pitta, is a striking and colorful bird in the family Pittidae. It is part of the Red-bellied pitta species complex, which is currently under review for potential further taxonomic splitting.

Identification

• All cobalt-blue upperparts and breast-sides.
• Strong red belly contrasted with a black throat that has reduced or no white in the center.
• Plain dark brown crown, differing from other complex members that have paler crowns with lateral stripes.
• A longer bill and distinctly shorter wings compared to related species.

Habitat

Native to Indonesia and the Philippines, this bird inhabits tropical moist lowland forests, including primary and secondary forest, scrub, forest edges, thickets, and bamboo groves. It is adaptable to various forest types and can tolerate disturbed habitats up to 2,100 meters above sea level.

Diet

The Philippine pitta forages on the forest floor by gleaning leaf litter in search of worms and other small insects.

Did you know?

This species is currently part of a species complex that includes nine different pitta species, with ongoing research suggesting this group could potentially be split into as many as 17 separate species.