Blue-headed Pitta

Overview

The blue-headed pitta (Hydrornis baudii) is a medium-sized bird in the pitta family Pittidae. It is endemic to Borneo and is currently classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Medium-sized pitta measuring 17 cm in length.
• Male plumage features a bright blue crown, black cheeks, white throat, chestnut red back, violet blue tail and belly, and black wings with white markings.
• Female plumage is more subdued, with a buff coloured back and head, and blue restricted to the tail.

Habitat

This species is endemic to the island of Borneo, occurring in Brunei, Kalimantan, Sarawak, and Sabah. Its natural habitat is tropical lowland evergreen forests, where it is most common in primary forest rather than disturbed or secondary forest, typically occurring below 600 m.

Did you know?

The nest is a typical round dome of leaves with a side entrance near or on the ground. In the only nest examined, just two eggs were found.