Western Hooded Pitta

Overview

The western hooded pitta (Pitta sordida) is a passerine bird native to eastern and southeastern Asia and maritime Southeast Asia. It is a common species that inhabits various forest types, as well as plantations and other cultivated areas.

Identification

• A green body and wings contrasting with a black head and a chestnut crown.
• Medium-sized bird measuring 16 to 19 cm in length and weighing 42 to 70 g.
• Distinctive fluty double-noted whistle call described as "qweeek-qweeek".

Habitat

Found across a wide range spanning from north India to south China and Indochina, extending to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, the Philippines, and Sulawesi. The species lives in several types of forests, as well as on plantations and other cultivated areas.

Diet

The diet consists of various insects and their larvae, which are hunted on the ground, as well as berries.

Did you know?

The pair are strongly territorial, and their fluty double-noted whistle calls can be heard constantly from their territories, sometimes throughout the night.