Blue Pitta

The Blue Pitta, Hydrornis cyaneus, is a medium-sized, stocky passerine with a distinctive appearance. It measures approximately 23 cm in length, with long legs and a short tail. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism: males boast a blue back and tail with a pale bluish breast adorned with black speckles, while females have a grey back and a similarly speckled pale grey breast. Both sexes share a yellow forehead and crown, an eye-catching bright orange nape, and a bold black stripe through the eye, complemented by a less defined short stripe on the chin. Their bill is a dark grey, and their legs are a delicate pale pink.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify the Blue Pitta, look for the yellow and orange hues on the head, the striking black eye stripe, and the blue or grey back depending on the sex. The speckled breast is another key feature. Their calls, a long "pleoow-whit" or "choocoo-whip" that ends abruptly, can also aid in identification.

Habitat

The Blue Pitta favors moist evergreen forests, often with bamboo and near streams or in ravines. However, it can also be found in drier tropical forests. Its preferred environment includes both lowland and montane regions.

Distribution

This bird is found across the northeastern Indian subcontinent, southern China, and Indochina. It has three subspecies, with H. c. cyaneus in northeastern India, eastern Bangladesh, Myanmar, northern Laos, Vietnam, southern Thailand, and southern China; H. c. aurantiacus in eastern Thailand and southwestern Cambodia; and H. c. willoughbyi in central Laos and southern Vietnam. Its altitudinal range extends from sea level to about 2,000 meters.

Behaviour

The Blue Pitta is a solitary and unobtrusive bird, often foraging alone on the forest floor. It is diurnal, allowing it to spot its prey, and tends to forage in darker areas of the forest. Juveniles are also solitary, except when visited by parents.

Song & Calls

The Blue Pitta's vocalizations include a long, drawn-out "pleoow-whit" or "choocoo-whip," which ends quite suddenly. These calls can be used to elicit a response from the birds, as they will react to recordings of their own calls.

Breeding

Breeding season for the Blue Pitta occurs in May and June in India and Myanmar, and from June to October in Thailand. The nest is a large, dome-shaped structure with a side entrance, often concealed among dense vegetation.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists of insects, particularly beetles and their larvae, as well as spiders, snails, worms, and grubs. The Blue Pitta forages by sifting through leaf litter and probing the soil with its beak.

Conservation status

The Blue Pitta is classified as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Although it is scarce in India and China, it is common in suitable habitats throughout much of its range, especially on the Bolaven Plateau in Laos. It is also present in several protected areas.