Pitta moluccensis
The Blue-winged Pitta, *Pitta moluccensis*, is an exquisitely colored, medium-sized passerine, a true jewel of Southeast Asian forests. Measuring 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length and weighing 47-73 grams (1.7-2.6 oz), its plumage is a striking mosaic of vivid hues. Key field marks include a black head adorned with a broad, buffy-orange supercilium, a clean white throat, a turquoise-blue back, vibrant cerulean-blue wings, and a bright rusty-orange belly culminating in a brilliant scarlet-red ve...
Blue-winged Pittas primarily inhabit lowland evergreen and deciduous forests, secondary growth, bamboo thickets, and even well-wooded gardens, typically from sea level up to 800 meters. They prefer areas with dense undergrowth and leaf litter for foraging.
Their diet consists mainly of invertebrates, including earthworms, slugs, snails, insects (beetles, ants, termites), and their larvae, supplemented occasionally by small frogs, lizards, and berries. They forage by rummaging through leaf litter and probing soft soil.
The Blue-winged Pitta is a highly terrestrial and diurnal bird, spending most of its time foraging secretly on the forest floor, often detected by its distinctive calls rather than sight. It employs a characteristic 'run-and-pause' foraging strategy, flipping leaf litter and probing the soft soil...
The Blue-winged Pitta has an extensive breeding range across mainland Southeast Asia, spanning from eastern India (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram), Bangladesh, and Bhutan, eastward through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and into Peninsular Malaysia. After breeding, these migratory birds m...
Least Concern
- Blue-winged Pittas are one of the few pitta species known to undertake regular, long-distance migrations, traveling thousands of kilometers between breeding and wintering grounds. - Despite their dazzling colors, their plumage provides excellent camouflage on the dappled forest floor, making th...