Eared pitta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eared pitta |
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| adult male and female | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hydrornis
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| Species: |
phayrei
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Meet the eared pitta (Hydrornis phayrei), a cool type of bird from the pitta family! You can find these colorful birds living in the forests of Southeast Asia. They are known for their special way of blending in with their surroundings.
Contents
What Does the Eared Pitta Look Like?
The eared pitta is unique because it's the only bird in its family with colors that help it hide perfectly. Both male and female adult birds have these amazing "camouflage" colors. Also, the males and females look a little different from each other, which is called being sexually dimorphic. Young pittas also have special colors to help them stay hidden.
Male Eared Pitta's Appearance
The male eared pitta has a black line right down the middle of its head, reaching its neck. The feathers on either side of this line are a reddish-brown color. Its face, sides of its head, and neck are black.
One special feature is the long, pointed white feathers above its eyes. These feathers have black stripes and can stick out about an inch past the back of its head. The top part of its body, wings, and tail are all a reddish-brown. Its bill is black, but the lower part is reddish-brown near its mouth. Its eyes are dark brown, and its feet and claws are flesh-colored.
Female Eared Pitta's Appearance
The female eared pitta looks a lot like the male, but with a few differences. Her chest and sides have more black spots. The feathers on her head and neck are the same color as her back, but the feathers covering her ears have black lines.
Her long feathers above the eyes are shorter than the male's and not as pure white. The feathers under her tail are also a lighter color. In most other ways, the female's feathers look similar to the male's.
Where Does the Eared Pitta Live?
The eared pitta loves to live in warm, wet forests. You can find them in two main types of places:
- Lowland forests that are moist and tropical.
- Mountain forests that are also moist and tropical.
These forests provide the perfect home for them to find food and stay hidden.
How Many Eared Pittas Are There?
Scientists haven't counted every single eared pitta in the world. They are often described as rare or very rare in most places. However, sometimes you might find many of them living in one small area.
The eared pitta lives across a very large area, which is good news! Because their home range is so big, they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing. Their numbers seem to be steady, not going down quickly. For these reasons, experts believe the eared pitta is a "least concern" species, meaning it's not currently at risk.
Images for kids
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adult male and female
