Fairy pitta facts for kids
The fairy pitta (Pitta nympha) is a small, colorful bird found in East Asia. It's known for its bright feathers, which look like a rainbow! These birds mostly eat earthworms, spiders, and insects. Fairy pittas spend their summers breeding in places like China, Korea, and Japan. When winter comes, they fly south to warmer countries in Southeast Asia. Sadly, the fairy pitta is a rare bird, and its numbers are shrinking. This is because of things like deforestation (when forests are cut down), wildfires, and even hunting or being caught for the pet trade. Because it's so rare, the fairy pitta is listed as a vulnerable species, meaning it needs our help to survive.
Quick facts for kids Fairy pitta |
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Contents
About the Fairy Pitta
What is a Pitta?
The fairy pitta is one of about 14 types of birds in a group called Pitta. These birds are known for their bright colors. The fairy pitta is a close relative of the hooded pitta and the blue-winged pitta.
Naming the Fairy Pitta
Scientists first described the fairy pitta in 1847. It was once thought to be the same as the Indian pitta. However, scientists later found differences in their feathers, body shapes, and songs. So, they decided they were different species.
The name Pitta comes from a word in the Telugu language. It means "a pretty bauble" or "pet." The second part of its scientific name, nympha, comes from a Latin word meaning "nymph." People also call this bird by other names. These include the "lesser blue-winged pitta," "Chinese pitta," and "little forest angel." Sometimes it's even called the "eight-coloured bird" because of its many bright colors!
The fairy pitta is the only type of pitta that breeds in the northern parts of Asia.
Appearance of the Fairy Pitta
How Big is a Fairy Pitta?
The fairy pitta is a small bird, about 16 to 19.5 centimeters (6 to 7.7 inches) long. It's easy to spot because its feathers have seven different colors, just like a rainbow!
Feather Colors
Its back and parts of its wings are green. The feathers on its upper tail are also green and a bright blue color. It has a blue patch on its lower back. The tail is dark green with a blue tip, and its legs are yellowish-brown.
The fairy pitta's wings have many colors too. Some wing feathers are dark blue, others are greenish-blue or dark green. The smaller feathers on its wings are bright blue. When it flies, you can see a white patch on each of its brownish-black main wing feathers.
The bird's chest and sides are a creamy color. Its lower belly and the feathers under its tail are red. It has a chestnut-colored cap on its head. A black stripe runs from its eyes to the back of its head. There's also an off-white stripe above its eyes that goes all the way to its neck. The fairy pitta has a white throat and a black beak.
Comparing to the Blue-winged Pitta
The blue-winged pitta looks similar but is a bit bigger. The blue-winged pitta has buff-colored sides on its head and above its eyes. The fairy pitta has a chestnut cap instead. The blue-winged pitta also has brighter upper tail feathers and a darker yellowish-brown belly. Its upper wing feathers are a more vivid blue.
Fairy Pitta's Song
The fairy pitta's song is a clear, whistling sound. It sounds like "kwah-he kwa-wu." It's similar to the blue-winged pitta's song but is longer and slower.
Where Fairy Pittas Live and Travel
The fairy pitta is a migratory bird. This means it travels long distances each year. It breeds in Northeast Asia during the summer, from April to September. Then, it flies south to countries in South and Southeast Asia to spend the winter, from October to March.
Travel Routes and Stopovers
People have seen fairy pittas in places like India, Brunei, Borneo, New Guinea, China, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. They often stop in North Korea, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand during their journeys. Most of their travels happen in April and from September to October. These birds use the same travel routes every year. They prefer specific types of subtropical forests. This shows they like to return to the same wintering spots.
Breeding Grounds in Asia
In spring, fairy pittas leave Borneo and arrive in the Korean Peninsula in May. They fly back south in October. They breed along the coasts, on islands, or in thick, moist forests. These forests can be found in provinces like Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, South Gyeongsang, and South Jeolla. They especially love islands off the southern coast of Korea.
Jeju Island is a very important breeding spot. More than 60 pairs of fairy pittas are thought to breed there regularly. They live at altitudes of 100 to 600 meters (330 to 2,000 feet) on Halla Mountain.
In Japan, fairy pittas arrive in mid-May. They can be found on islands like Kyushu, Honshu, Shikoku, and Tsushima. They prefer places with thick bushes, ferns, and grass, but also with good views to spot predators. They build their nests only in coastal forests. In recent years, some have started nesting in tree plantations. They usually live on hillsides below 500 meters (1,640 feet).
In Taiwan, fairy pittas like areas with thick tree canopies and steep slopes. These slopes help keep other animals away from their nests. They arrive in Taiwan in mid to late April. They are usually seen in the hilly or mountainous central and western regions, up to 1,300 meters (4,265 feet) high.
In China, fairy pittas are found in the mountains of the southeast. They live in mixed forests at altitudes between 500 and 1,500 meters (1,640 to 4,920 feet). They also stop in Hong Kong during their migrations.
Fairy Pitta Behavior
The fairy pitta is a bird that protects its home area. The male bird uses calls to defend its territory. However, it's generally a secretive bird and likes to stay hidden. From mid-May to late July, it often sits on a high tree branch. It might look like a kingfisher while perched. When it sings, the fairy pitta often shakes its tail up and down.
Diet and Feeding Habits
The fairy pitta usually searches for food alone on the ground. Its main diet includes several types of earthworms, beetles, and other hard-shelled insects. Sometimes, it also eats other small animals. These can include butterfly larvae, spiders, snails, lizards, frogs, small snakes, and shrews.
When feeding their young, earthworms make up most of the diet (73%–82%). Butterfly larvae and pupae also make up about 11% of what nestlings eat. Earthworms are very important because they provide a lot of energy. Having many earthworms nearby helps the fairy pitta successfully raise its young.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The fairy pitta builds a fairly large nest in dark, hidden spots. These spots can be in cracks between rocks in thick forests or among leaves on a slope. The nest is usually 1 to 5 meters (3 to 16 feet) above the ground. The entrance of the nest is lined with animal dung, and the inside is lined with lichen.
If needed, the male fairy pitta will bravely defend the nest. It will chase and attack any animals that come too close. This protective behavior lasts until the eggs are laid.
The female lays 4 to 6 eggs in each breeding season, from May to mid-July. The eggs are light gray with small light brownish-purple and gray dots. They are about 2.5 to 2.75 centimeters (1 to 1.1 inches) long. Both the male and female take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. The female usually feeds the newly hatched chicks, while the male watches for danger.
For the first 4 days after hatching, the chicks rarely leave the nest. This is likely because temperatures are low during the rainy season. Also, the chicks hatch without any soft down feathers to keep them warm. The chicks grow their first full feathers within 14 days. During the breeding season, adult birds usually stay within 100 to 400 meters (330 to 1,300 feet) of their nest. The chicks learn to fly in June or July. However, the parents continue to care for them until they are ready to fly south for the winter. On average, about 41.9% of fairy pitta breeding attempts are successful.
Dangers to Fairy Pittas
Snakes are the biggest threat to fairy pitta nests. Other animals like macaques, cats, and weasels also attack nests. Jungle crows and cat snakes are often reported raiding nests during breeding season. During their long migrations, fairy pittas can be in danger from falcons.
Only about 16% to 26% of adult fairy pittas return from their wintering grounds. Most birds are lost during their flight north and during the breeding season (May to July). Fewer birds are lost during their autumn migration in October. Another danger is flying into windows. Like many other bird species, accidents with human buildings are a major reason for the decline in fairy pitta numbers.
Status and Protecting the Fairy Pitta
Population Trends and Threats
It's hard to know the exact number of fairy pittas in the world. Estimates suggest there are a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of birds in total. Researchers believe the largest number live in China, but more studies are needed.
However, it's clear that the number of fairy pittas is decreasing worldwide. This is why the species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It's also listed as endangered in CITES Appendix II. The main reasons for this decline are losing their homes (habitat loss), being caught in traps, hunting, and human activities that disturb them.
Habitat Loss and Human Impact
Most habitat loss is caused by human activities. For example, deforestation (cutting down forests) in the bird's breeding areas is a big problem. In Japan, many forests were cleared in the past for fuel and to build tree plantations. Now that logging has stopped, the forests are recovering, and the fairy pitta population might grow.
In Southeast China, large forest areas have been cut down or changed for timber and farmland in the last 50 years. There's also a problem with uncontrolled forest fires. In Borneo, a winter home for fairy pittas, the destruction of old lowland forests is very damaging. This area is important for many different kinds of plants and animals. But deforestation continues, even in protected areas.
Large building projects also threaten local fairy pitta groups. In Taiwan, a big dam project is causing flooding that affects the largest known breeding group of fairy pittas. More research is needed to understand how much human disturbance affects these birds.
Hunting and Trapping
Hunting has been a problem in China and Taiwan. In Taiwan, catching birds for collections or the pet trade greatly reduced the local fairy pitta population in the 20th century. However, as more people work to protect the bird, hunting is expected to decrease.
Direct Human Disturbances
Human activities also directly affect individual fairy pittas. On Jeju Island in South Korea, birds flying into windows is a major danger. As more buildings are built near breeding areas, these accidents have increased. Also, in Taiwan and Jeju Island, many nests are disturbed by hikers, photographers, birdwatchers, and researchers. This can change the bird's behavior and make nests more likely to be attacked by predators.
Genetic Diversity Concerns
Scientists think that the fairy pitta's limited living areas might lead to less variety in their genes. This could make them less healthy and less able to survive. More research is needed to confirm this.
Conservation Efforts
Because fairy pitta populations are declining quickly, more studies are being done. The species is now protected by various national laws. It's a Nationally Protected Species in China, a Category II protected species in Taiwan, and a National Endangered Species in Japan. In North Korea, it's a Category I protected species, and in South Korea, it's a Natural Monument. Many fairy pittas benefit from breeding in national parks or reserves that were created to protect other animals.
Protecting the fairy pitta needs efforts at local levels and cooperation between countries. This is because the bird faces threats during its migrations. Experts suggest doing more surveys to find breeding sites and count populations. They also recommend studying the bird's habits and the need for more safe areas. Strict rules against hunting and trapping are also very important to save this species.
For example, on Jeju Island, it has been suggested that new buildings, golf courses, roads, and trails near forests or breeding areas should be controlled. Also, a program to reduce the number of jungle crows and Eurasian magpies (which raid nests) should be considered.
