Blue pitta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue pitta |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hydrornis
|
| Species: |
cyaneus
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
_0A2A7977.jpg)
The blue pitta (Hydrornis cyaneus) is a colorful bird found in parts of Asia. It belongs to the Pittidae family, known for their bright feathers. You can find these birds in places like the northeastern Indian subcontinent, southern China, and Indochina.
Blue pittas usually live in damp forests, but they can also be found in drier forest areas. They are quite shy and prefer to be alone. These birds find their food by searching on the ground for insects and other small creatures.
Contents
What Does a Blue Pitta Look Like?
Blue pittas are medium-sized birds with strong bodies. They have long legs and short tails. An adult blue pitta grows to be about 23 centimeters (about 9 inches) long.
Colors and Markings
This bird has a bright yellow forehead and the top of its head. The back of its neck is a striking orange color. A thick black stripe goes right through its eye. There's also a smaller, faint stripe on its chin.
Male vs. Female
Male blue pittas are very colorful. They have a blue back and tail. Their chest is a light bluish color with black spots. Female blue pittas look a bit different. They have a grey back and a pale grey chest, also with black spots. Both male and female birds have a dark grey beak and light pink legs.
Blue Pitta Sounds
The blue pitta has a unique call. It sounds like a long, drawn-out "pleoow-whit" or "choocoo-whip." The sound ends quite suddenly.
Where Do Blue Pittas Live?
Blue pittas live in various parts of Asia. They can be found from sea level up to about 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) high in the mountains.
Their Forest Home
These birds love forests. Their favorite places are lowland and mountain forests that are always green and moist. They often live near streams or in ravines, which are narrow valleys. You might also find them in drier tropical forests.
How Blue Pittas Live
Blue pittas are very shy and like to keep to themselves. They are usually seen alone, even young birds. The only time you might see more than one together is when parents are feeding their chicks. Even though they are shy, they will sometimes respond if you play a recording of their call.
Daily Life and Food
Blue pittas are active during the day. This helps them find their food, which can sometimes be hard to spot because it blends in with the surroundings. They often look for food in the darker parts of the forest.
They search through fallen leaves and other plant material on the forest floor. They look for insects, especially beetles and their larvae (young forms). They also eat spiders, snails, worms, and grubs. To find these tasty treats, they flick away leaves and poke their beaks into the ground.
Raising a Family
Blue pittas build their nests during the breeding season. In India and Myanmar, this happens in May and June. In Thailand, it's between June and October. Their nest is big and shaped like a dome, with an opening on the side. They hide their nests well among tangled plants.
Are Blue Pittas Safe?
The blue pitta lives across a very large area. While they might be harder to find in India and China, they are common in many other places where their habitat is suitable. For example, there are many blue pittas on the Bolaven Plateau in Laos.
Some areas where blue pittas live are protected, which helps keep them safe. Because they are found in so many places and are common in much of their range, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says they are a species of "least concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
