Thai National Parks

Blue-naped pitta

Thai: นกแต้วแล้วใหญ่ท้ายทอยสีฟ้า, nok taewlaew yai taay toy see phaa

Binomial name: Pitta nipalensis, Brian Houghton Hodgson, 1837

The blue-naped pitta (Hydrornis nipalensis) is a species of bird in the family Pittidae.

Description

It is a brightly colored bird, with a stub-tail. It is blue and green above, with a reddish-yellow coloring below. The bird's nape and hindneck are bright blue, and the tail is brown with a bit of green. The male and female birds are similar, but the female's hindcrown is reddish-brown, not blue, and it has a green hindneck.

Distribution and habitat

It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It can be found in bamboo jungles.

Behavior

It is a terrestrial bird. It usually ventures out into clearings only early in the morning and late in the evening. Its call is a double whistle and can be heard when it is on the ground and from a tree at dawn and dusk. The nesting season is April to August, during which both the male and female birds share the parental duties.

Diet and feeding

It lives on ground insects and other small animals.

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