Pitta (genus)

Pitta
Noisy pitta in Australia
Call of blue-winged pitta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pittidae
Genus: Pitta
Vieillot, 1816
Type species
Corvus brachyurus[1]
Linnaeus, 1766
Species

See text.

Pitta is a genus of birds in the Pittidae, or pitta family. They are secretive, brightly coloured birds that forage on the forest floor. They are long-legged and short-tailed with rounded wings.[2] They all have green on their upperparts with blue wing-patches. Many have dark heads.[3] Nest construction, incubation and rearing of nestlings is performed by both parents.[4] Incubation is completed in some 17 days, and the nestlings are altricial and nidicolous.[4] Some species are migratory.[3]

The antpittas, a Neotropical bird family of some 50 species, resemble the pittas in their hopping gait, furtive behaviour, long legs and short tails.

  1. ^ "Pittidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  2. ^ Zimmerman, Dale A.; et al. (1999). Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Princeton University Press. p. 495. ISBN 0691010226.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference irestedt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Tarboton, Warwick (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Cape Town: Struik. p. 141. ISBN 1-86872-616-9.