African Pitta
Pitta angolensis
The African Pitta (Pitta angolensis) is a legendary pitta found in 15 countries, weighing about 63 g. The African pitta is an Afrotropical bird of the family Pittidae.
About the African Pitta
The African pitta is an Afrotropical bird of the family Pittidae. It is a locally common to uncommon species, resident and migratory in the west, and an intra-African migrant between equatorial and southeastern Africa. They are elusive and hard to observe despite their brightly coloured plumage, and their loud, explosive calls are infrequently heard. The plump, somewhat thrush-like birds forage on leaf litter under the canopy of riparian or coastal forest and thickets, or in climax miombo forest. They spend much time during mornings and at dusk scratching in leaf litter or around termitaria, or may stand motionless for long periods. Following rains breeding birds call and display from the…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The sexes are alike. The crown, face, and ear coverts are solid black, and the throat is pale salmon pink. The broad eyebrow is buff to brownish buff. The flanks, breast, and side of the neck are a mustard yellow, washed olive on the upper breast. Some western birds have the breast very greenish. The wing coverts are deep green and tipped turquoise blue, or black and tipped turquoise and royal blue. The mantle and back are green, and the rump and upper tail coverts pale turquoise blue. The wings are rounded, and the primaries are black with pale and white tips.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, May, June, July, October, November, December, with peak activity in December. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an African Pitta?
- The sexes are alike. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an African Pitta?
- The African Pitta is a medium sized bird weighing about 63 g.
- Where can you see an African Pitta?
- The African Pitta occurs in 15 countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya and Congo - Kinshasa.
- What birds look similar to an African Pitta?
- The African Pitta is most easily confused with the Green-breasted Pitta, the Elegant Pitta and the Azure-breasted Pitta.
- Is the African Pitta endangered?
- The African Pitta is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the African Pitta for real
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