About the Rainbow Pitta
The rainbow pitta is a small passerine bird in the pitta family, Pittidae, endemic to northern Australia, most closely related to the superb pitta of Manus Island. It has a velvet black head with chestnut stripes above the eyes, olive green upper parts, black underparts, a bright red belly and an olive green tail. An Australian endemic, it lives in the monsoon forests and in some drier eucalypt forests.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The rainbow pitta is 16 to 18 cm (6.3–7.1 in) in length, and weighs 52–88 g (1.8–3.1 oz). Females weigh 67 g (2.4 oz), slightly more on average than males, which weigh 62 g (2.2 oz). It typically stands upright while looking for food or resting, with the legs slightly bent, and the body held at a 60–70° angle. It moves around by hopping. Its head, neck, breast, flanks and upper belly are velvet black, its upper parts are olive-green, and its lower belly and undertail coverts are scarlet red.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Rainbow Pitta lives
When to see the Rainbow Pitta
Peak activity in September · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Mangrove PittaPitta megarhynchaMeasuring 180 to 210 mm (7.1–8.3 in) in length, the mangrove pitta has a black head with a buff-coloured crown, white chin and buff underparts.
Blue-winged PittaPitta moluccensisMeasuring 180 to 205 mm (7.1–8.1 in) in length, the blue-winged pitta has a black head with a buff-coloured supercilium, white chin and buff underparts.
Western Hooded PittaPitta sordidaThe western hooded pitta is a passerine bird in the family Pittidae.
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