Western Hooded Pitta

Scientific Name: Pitta sordida

Malay Name: Burung-Pacat Hijau

Chinese Name: 绿胸八色鸫

Range: Found from northern Indian subcontinent to southern China and Southeast Asia with some northern populations wintering south to Indochina, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java.

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: cucullata, mulleri, bangkana, sordida, palawanensis, sanghirana.

Local Subspecies: cucullata

Size: 16.5-19 cm

Identification: Adult has black head with dark brown crown, green body and red vent. Juvenile has brownish overall plumage and whitish throat.

Habitat: Parks, gardens, forests and wooded areas.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Uncommon migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Any suitable patch of habitat like Singapore Botanic Gardens, former Bidadari Cemetery, Central Catchment Forest and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

Featured reports: Mar 2022, Apr 2022, May 2022, Nov 2022, Dec 2022, Jan 2023, Feb 2023, Mar 2023, Apr 2023, Dec 2023, Jan 2024, Feb 2024

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Western Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2013 to Jun 2023
Peak week Mar 12-Mar 18
Early date 29 Oct 2006
Late date 15 May 2017
A normally shy ground-dweller preferring shaded areas of forests and occasionally parks and gardens. One recent popular bird was surprisingly seen in an HDB estate!
Western Hooded Pitta. Photo credit: Adrian Silas Tay
Western Hooded Pitta at Jurong East Street 21. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Western Hooded Pitta. Photo Credit: Zahidi Hamid
Western Hooded Pitta at Jurong East Street 21. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Western Hooded Pitta at Rifle Range Link. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Western Hooded Pitta. Photo credit: Adrian Silas Tay

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Western Hooded Pitta)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Pitta sordida. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103656903A93693998.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Lim, K. S. (2009). The Avifauna of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore).

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Western Hooded Pitta. Retrieved on April 21, 2024 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/western-hooded-pitta.

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