Scientific Name: Pitta megarhyncha
Malay Name: Burung-Pacat Bakau
Chinese Name: 红树八色鸫
Range: Found from Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra.
Taxonomy: Monotypic.
Size: 18-21 cm
Identification: Adult resembles Blue-winged Pitta but bill much longer, crown drabber and more uniform brown almost lacking the black line at the center, underparts slightly duller and has whitish chin.
Similar looking species: Blue-winged Pitta, Fairy Pitta
Habitat: Mangroves.
Behaviour/Ecology:
Local Status: Uncommon resident
Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2016)
Location: Found in the mangroves of Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong and possibly Pulau Semakau. Also occasional sightings of individuals on the main island of Singapore which are probably dispersing individuals.
- What bird is this, and why? (Birding Starter Pack)
- Local extinctions of Singapore birds (Science)
- One list to rule them all (Science)
Featured reports: Apr 2024, May 2024, Jun 2024, Jul 2024, Aug 2024, Sep 2024, Oct 2024, Nov 2024, Jan 2025, Feb 2025, Mar 2025, Apr 2025, May 2025, Jun 2025, Jul 2025, Sep 2025
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Mangrove Pitta)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Pitta megarhyncha. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22698691A93697903.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.). Mangrove Pitta. Retrieved on January 20, 2026 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/mangrove-pitta.