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Papuan Pitta

To: Dave Torr <>, "" <>
Subject: Papuan Pitta
From: Phil Gregory <>
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2017 07:12:04 +0000
An extract from my forthcoming New Guinea Field Guide



Papuan Pitta Erythropitta macklotii
Uncommon resident (NG)
L 17 cm. Six subspecies in region in 3 groups: Papuan Pitta mack- lotii bright 
orange-rufous nape, no pale blue on head, variable black breast band (W and S 
NG including W Papuan Is, Yapen and Aru Is); digglesi presumed winter migrant 
from Cape York, in NE Australia (S NG); oblita darker crown and hindneck (SE 
NG); loriae (extreme SE PNG); Habenicht’s Pitta: habenichti brighter on nape (N 
NG east
to Astrolabe Bay); D’Entrecasteaux Pitta: finschii blue upperparts and 
breastband (D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago). Inhabits lowland
and hill forest and secondary regrowth throughout mainland except for Trans-Fly 
savannas, from sea-level to 1200 m, most frequent in lowlands and hills. Some 
local wandering in dry season or drought. Shy and unobtrusive when foraging on 
ground; more confiding when calling from high perch. ID Striking multicoloured 
pitta; sexes similar, F slightly duller. Ad has shining sky-blue upper breast, 
variable
black breastband, and orange-red lower breast to undertail-coverts; brownish 
head and throat with orange-rufous cap and hindneck, shining green mantle and 
shining dark blue wing-coverts. In flight, shows small white central spot on 
the dark brown primaries and blue rump and uppertail. Iris dark brown to 
red-brown, bill olive to dark bluish-grey, legs and feet dark brown to 
pinkish-slaty. Imm buffy brown with paler underparts, creamy lower throat, dull 
blue on rump and tail, orange-red on bill; soon shows some green, blue and red. 
Voc Territorial call of macklotii in mainland NG a low, tentative, tremulous 
double whistle, the first note ascending, then a descend- ing second, “croooo, 
croooo”, taking 2–3 seconds, and repeated at 8–30-second intervals, sometimes 
for long periods; occasionally gives third or fourth note similar to the 
second, or just a single note. Alarm call a strident “ke-ah”. Calls, especially 
in early morning, from branches in subcanopy and sometimes from ground or logs; 
more often heard than seen. Does not call at night. SS Adult distinctive. Juv 
differs from juv Eastern Hooded Pitta in buffy-brown head, patterned throat, 
paler plumage, and soon develops blue on upperparts. TN Formerly placed in the 
genus Pitta. Form digglesi often synonymized with macklotii. Formerly 
considered conspecific with Philippine Pitta (E. erythrogaster). In recent 
molecular study, the populations herein comprising present species were divided 
into three distinct species: macklotii, with races digglesi and loriae (with 
possible races aruen- sis and kuehni included in nominate macklotii, and oblita 
in loriae); habenichti; and finschii. Arrangement here follows morphological 
analysis for HBW–BL Checklist that supports distinctiveness of present species, 
and resurrects race oblita; it finds habenichti weakly and finschii fairly 
strongly distinct (latter most closely allied to loriae). Race digglesi (yorkii 
is a synonym) appears weakly marked and its validity needs further study. AN 
Blue-breasted Pitta. 

Phil Gregory
 <>
ornithological writer/tour leader/tour facilitator
Field Guides / Sicklebill Safaris / Cassowary House / Cassowary Tours
PO Box 387
Kuranda
QLD 4881
Australia

Ph: +61 7 40 937 318

Email:  <>
Website1: http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com <http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com/> 
OR www.birder.travel <http://www.birder.travel/>
Website 2: http://www.cassowary-house.com.au 
<http://www.cassowary-house.com.au/>
Website 3: http://www.cassowarytours.com.au <http://www.cassowarytours.com.au/>



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