the pale chub , ( zacco platypus ) , also known as pale bleak or fresh-water sprat , is a species of fish native to rivers and streams from northern china and korea to northern vietnam .

they can grow up to 20 centimetres ( 7.9 in ) but usually grow up to 13 centimetres ( 5.1 in ) .

its diet consists of zooplankton , invertebrates , fish , and debris .

zacco platypus is called oikawa オイカワ （ 追河 、 opsariichthys platypus ） in japan .

zacco platypus

huangshan population of chinese zacco platypus ( teleostei , cyprinidae ) harbors diverse matrilines and high genetic diversity .
japanische drachenfische ( zacco platypus ) laichen im gartenteich unseres kunden benedikt reisner ab . weitere informationen unter : urltoken
sympatric fish species include sicyopterus japonicus , spinibarbus hollandi , acrossocheilus paradoxus , varicorhinus barbatulus , varicorhinus alticorpus , zacco pachycephalus , zacco platypus , aphyocypris kikuchii and hemimyzon taitungensis .
huangshan population of chinese zacco platypus ( teleostei , cyprinidae ) harbors diverse matrilines and high genetic diversity . - pubmed - ncbi
intron polymorphism ( epic - pcr ) reveals phylogeographic structure of zacco platypus in china : a possible target for aquaculture development .
aggressive interactions between the dark chub , zacco temmincki , and the pale chub , z . platypus , in relation to their feeding behaviour
intron polymorphism ( epic - pcr ) reveals phylogeographic structure of zacco platypus in china : a possible target for aquaculture development . - pubmed - ncbi
aggressive interactions between the dark chub , zacco temmincki , and the pale chub , z . platypus , in relation to their feeding behaviour
it is important to make clear seasonal changes of fish habitat quality in rivers . there are still many unsolved question in fish habitat quality , because this consists of quite complex system . in this study , field surveys of seasonal changes of fish habitat quality were conducted through nine months in itabitsugawa river which belongs to class b river . it was found that carassius langsdorfi moves from pool to riffle through winter to summer . zacco temminckii and zacco platypus evade carassius langsdorfi in all seasons , because the body length of carassius langsdorfi is larger than that of zacco temminckii and zacco platypus . further , zacco temminckii evades zacco platypus which is larger than 8cm of body length .
aggressive interactions between the dark chub , zacco temmincki , and the pale chub , z . platypus , in relation to their feeding behaviour [ 1994 ]
the floods sometimes occur so that the discharge , velocity , flow depth are changed . in such situations , fish behaviors may be changed . however , there is little information on the fish behaviors in flood . in this study , the swimming behaviors of zacco platypus ( oikawa ) in the increasing discharge flows were recorded with a digital video camera . it was found that swimming speed of zacco platypus increased with an increase of velocity . in contrast , the ground speed of zacco platypus did not so change , irrespective of increasing discharge . the ground speed and swimming distance of zacco platypus did not change , even if the acceleration of velocity is changed . the effects of the acceleration on the swimming behavior of zacco platypus was smaller than that of the velocity .
phylogenetic structure of zacco platypus ( teleostei , cyprinidae ) populations on the upper and middle chang jiang ( = yangtze ) drainage inferred from cytochrome b sequences .
reproduction of the oikawa , zacco platypus ( temminck and schlegel ) , a cyprinid i . sexual characters in the anal fin and maturation kenya mizuguchi and yoshio hiyama
phylogenetic structure of zacco platypus ( teleostei , cyprinidae ) populations on the upper and middle chang jiang ( = yangtze ) drainage inferred from . . . - pubmed - ncbi
matrix of pairwise genetic variation between matrilines ( a - j ) of z . platypus
influence of glaciation on divergence patterns of the endemic minnow , zacco pachycephalus , in taiwan .
berrebi p et al . intron polymorphism ( epic - pcr ) reveals phylogeographic structure of zacco platypus in china : a possible target for aquaculture development . heredity ( edinb ) . 2005 ; 94 : 589 - 98
spawning characteristics between the two populations were not observed . bases on the biology characteristics of zacco platypus in beijing , we suggests to control the fishing amount , choose comfortable fishing season and protect living condition in order to maintain
it is important to secure the rest area for fish . fish has the ordinary and dark muscle . when fish uses ordinary muscle , fish gets tired . in such a situation , fish needs a rest . in this study , vegetation density in open - channel is changed . the trajectories of zacco platypus ' s were observed . it was found that zacco platypus utilized a slow of the speed as rest space . stay in vegetation area increases with an increase of vegetation density . an approach rate to vegetation area rises with an increase of vegetation density . however , it was not found that clear relationship with a migration rate of zacco platypus and vegetation density .
six main mitochondrial dna ( mtdna ) lineages have been described in minnow ( zacco platypus ) samples obtained from northern , western and southern china . perdices et al . ( 2004 ) predicted that further sampling of other tributaries might discover more lineages of this species . in this study , we collected 26 zacco platypus individuals in the huangshan area of eastern china and determined the cytochrome b ( cytb ) sequence variations . combined with reported data in genbank , we identified ten matrilines ( zacco a - j ) in a total of 169 samples , with relatively high molecular divergence found among them . the huangshan population had the greatest genetic variation among all sampled regions and hosted six of the ten matrilines . our results highlight the significance of the huangshan area for the conservation of zacco platypus .
six main mitochondrial dna ( mtdna ) lineages have been described in minnow ( zacco platypus ) samples obtained from northern , western and southern china . perdices et al . ( 2004 ) predicted that further sampling of other tributaries might discover more lineages of this species . in this study , we collected 26 zacco platypus individuals in the huangshan area of eastern china and determined the cytochrome b ( cytb ) sequence variations . combined with reported data in genbank , we identified ten matrilines ( zacco a - j ) in a total of 169 samples , with relatively high molecular divergence found among them . the huangshan population had the greatest genetic variation among all sampled regions and hosted six of the ten matrilines . our results highlight the significance of the huangshan area for the conservation of zacco platypus .
berrebi p & boissin e & fang f , et al . ( 2005 ) . intron polymorphism ( epic - pcr ) reveals phylogeographic structure of zacco platypus in china : a possible target for aquaculture development . heredity , 94 , pp . 589 - 98 .
berrebi p et al :
intron polymorphism ( epic - pcr ) reveals phylogeographic structure of zacco platypus in china : a possible target for aquaculture development .
heredity , vol . 94 , no . 6 , 2005 , pp . 589 - 98 , urltoken accessed july 9 , 2018 .
berrebi p , boissin e , fang f , et al . intron polymorphism ( epic - pcr ) reveals phylogeographic structure of zacco platypus in china : a possible target for aquaculture development . heredity ( edinb ) 2005 ; 94 ( 6 ) : 589 - 98 urltoken accessed july 9 , 2018 .
we examined the genetic structure and phylogenetic relationships of some chinese populations from the chang jiang ( = yangtze ) drainage of the cyprinid zacco platypus . we sequenced the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of 64 individuals from 6 upper and middle tributaries of the sichuan and hunan provinces to assess their population structure and systematics . the combined analyses of the phylogenetic information and the population structure suggested that chinese z . platypus consist of four distinct mtdna lineages which exhibit high genetic variation and haplotypic diversity ( zacco a - d ) . the high molecular divergence observed among zacco a - d mtdna lineages ( trn + i ( 0 . 76 ) distance , mean 8 . 9 % + / - 1 . 7 % ) and their phylogeographic structure indicate that all four lineages have evolved independently . analysis of molecular variance ( amova ) indicates that most of the genetic variation observed is found among the four zacco mtdna lineages ( thetact = 0 . 94 ) suggesting restricted gene flow among the chang jiang populations . long - term interruption of gene flow was also evidenced by thetast values higher than 0 . 9 that could be favoured by the discontinuous distributions of the lineages inhabiting upper ( sichuan province ) and middle ( hunan province ) chang jiang tributaries . the significant correlation between the geographic and genetic distances provide support for the importance of geographic discontinuity in shaping the zacco genetic structure . nested clade analysis ( nca ) results were congruent with phylogenetic relationships recovered and confirm the genetic distinctiveness of four independent zacco groups . these four groups correspond to the four zacco a - d mtdna lineages recovered in the phylogeny and were defined by nucleotide synapomorphies permitting bootstrapped and bayesian confidence of 95 % or greater . the high level of mitochondrial sequence divergence separating all zacco mtdna lineages suggested that the z . platypus populations from the chang jiang drainage probably correspond to four different species .
perdices et al . ( 2004 ) and perdices & coelho ( 2006 ) divided z . platypus sampled in southern , western and northern china into matrilines a–f . they suggested that the long - term interruption of gene flow might have caused the diversification and an underestimation of the number of species . our analyses identified ten matrilines of z . platypus in chinese and some japanese populations . this confirms the prediction of perdices et al . ( 2004 , page : 9 ) that “exhaustive sampling of other tributaries might evidence other zacco lineages” . this is also in accordance with that found for opsariichthys bidens , a sympatric species of z . platypus ( perdices et al . , 2005 ) .
zacco platypus , pale chub , is an indigenous freshwater fish of east asia including korea and has many useful characteristics as indicator species for water pollution . while utility of z . platypus as an experimental species has been recognized , genetic - level information is very limited and warrants extensive research . metallothionein ( mt ) is widely used and well - known biomarker for heavy metal exposure in many experimental species . in the present study , we cloned mt in z . platypus and evaluated its utility as a biomarker for metal exposure . for this purpose , we sequenced complete complementary dna ( cdna ) of mt in z . platypus and carried out phylogenetic analysis with its sequences . the transcription - level responses of mt gene following the exposure to cdcl 2 were also assessed to validate the utility of this gene as an exposure biomarker . analysis of cdna sequence of mt gene demonstrated high conformity with those of other fish . mt messenger rna ( mrna ) expression and enzymatic mt content significantly increased following cdcl 2 exposure in a concentration - dependent manner . the level of cdcl 2 that resulted in significant mt changes in z . platypus was within the range that was reported from other fish . the mt gene of z . platypus sequenced in the present study can be used as a useful biomarker for heavy metal exposure in the aquatic environment of korea and other countries where this freshwater fish species represents the ecosystem .
zacco platypus is a common minnow that occurs in sympatry with most chinese cyprinids ( deng et al . , 2013 ) . topographical barriers may restrict its life history and drive cryptic diversity . the species’ distribution encompasses all major river systems in mainl and china , as well as the korean peninsula and japan ( chen , 1998 ) . perdices et al . ( 2004 ) analyzed the genetic diversity of z . platypus sampled in the upper and middle changjiang ( yangtze river ) and found four major matrilines that may harbor multiple species . long - term interruption of dispersal is thought to have driven this diversity . perdices and coelho ( 2006 ) further studied samples from the pearl river and northern drainages , and obtained six matrilines in china . using nuclear dna data , berrebi et al . ( 2005 ) identified four genetic groups within z . platypus from sichuan , hunan and guangxi provinces in china .
some drainages still await sampling , such as the yellow river , one of the most important drainages in china . future research should detect additional matrilines of zacco , while morphological analyses may help differentiate morphological differences of taxonomic significance .
interpreted four basic population history scenarios based on haplotype and nucleotide diversities , which can also be used to clarify the history of z . platypus populations . our results revealed a pattern of high haplotype and nucleotide diversity in the huangshan population (
the present study aims at a phylogeographic description of zacco platypus from southeast china , in order to detect subdivisions within the nominal species . two main basins were sampled : the chang jiang ( yangstze river ) in central and east china ( hunan and sichuan provinces ) and the xi jiang , the more southern main tributary of the zhu jiang ( pearl river , guangxi province ) . a total of 27 intron systems were tested , five of them were informative and gave 12 interpretable and polymorphic loci . within the diversity of z . platypus , four genetic groups were identified by multidimensional ( fca ) analyses , corresponding to distinct genetic pools . the geographical distribution of the genetic groups corresponds neither with the drainage structure , nor the geographic distances between samples . it follows that isolation by distance and limited migration are insufficient to explain this geographic structure . the history of the river network therefore appears to have played an important role .
ty - jour t1 - intron polymorphism ( epic - pcr ) reveals phylogeographic structure of zacco platypus in china : a possible target for aquaculture development . au - berrebi , p , au - boissin , e , au - fang , f , au - cattaneo - berrebi , g , py - 2005 / 6 / 9 / pubmed py - 2005 / 9 / 15 / medline py - 2005 / 6 / 9 / entrez sp - 589 ep - 98 jf - heredity jo - heredity ( edinb ) vl - 94 is - 6 n2 - the present study aims at a phylogeographic description of zacco platypus from southeast china , in order to detect subdivisions within the nominal species . two main basins were sampled : the chang jiang ( yangstze river ) in central and east china ( hunan and sichuan provinces ) and the xi jiang , the more southern main tributary of the zhu jiang ( pearl river , guangxi province ) . a total of 27 intron systems were tested , five of them were informative and gave 12 interpretable and polymorphic loci . within the diversity of z . platypus , four genetic groups were identified by multidimensional ( fca ) analyses , corresponding to distinct genetic pools . the geographical distribution of the genetic groups corresponds neither with the drainage structure , nor the geographic distances between samples . it follows that isolation by distance and limited migration are insufficient to explain this geographic structure . the history of the river network therefore appears to have played an important role . sn - 0018 - 067x ur - urltoken l2 - urltoken er -
) . the haplotypes were grouped into main clade 1 and 2 . clade 1 hosted individuals from huangshan , sichuan , hunan and guangxi and clade 2 contained specimens from huangshan , beijing and japan . we identified ten matrilines of z . platypus according to the topology of the phylogenetic tree and the genetic variation between the ten matrilines .
we used 916 bp out of 1 140 bp of the cytb sequences in the following analyses . the newly obtained sequences and those downloaded from genbank were aligned using clustal x ( thompson et al . , 1997 ) . for phylogenetic reconstruction , two closely related species , zacco temmincki and c and idia barbatus ( mayden et al . , 2007 ; wang et al . , 2011 ) , were chosen as outgroups .
in view of modern genetics , genetic diversity in a given species is closely related to its adaptability , variability , and evolutionary potentiality , with genetic variation considered a prerequisite for organisms to cope with environmental uncertainty ( conrad , 1983 ) . herein , we report on the genetic diversity of z . platypus from eastern china based on extensive sampling of the huangshan area together with prior cytb sequence data from mainl and china , taiwan ( perdices et al . , 2004 ; perdices & coelho , 2006 ; wang et al . , 2007 ) , and japan ( he et al . , 2004 ; kawamura et al . , 2014 ; kitamura et al . , 2012 ; sasaki et al . , 2007 ; wang et al . , 2007 ) . we further evaluated the matrilineal diversity of z . platypus and revealed the possible ecological significance of the huangshan area .
reproduction and organ structure of the pale chub , zacco platypus in isa stream were investigated by means of histological methods . the results of the study confirmed reproductive abnormality and histopathological features in the pale chub . the gonadosomatic index ( gsi ) of the fish showed two peak in april and august . in summer season , gsi of the male was about two times of the female’s gsi . monthly variation of the gonadal development was very irregular . from the histological analysis of the organ structure , epidermal atrophy , necrosis and hyperplasia of pigment cell were observed in the skin . epithelial layer lifting and clubbing of the lamella and bifurcation of the filament were observed in the gill . also histological changes as congestion , cytoplasmic degeneration of hepatic cell , degeneration of bile duct , glomerular dilatation , degeneration of renal tubule and pycnosis of interstitial cell were identified in the liver and kidney , respectively .
values above branches represent the support level of ml ( bsp ) and values below branches represent the popularity rating of bi ( bpp ) . vertical bars indicate the mtdna lineage assignment ( a - j ) . < italic > zacco < / italic > a - f follow the nomenclature of < xref ref - type =
bibr
rid =
b23 - zoolres - 37 - 2 - 103
> perdices & coelho ( 2006 ) < / xref > and the others follow the alphabet . bold types are huangshan populations .
the oikawa , zacco platypus , is the popular game fish which widely inhabits the rivers and ponds all through japan except hokkaido . along with the study on the life - history , ecology and population of the species , which has been carried out since 1965 mainly in the water of the river aki ( a tributary of the river tama flowing into tokyo bay ) , the authors have studied the relationships between the maturity and sexual characters in the anal fin . based on the inspection of 1628 specimens collected monthly by a cast - net from november 1965 to september 1966 and in may 1967 , and by angling in august 1966 , the following results were obtained . 1 ) the males during the spawning season ( june to august ) were characterized by well - developed pearl organs , red and bluish green color on the side and enormously grown anal fin . these mature males , dominated by age group iii + and a half of males of age group ii + , exhibited breeding reactions and died out no later than september after spawning . 2 ) on the other hand , another half of males of age group ii + continued to grow in summer and became matured at iii + year old in the following summer . these ii + males were termed “non - mature” males against the above mentioned mature males . these males showed no secondary sexual characteristics and having only thin thread - like testis through out the spawning season . 3 ) the morphological change of anal fin was observed also in mature females , but to a lesser extent as compared with mature males . mature females began to spawn at ii + years and died out after the second spawning at iii + years . 4 ) it is evident that zacco platypus more than 80 mm in total length can be sexed during spawning season and the degree of the sexual maturation , particularly in the males , may be quantitatively measured by the length of anal fin . 5 ) the cause of the condition that males of age group ii + are mature or “non - mature” in spawning season was suggested through reading the history on the scales examined . the appearance of “non - mature” males in age group ii + was discussed in relation to the population density .
the effects of effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant ( mwtp ) on population level responses of the pale chub ( zacco platypus ) , as sentinel species , were evaluated at four sites of the gap stream ( gs ) in june 2007 . at gs 7 . 2 and gs 2 . 7 , downstream of the municipal wastewater outfall , the response patterns of the pale chub population in the age at maturation were not changed ; mean age , fecundity , and condition factor were increased ; age distribution was shifted to older ; growth rate was increased / or not changed ; and the egg size and population size were decreased compared with reference site ( gs 26 . 6 ) . these observed responses of the pale chub population matched well with the characteristics expected from a fish population experiencing chronic recruitment failure , except for the decreased egg size due to the elevation in nutrients and pollutants by treated sewage discharge . the observed response pattern at the downstream sites might be caused by the deterioration of the spawning or nursery habitat , or by the contaminant - induced chronic spawning failures . thus , these results suggest that the effluent of the mwtp might impact on the fish population structure and health status of pale chub population .
divergence times among the main lineages of z . platypus were estimated using a bayesian mcmc approach implemented in beast v . 1 . 7 . 5 based on a strict molecular clock ( drummond & rambaut , 2007 ) . the parameters were : substitution model , tn93 + g ; tree prior , coalescent : constant size ; normal distribution ; 10 million generations ; parameters logged every 1 000 ; burn - in value = 1 000 . the molecular clock of cyprinids was assumed to be 1 . 52 % site - 1 ma ( million years ) - 1 ( doadrio et al . , 2002 ) for cyt b .
theory indicates that the anti - predation behavior of a fish species will depend on predation threats in a way that tends to improve the probability of surviving predation . pale chub ( zacco platypus ) , a small asiatic cyprinid , is widely distributed in both high - and low - predation reaches of the wujiang river . to test whether the anti - predator behavior of pale chub along the wujiang river varied in fish living in habitats under different levels of predation pressure , we measured spontaneous swimming activity , risk - taking behavior , utilization of shelter and boldness in pale chub collected from both high - and low - predation habitats in the wujiang river . the fish from high - predation populations showed less spontaneous swimming activity and risk - taking behavior compared with those of the fish from low - predation populations . however , neither utilization of shelter nor boldness exhibited any significant differences between high - and low - predation populations . one reason for this result may be that in their daily lives , the pale chub in the high - predation population primarily respond to the presence of predators by decreasing spontaneous swimming activity and risk - taking behaviors when threatened rather than increasing utilization of shelters and showing less bold behavior . the lack of an increase in shelter utilization and the lack of a decrease in boldness in response to predation pressure may be a compromise to allow foraging and growth .
fish inhabit environments that vary greatly in terms of predation intensity , and these predation regimes are generally expected to be a major driver of divergent natural selection . to test whether there is predator - driven intra - species variation in the locomotion , metabolism and water velocity preference of pale chub ( zacco platypus ) along a river , we measured unsteady and steady swimming and water velocity preference among fish collected from both high - and low - predation habitats in the wujiang river . we also measured the routine metabolic rate ( rmr ) , maximum metabolic rate ( mmr ) and cost of transport ( cot ) and calculated the optimal swimming speed ( u opt ) . the fish from the high - predation populations showed a shorter response latency , elevated routine metabolism , lower swimming efficiency at low swimming speed , and lower water velocity preference compared with those from the low - predation populations . neither of the kinematic parameters fast - start and critical swimming speed ( u crit ) showed a significant difference between the high - and low - predation populations . the fish from the high - predation populations may improve their predator avoidance capacity primarily through an elevated routine metabolism and shorter response latency to achieve advanced warning and escape , rather than an improved fast - start swimming speed or acceleration . thus , the cost of this strategy is an elevated rmr , and no trade - off between unsteady and steady swimming performance was observed in the pale chub population under various predation stresses . it was interesting to find that the high - predation fish showed an unexpected lower velocity preference , which might represent a compromise between predation avoidance , foraging and energy saving .
although perdices et al . ( 2004 ) predicted that exhaustive sampling of other tributaries might discover other lineages of zacco , few specimens have been sampled in eastern china . the huangshan area in eastern china is a mosaic of mountains with elevations lower than 2 000 m , and exhibits a complex geological history that includes tectonic movements , orogenesis , and periodic climatic change ( e . g . , ju et al . , 2007 ; rüber et al . , 2004 ; zhang et al . , 1990 ) . based on patterns of intraspecific genetic variation and buffer - zone models , huangshan hosts refugia of eastern asian conifers , frogs , non - migratory birds and asian salam and ers ( gao et al . , 2007 ; li et al . , 2009 ; murphy et al . , 2000 ; wu et al . , 2013 ; zhang et al . , 2008 ) .
maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 20 . 0 cm tl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 5258 ) ; common length : 13 . 0 cm sl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 35840 )
adults are common in streams and rivers with rapid water flow , but not deep or stagnant waters . feed on zooplankton , small crustaceans , macroscopic algae , small fish and detritus .
man , s . h . and i . j . hodgkiss , 1981 . hong kong freshwater fishes . urban council , wishing printing company , hong kong , 75 p . ( ref . 5258 )
phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 5625 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .
bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00741 ( 0 . 00575 - 0 . 00955 ) , b = 3 . 12 ( 3 . 05 - 3 . 19 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this species ( ref . 93245 ) .
trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 3 . 1 ±0 . 43 se ; based on food items .
resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : medium , minimum population doubling time 1 . 4 - 4 . 4 years ( assuming fec < 10 , 000 ) .
vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low to moderate vulnerability ( 30 of 100 ) .
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head moderately large . eye moderately large , on upper side of head . mouth oblique ; posterior end of upper jaw reaches anterior margin of eye . body elongated , posterior laterally compressed ; dorsal and ventral profile slightly arched . barbels absent . scales moderately large , cycloid ; lateral line complete and curved above pelvic fin origin ; head naked . l . l . ：43 - 45 ; predorsal scales：16 - 18 ; dorsal fin rays：3 + 7 ; pelvic fin rays：1 + 8 ; anal fin rays：3 + 8 - 9 . dorsal fin origin near midline between snout tip and caudal peduncle end ; pectoral fin end distant from pelvic fin origin ; pelvic fin at lower side of body ; anal fin rays long , the longest reaches caudal peduncle end ; caudal fin forked . dark grayish dorsally , side and belly silvery white . 10 or more vertically bluish stripes on side of spawning male .
primary freshwater fish , prefers running water at middle reaches . occasionally form schools . polyphagia , feeds on small aquatic animals and diatom .
extensively distributed to eastern asia , including eastern china , korea , japan and taiwan . populations of taiwan were restricted in northwestern taiwan .
bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00741 ( 0 . 00575 - 0 . 00955 ) , b = 3 . 12 ( 3 . 05 - 3 . 19 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this species ( ref .
) : 3 . 1 ±0 . 43 se ; based on food items .
) : medium , minimum population doubling time 1 . 4 - 4 . 4 years ( assuming fec < 10 , 000 ) .
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special publication of the center for biodiversity research and information , no . 1 , vol 1 - 3
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
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centro de biologia ambiental , departamento de zoologia e antropologia , faculdade de ciências , bloco c - 2 , 3 piso , campo grande , 1749 - 016 lisbon , portugal . anabelperdices @ urltoken
zheng x 1 , zhou tq 1 , wan t 2 , perdices a 3 , yang jq 4 , tang xs 5 , wang zp 6 , huang lq 7 , huang s 8 , he sp 9 .
key laboratory of exploration and utilization of aquatic genetic resources , shanghai ocean university , ministry of education , shanghai 201306 , china ; college of life and environment sciences , huangshan university , huangshan anhui 245041 , china .
state key laboratory of genetic resources and evolution , kunming institute of zoology , chinese academy of sciences , kunming yunnan 650223 , china .
museo nacional de ciencias naturales , csic , c / josé gutiérrez abascal , 2 , 28006 madrid , spain .
key laboratory of exploration and utilization of aquatic genetic resources , shanghai ocean university , ministry of education , shanghai 201306 , china .
college of life and environment sciences , huangshan university , huangshan anhui 245041 , china .
college of life and environment sciences , huangshan university , huangshan anhui 245041 , china ; state key laboratory of genetic resources and evolution , kunming institute of zoology , chinese academy of sciences , kunming yunnan 650223 , china . snakeman @ hsu . edu . cn .
institute of hydrobiology , chinese academy of sciences , wuhan hubei 430072 , china . clad @ ihb . ac . cn .
pmid : 27029868 pmcid : pmc4876827 doi : 10 . 13918 / j . issn . 2095 - 8137 . 2016 . 2 . 103
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found in shallow fast - flowing streams and rivers in asia from northern china to vietnam .
this page was last edited on 13 december 2017 , at 03 : 09 .
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jennifer hammock added an association between
yangtze river benthopelagic habitat
and
saurogobio lissilabris banarescu & nalbant 1973
.
jennifer hammock added an association between
yangtze river benthopelagic habitat
and
pareuchiloglanis sinensis ( hora & silas , 1952 )
.
jennifer hammock added an association between
yangtze river benthopelagic habitat
and
glyptothorax sinensis ( regan , 1908 )
.
jennifer hammock added an association between
yangtze river benthopelagic habitat
and
glyptothorax fokiensis ( rendahl , 1925 )
.
jennifer hammock added an association between
yangtze river benthopelagic habitat
and
hucho bleekeri kimura , 1934
.
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journal of japan society of civil engineers , ser . b1 ( hydraulic engineering )
edited and published by : japan society of civil engineers produced and listed by : iword co . , ltd .
confused by a class within a class or an order within an order ? please see our brief essay .
to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
20 . 0 cm tl ( male / unsexed ; ( ref . 5258 ) )
common in streams and rivers with rapid water flow , but not deep or stagnant waters . feeds on zooplankton , small crustaceans , macroscopic algae , small fish and detritus .
the following is a representative barcode sequence , the centroid of all available sequences for this species . there is 1 barcode sequence available from bold and genbank .
below is the sequence of the barcode region cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 ( coi or cox1 ) from a member of the species .
mitochondrial diversity of opsariichthys bidens ( teleostei , cyprinidae ) in three chinese drainages .
molecular phylogeography and population structure of a mid - elevation montane frog leptobrachium ailaonicum in a fragmented habitat of southwest china .
exploring factors shaping population genetic structure of the freshwater fish sinocyclocheilus grahami ( teleostei , cyprinidae ) .
chloroplast dna phylogeography of clintoniaudensis trautv . & mey . ( liliaceae ) in east asia .
phylogeography of the endemic gymnocypris chilianensis ( cyprinidae ) : sequential westward colonization followed by allopatric evolution in response to cyclical pleistocene glaciations on the tibetan plateau .
molecular phylogeography of endangered sharp - snouted pitviper ( deinagkistrodon acutus ; reptilia , viperidae ) in mainland china .
this study was supported by the center for aquatic ecosystem restoration ( caer ) of eco - star project from ministry of environment ( moe , korea ) . s . lee is supported by the national research foundation of korea .
amiard , j . c . , amiard - triquet , c . , barka , s . , pellerin , j . , & rainbow , p . s . ( 2006 ) . metallothioneins in aquatic invertebrates : their role in metal detoxification and their use as biomarkers .
bervoets , l . , knapen , d . , de jonge , m . , van campenhout , k . , & blust , r . ( 2013 ) . differential hepatic metal and metallothionein levels in three feral fish species along a metal pollution gradient .
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de martinez gaspar martins , c . , & bianchini , a . ( 2009 ) . metallothionein - like proteins in the blue crab
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hall , t . a . ( 1999 ) . bioedit : a user - friendly biological sequence alignment editor and analysis program for windows 95 / 98 / nt .
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ross , k . , cooper , n . , bidwell , j . r . , & elder , j . ( 2002 ) . genetic diversity and metal tolerance of two marine species : a comparison between populations from contaminated and reference sites .
tsuda , t . , inoue , t . , kojima , m . , & aoki , s . ( 1996 ) . pesticides in water and fish from rivers flowing into lake biwa .
tsuda , t . , kojima , m . , harada , h . , nakajima , a . , & aoki , s . ( 1998 ) . pesticides and their oxidation products in water and fish from rivers flowing into lake biwa .
yeom , d . h . , lee , s . a . , kang , g . s . , seo , j . , & lee , s . k . ( 2007 ) . stressor identification and health assessment of fish exposed to wastewater effluents in miho stream , south korea .
zrnčić , s . , oraić , d . , ćaleta , m . , mihaljević , z . , zanella , d . , & bilandžić , n . ( 2013 ) . biomonitoring of heavy metals in fish from danube river .
lee , s . , kim , c . , kim , j . et al . environ monit assess ( 2015 ) 187 : 447 . urltoken
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photo credit : t . - c . francis pan some oyster larvae grow faster than others , but now donal t . manahan and colleagues reveal that the fastest growers are marked out by their high protein synthesis rates .
“one of the underappreciated benefits of fellowships is the act of applying for them , because you have to write and articulate your ideas . ”
in our latest early - career interview , we chat to simon sponberg , assistant professor at the georgia institute of technology , usa . he shares the story of his career , beginning with how he combined a love of physics and biology by studying how geckos stick to walls .
a new review from craig p . mcgowan and clint e . collins looks at the ecology , biomechanics and evolution of bipedal hopping in mammals , with a focus on why bipedal hopping has arisen in multiple clades of mammals .
photo credit : ari friedlaender not all orca species prey on aquatic mammals , so how do delphinids know when they are at risk ? a new study shows that pilot whales and risso’s dolphins flee from a subset of orca calls that share acoustic characteristics with other mammal alarm calls , including human screams . this article was featured in science magazine .
at the heart of prelights is the community of early - career researchers who select and highlight interesting preprints in various fields . we are now ready to grow our team of prelighters who are passionate about preprints and enjoy writing and communicating science . find out more here and apply by the extended deadline , 20 july 2018 .
freshwater minnow is a primary freshwater fish usually found in clean streams and rivers . the fish has a long and compressed body . there is no barbel on its terminal mouth . its bosy is light to brownish yellow with 12 to 13 silvery vertical bars on its sides . ther male shows elongated rays in its anal fin and yellow peral organs on the jaws and opercula during breeding season
lam , k . s . ( 2002 ) . freshwater fish in hong kong . agriculture , fisheries and conservation department , friends of the country parks and cosmos books ltd . , hong kong .
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masuda , h . , k . amaoka , c . araga , t . uyeno and t . yoshino , 1984 . the fishes of the japanese archipelago . vol . 1 . tokai university press , tokyo , japan . 437 p . ( text ) .
takai , a . and y . ojima , 1984 . some features on the nucleolus organizer regions in the chromosomes of the cyprinid fishes . proc . japan acad . , ser . b : phys . biol . sci . 60 ( 10 ) : 410 - 413 .
li , y . , k . li , y . hong , j . gui and d . zhou , 1985 . studies on the karyotypes of chinese cyprinid fishes . vii . karyotypic analyses of seven species in the subfamily leuciscinae with a consideration for the phylogenetic relationships of some cyprinid fishes concerned . acta genet . sin . 12 ( 5 ) : 367 - 372 .
nagata , y . and y . nakata , 1988 . distribution of six species of bitterlings in a creek in fukuoka prefecture , japan . jap . j . ichthyol . 35 ( 3 ) : 320 - 331 .
hureau , j . - c . , 1991 . la base de données gicim : gestion informatisée des collections ichthyologiques du muséum . p . 225 - 227 . in atlas préliminaire des poissons d ' eau douce de france . conseil supérieur de la pêche , ministère de l ' environnement , cemagref et muséum national d ' histoire naturelle , paris .
shao , k . - t . and p . l . lim , 1991 . fishes of freshwater and estuary . encyclopedia of field guide in taiwan . recreation press , co . , ltd . , taipei . vol . 31 . 240 p . ( in chinese ) .
ye , f . and p . song , 1991 . danioninae . p . 67 - 79 . in j . - h . pan , l . zhong , c . - y . zheng , h . - l . wu and j . - h . liu ( eds ) . 1991 . the freshwater fishes of guangdong province . guangdong science and technology press , guangzhou . 589 pp .
shen , s . c . ( ed . ) , 1993 . fishes of taiwan . department of zoology , national taiwan university , taipei . 960 p .
okiyama , m . , 1993 . an atlas of the early stage fishes in japan . koeltz scientific books , germany . 1154 p .
baensch , h . a . and r . riehl , 1995 . aquarien atlas . band 4 . mergus verlag gmbh , verlag für natur - und heimtierkunde , melle , germany . 864 p .
klinkhardt , m , m . tesche and h . greven , 1995 . database of fish chromosomes . westarp wissenschaften .
anonymous , 1996 . fish collection database of the university of british columbia fish museum fish museum . university of british columbia , vancouver , canada .
kim , i . - s . , 1997 . illustrated encyclopedia of fauna and flora of korea . vol . 37 . freshwater fishes . ministry of education , seoul , korea . 629 p .
eschmeyer , w . n . ( ed . ) , 1998 . catalog of fishes . special publication , california academy of sciences , san francisco . 3 vols . 2905 p .
chen , y . y . and x . chu , 1998 . danioninae . p . 19 - 61 . in chen , y . - y . and et al . ( eds ) . fauna sinica . osteichthyes . cypriniformes ii . science press , beijing , 531p .
endo , m . and y . iwatsuki , 1998 . anomalies of wild fishes in the waters of miyazaki , southern japan . bull . faculty agric . 45 ( 1 . 2 ) : 27 - 35 .
swedish museum of natural history , 1999 . fish collection database of the naturhistoriska riksmuseet ( swedish museum of natural history ) . ichthyology section , department of vertebrate zoology , swedish museum of natural history , stockholm , sweden .
wu , h . l . , k . - t . shao and c . f . lai ( eds . ) , 1999 . latin - chinese dictionary of fishes names . the sueichan press , taiwan . 1028 p .
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jang , m . - h . , j . - g . kim , s . - b . park , k . - s . jeong , g . - i . cho and g . - j . joo , 2002 . the current status of the distribution of introduced fish in large river systems of south korea . internat . rev . hydrobiol . 87 ( 2 - 3 ) : 319 - 328 .
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the african pitta ( pitta angolensis ) 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 mid-canopy .

african pitta

stamps showing african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis african pitta pitta angolensis 109 . 009 african pitta ioc v2 . 4 : 4217 links will open countrypage in new window - cambodia 01 . 12 . 1994 birds ms - gabon 15 . 10 . more
african pitta ( pitta angolensis ) is a species of bird in the pittidae family .
nsabagasani c . a migratory species , african pitta “pitta angolensis” passed buhanga relict forest .
the african pitta ( pitta angolensis ) also called angola pitta is certainly one of the top prizes for birdwatchers going for africa .
pittas of the world . a monograph on the pitta family | african bird club
museum specimens indicate historical distributions . the map below shows locations from which museum specimens of african pitta were collected . you can see more information on the individual museum specimens of african pitta here .
we will dedicate 3 mornings and afternoons to try and photograph the elusive african pitta in the zambezi valley .
the interest for the african pitta migration of 2012 started with a possible siting on the pugu hills nature centre trail during the eastern holidays . due to doubts about this african pitta a query among the
dar birders
revealed that actually an african pitta had landed in the
peninsula
, the part of dar es salaam with adequately invitive gardens .
the african pitta’s are intra - african migrants and they migrate to the zambezi valley each year between late nov and early april to breed . one can only really locate the pitta’s at the start of the rainy season when they begin their breeding cycle .
the untamed african wilderness – both south luangwa and kasanka national parks are unfenced with free roaming animals that offers the authentic african wilderness experience .
possible hybrid with green - breasted pitta as breast more green than buff and voice was as pitta reichenowi . however shows . . .
english : green - breasted pitta , black - headed pitta ; french : brève a capuchon ; german : kappenpitta ; spanish : pita encapuchada .
the african pitta is classified as least concern . does not qualify for a more at risk category . widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category .
english : black - and - scarlet pitta , black - crowned pitta ; french : brève gacieuse ; german : granatpitta ; spanish : pita de corona negra .
the african pitta is a very special bird ; it is one of 32 other pitta species . it is very aggressive and will do anything to be the best pitta around . it is known as “the holy grail of african birds” because it is very shy , even the best birdwatchers have a hard time catching a glimpse of this bright bird . it communicates in a repeating trail of two note whistles , trills , or grunts . they are often compared with thrushes because of the similarities . the african pitta is diurnal and migrates at night . this makes it hard for them to see buildings as they fly over african cities . this is the reason why in kenya , the number of african pittas have decreased because lighted buildings pose a threat at night . african pittas make themselves feel at home by using fallen trees and branches as perches because they are birds that stay on the ground rather than in the air . in the rare occasion that it is sighted , the african pitta will usually be seen in zimbabwe . when it walks , it flits its tail from side - to - side in a very arrogant way . in the zambezi valley , the breeding of the african pitta has been affected by the large number of elephants and also by increased farming .
the pitta did not allow anymore photographs in the
wild
after being released .
rheindt , f . e . , and j . a . eaton . 2010 . biological species limits in the banded pitta pitta guajana . forktail 26 , 86 - 91 .
malawi 1992 birds 75t african pitta used sg 892 watch this auction meet the seller seller not yet uploaded a picture . borucha feedback tier 5 ( 251 - > 750 rating ) address verified . more
unique opportunities – this photo safari offers the only time and place where these three events , the elephants through reception , african pitta , and biggest mammal migration in the world , can be photographed .
the african pitta , pitta angolensis , is a species of bird in the pittidae family . it is found in angola , burundi , cameroon , central african republic , republic of the congo , democratic republic of the congo , ivory coast , equatorial guinea , ethiopia , gabon , ghana , kenya , liberia , malawi , mozambique , nigeria , rwanda , sierra leone , south africa , tanzania , togo , uganda , zambia , and zimbabwe . references - * birdlife international 2004 . pitta angolensis . more
from 3000 m² in the african pitta to 10 , 000m² in the rainbow pitta . pittas will perform territory defence displays on the edges of their territories , although fights between rivals have only been recorded once . migratory species will defend non - breeding feeding territories in addition to their breeding ones . more
dutson , g . , and j . newman .
observations on the superb pitta ( pitta superba ) and other manus endemics .
bird conservation international 1 ( 1991 ) : 215–222 .
the coming of the rains heralds “change” . the african pitta arrives in the zambezi valley to breed . migrants abound in the bush and hundreds of migrants flock to feed on the new bounty that the rains bring in . come with us in search of one africa’s most elusive bird species the african pitta , we will journey to the zambezi valley to try to locate it at the start of its breeding season .
south african special forces ( elite ) and over 2 million other books are available for amazon kindle . learn more
but i also want to take images . to photograph the african pitta is still a very different thing . i worked hard for one hour and more . i kept changing my positon with my guides support on the edges of the bush . unfortunately the african pitta seemed a bit reluctant . not really shy , but at least it could not be approached easily . i tried to stay under the bush , which was located on a termite mound . after a while laying calm in the heat , i really could take fabulous looks , took pictures and even flash the african pitta after some time . finally the pitta came so close to me that even the 300 - lens with its close focus was to big . really i was very impressed . a thrill experience !
the african pitta , pitta angolensis , is a species of bird in the pittidae family . it is found in angola , burundi , cameroon , central african republic , republic of the congo , democratic republic of the congo , ivory coast , equatorial guinea , ethiopia , gabon , ghana , kenya , liberia , malawi , mozambique , nigeria , rwanda , sierra leone , south africa , tanzania , togo , uganda , zambia , and zimbabwe .
kari pihlaviita marked the finnish common name
afrikanpitta
from
pitta angolensis vieillot 1816
as trusted .
the southern african bird atlas project ( sabap1 ) in namibia gathered a huge amount of distribution data between 1970 and 1993 .
modern african wars vol . 2 : angola and mozambique , 1961 - 74 ( men - at - arms no 202 )
english : black - backed pitta ; french : brève superbe ; german : mohrenpitta ; spanish : pita soberbia .
english : angolan pitta ; french : brève d ' angola ; german : angolapitta ; spanish : pita africana .
jewel of the forest – it’s not difficult to understand why the spectacular , elusive and rare african pitta is the most sought after bird for photographers in africa , and now for the first time you’ll get a realistic chance to photograph it .
pittas are found alone or in pairs and are territorial . territories may vary widely in size depending on the species and habitat ; african pitta ( pitta angolensis ) territories may be as small as 0 . 75 acre ( 0 . 3 ha ) , rainbow pittas ( pitta iris ) defend areas larger than 2 . 5 acres ( 1 ha ) , and for some species only a single pair may be found in an area as large as 50 acres ( 20 ha ) .
english : bengal pitta ; french : brève du bengale ; german : neunfarbenpitta ; spanish : pita de alas azules .
english : black - breasted pitta ; french : brève iris ; german : rogenboenpitta ; spanish : pita arco iris .
modern african wars vol . 3 : south west africa ( men - at - arms series 242 ) : south west africa vol 3
english : black - breasted pitta ; french : brève de gurney ; german : goldkehlpitta ; spanish : pita de gurney .
african pitta pitta angolensis = described by : vieillot ( 1816 ) alternate common name ( s ) : angolan pitta old scientific name ( s ) : none known by website authors photographs no photographs are available for this species range w . , cw . and se . africa ; three populations ; ( 1 ) sierra leone , se . guinea and liberia e . to w . cameroon . ( 2 ) sw . cameroon to nw . angola . ( 3 ) e . zaire , c . and e . more
erritzoe , j . ( 2018 ) . african pitta ( pitta angolensis ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
the african pitta is an intra - african breeding migrant , arriving in southern and south - central africa to breed around november - december , then departing around march - april for its non - breeding grounds in equatorial africa . in southern africa it is scarce and localized , mainly occupying evergreen forest or dense thickets , often on the banks of rivers or streams , foraging for invertebrates in the leaf litter . more
rozendaal , f .
species limits within the garnet pitta - complex .
dutch birding 16 ( 1994 ) : 239–245 .
like humans . pitta chicks don’t beg for food , they just wait with their mouth open until food is given to them .
modern african wars ( 1 ) : rhodesia 1965 - 80 : rhodesia , 1965 - 80 no . 1 ( men - at - arms )
this book provides a highly detailed account of the history , organisation , uniforms and insignia of south african special forces from their origins up to the early 90s – units such as the 44 parachute brigade , the hunter group and the infamous swa police coin unit ' koevoet ' . these elite units of the south african defence force and the special anti - terrorist units of the south african police forces comprised the largest , best trained and best equipped of any country in southern africa . robert pitta and jeff fannell provide the text in a volume packed with photographs and illustrations .
this book provides a highly detailed account of the history , organisation , uniforms and insignia of south african special forces from their origins up to the early 90s - units such as the 44 parachute brigade , the hunter group and the infamous swa police coin unit ' koevoet ' . these elite units of the south african defence force and the special anti - terrorist units of the south african police forces comprised the largest , best trained and best equipped of any country in southern africa . robert pitta and jeff fannell provide the text in a volume packed with photographs and illustrations .
gretton , a . , m . kohler , r . lansdown , t . pankhurst , j . parr , and c . robson .
the status of gurney ' s pitta ( pitta gurneyi ) 1987–1989 .
bird conservation international 3 ( 1993 ) : 351–367 .
it african pitta exclusively eats invertebrates , usually foraging in leaf litter , searching for prey . once it spots a prey item it stabs it with its bill , killing it instantly . its diet has not been studied very well , however it is thought to eat the following prey items :
the domed nest typical of the pitta family is the size and shape of a
rugby football .
both the male and female participate
the asian mainland also has impressive pittas , including blue pitta ( above in an excellent shot by j . j . harrison ) . this pitta appears to be at the spot in khao yai where some elusive species become accustomed to being fed mealworms . we visited the spot in january 2013 — by then a rare orange - headed thrush geokichla citrina greeted us but the ' acclimatized ' blue pitta did not appear .
i was there in the green season from december to march . this time is one of the prime birding season in malawi . summer is the best season to experience avian diversity to the max with visitors like palearctic migrants and even african pitta . the best month is said to be december – if there are abundant rains . i was lucky , as there are years with no sighting of the angola pitta in malawi at all .
on sunday april 29th , 2012
an annual african pitta hunt in dar
was organised in the pugu forest and very successful with three sightings in a part of the forest which hardly deserves the name any longer . the picture shows one of this year ' s annual visitors to pugu .
os - c checklist of the birds of east africa . ornithological sub - committee of the east african natural history society , nairobi ( in press ) .
pittas have always been thought of as a cohesive group of 24 - 32 species ( e . g . , lambert & woodcock 1996 , erritzoe 2003 ) . irestedt et al . ( 2006 ) used molecular evidence to show that there were three major clades within the family , and divided them into three genera . the first - named genus pitta had the 14 species . the two african species are in this genus , as is indian pitta p . brachyura . pittas in this genus have green upperparts with a blue wing - patch and contains all the migratory species , like blue - winged pitta p . moluccensis and noisy pitta . noisy pitta ( left , in a photo be arthur grosset ) breeds in eastern australia in the southern summer and then ' winters ' in new guinea . many of the island endemics are presumably derived from migratory species .
african pitta is reliably found here in december when they migrate into riverine forests to breed . our zambia tour focuses on the zambezi endemics found primarily in the miombo woodlands cloaking large parts of the country . the tour also targets zambia ' s only two endemics , chaplin ' s barbet and black - cheeked lovebird . we have run a conservation tour for the african bird club . for more information on our zambia birding tour itineraries , please contact us . more
[ african tailorbirding cc ( ck2003 / 020710 / 23 ) trading as birding africa ] p . o . box 22727 , scarborough , 7975 , south africa .
distribution of african pitta in southern africa , based on statistical smoothing of the records from first sa bird atlas project ( © animal demography unit , university of cape town ; smoothing by birgit erni and francesca little ) . colours range from dark blue ( most common ) through to yellow ( least common ) .
a number of world checklists within the last 50 years listed as few as 24 species . this was after the great heydays of lumping in the mid - 20th century . this contrasts with the lists of of sclater and elliot at the end of the 19th century that contained 48 and 47 species , respectively ( erritzoe 2003 ) . now , in 2014 , we are back with the numbers envisioned by 19th century ornithologists . it began with the book on pittas and relatives ( lambert & woodcock 1996 ) that split sula pitta e . dohertyi from the widespread indo - pacific red - bellied pitta on morphological grounds . then rheindt and eaton ( 2010 ) split banded pitta hydrornis guajanus is split into three species : malayan banded - pitta h . irena , bornean banded - pitta h . schwaneri , and javan banded - pitta h . guajanus . these splits were widely accepted ( as was the split of black - headed e . ussheri from garnet pitta e . granatina in the sundaic region ) , bringing the list to 34 species .
the former
red - bellied pitta
was widespread in range from the philippines to the solomon island . the other indo - pacific pitta with numerous races is hooded pitta ( left ; a photo from papua new guinea by steve wilson ) . there are at least 12 races , some black - crowned and some chestnut - crowned . no one has yet done a molecular phylogeny of this complex . are there still more
new
pittas to come ?
mackworth - praed c . w . and grant , c . h . b . ( 1964 ) african handbook of birds . series 1 . vols 1 & 2 .
the pittidae is a fairly small family of mid - sized , short - tailed , long - legged ground - dwelling jewels in the old world tropics . i ' ve spent hours trying to track down calling birds inside bornean forests , and encounters there with blue - headed pitta hydrornis baudii , giant pitta h . caerulea , and black - headed pitta were absolute highlights ( see also the bottom of this page ) . here ( left ) is a very nice shot of black - headed pitta by gareth knass . if pressed , i ' d choose pittas as my favorite family of birds in the world .
our guides are at least 6th generation african . who better to show you the african continent than people who live there ? they have explored their home and neighbouring african countires as travellers even before digital photography and workshops became popular , and with a camera have spent more than 10 years chasing the best light in south africa , namibia , botswana , zimbabwe , zambia , tanzania and kenya . therefore they know the people , the culture and we have developed relationships with the local people that gains them access to special places .
some years ago i spent 3 days at the end of the so - called green ( i . e . rainy ) season in the liwonde national park . i decided to stay in the mvuu lodge . one of the highlights of the area of the lodge and the mvuu camp is the irregular appearance of the enigmatic african pitta (
irestedt et al ' s ( 2013 ) proposal of the 17 - way split was adopted by the clements and ebird world checklists in 2014 , bringing the world pitta total to 49 species . as there are several other endemic pittas in the philippines , e . erythrogaster was not called
philippine pitta
but , instead , the old name blue - breasted pitta was reasonably adopted for this new philippine endemic . personally , i had recorded 4 of the 17 taxa in the old
red - bellied pitta
complex , but one of those was
heard only ,
so my net was only two extra lifers , with some 14 still unseen .
almost all pittas breed seasonally , with breeding timed to coincide with the onset of the rainy season . an exception to this pattern is the superb pitta ( pitta superba ) , which apparently nests throughout the year on the island of manus . in most species there are relatively few unique displays prior to copulation , and most pittas probably are monogamous . however , the african pitta performs a unique display prior to the breeding season . during display bouts , this species repeatedly jumps about 10 in ( 25 cm ) into the air , parachuting back to the perch with several shallow wing - beats . during this display the red belly is prominently displayed and the birds often give a
prrt - wheet
vocalization .
deep in the gloom of an old world jungle a pitta stands motionless , giving a characteristic whistle . you , a potential observer , know that if you could see it , it will be a memorable experience , as pittas are wonderfully colorful . but they are also characteristically elusive , and more often than not , the pitta disappears unseen . photography would seem impossible . indeed , for all my visits to tropical rainforests , this shot of sulawesi pitta ( above ) is my best effort . [ sulawesi pitta is a recent split from red - bellied pitta ; more on that below ] . the collection of photos below are from other photographers — i stand in awe at their inspiring accomplishments . alas , much of my time in old world was pre - digital . digital photography has made pittas a bit more accessible — yet , still , each encounter is memorable .
most pittas are nonmigratory or make local movements outside the breeding season . however , indian pittas ( pitta brachyura ) , blue - winged pittas ( p . moluccensis ) , and fairy pittas ( p . nympha ) , as well as a subspecies of the african pitta ( p . a . longipennis ) and populations of hooded pittas ( p . sordida ) and red - bellied pittas ( p . erythrogaster ) are migrants . although most species migrate over land , it is believed that the fairy pitta may fly nonstop from vietnam across the ocean to borneo , a flight of approximately 620 mi ( 1 , 000 km ) ! given the short , rounded wings of pittas , it is somewhat surprising these birds make long migratory flights .
pittas are so wonderful that i list two pittas — gurney ' s pitta h . gurneyi and giant pitta h . caeruleais — among my
top 50 birds
in the world . gurney ' s has an exceptionally limited range along the s . thailand - burma border and is gorgeous . it is critically endangered in thailand but there is more hope for the population in remote burma . a further eight species ( including the elusive giant pitta ) are listed by the iuc as vulnerable . the main threat to pittas is habitat loss by deforestation .
reichenow , 1901 – se tanzania s to e zambia , n & e zimbabwe and s mozambique ; migrates n to region from s central african republic and n & ne drcongo e to s kenya and n tanzania .
erritzoe , j . ( 2018 ) . superb pitta ( pitta superba ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
a very short summary of south african special forces with lots of photographs and illustrations showing the aforementioned forces . when read with other books about this time and place of conflict throughout southern africa it definitely enhances the knowledge base .
it is an intra - african breeding migrant , arriving in southern and south - central africa to breed around november - december , then departing around march - april for its non - breeding grounds in the drc , uganda and kenya .
pitta joffe , a botanist by profession with a keen interest in horticulture , authored a number of popular books on indigenous plants , including the first edition of this book . pitta ' s plant photographs have appeared in numerous publications on the subject . tinus oberholzer holds a degree in horticulture and has had experience in propagation and production of nursery plants as well as plant marketing . he has contributed to the writing and editing of various gardening books , and also writes monthly articles for some south african gardening magazines . tinus is co - owner of plantae orchids , a nursery specialising in orchids and rare and unusual plants , with a special interest in indigenous flora .
our image database has been created to bring together photographs taken in the african region of as many bird species as possible . we hope this will provide both a useful tool for researchers and a splendid collection of photographs for anyone to browse .
experience three once - in - a - life opportunities in one dedicated photo safari . join c4 photo safaris and specialist wildlife photographic guide , isak pretorius , to help you take world class photos of elephants walking through mfuwe lodge reception , the spectacular and elusive african pitta , and a bat migration where 10 million fruit bats creates the largest mammal migration on earth . what makes this even better is that you’ll experience this in the wild and untamed wilderness of zambia’s south luangwa and kasanka national parks .
historically , this species was trapped for the cage bird trade . however , with increasing awareness of the dwindling population size , the economic value of gurney ' s pitta has begun to shift from illegal trade to conservation - based ecotourism .
the paoc12 scientific programme committee has nominated the following symposium topics for the 12th pan - african ornithological congress . to find out what each symposium incorporates click on the symposium title ; titles not hyperlinked do not have outlines at present but will be added in due course .
one of the ' new ' species accepted out of the split of the former
red - bellied pitta
is on sulawesi . my distant photo of a half - hidden adult is at the top of this page . here ( below , a photo by jason thompson from wiki - commons ) is a very fine photo of a sulawesi pitta in juvenal plumage , just started to molt into adult plumage with new green , blue , and red feathers appearing on the underparts .
the african pitta is an intra - african breeding migrant , arriving in southern and south - central africa to breed around november - december , then departing around march - april for its non - breeding grounds in equatorial africa . in southern africa it is scarce and localized , mainly occupying evergreen forest or dense thickets , often on the banks of rivers or streams , foraging for invertebrates in the leaf litter . its nest is a dome - shaped structure made of twigs , leaves and plant debris , usually placed in the uppermost branches of a tree sapling . it lays 2 - 4 eggs , which hatch into chicks with black skin and orange bills . strangely enough , the chicks do not beg for food , they just patiently wait with their mouths open until they are given something .
once we arrive at bilimungwe bushcamp , we’ll have lunch and then a chance to unpack and settle into our rooms . after high tea we’ll go on our first game drive in search of the african pitta and everything else that will make great photos . the afternoon game drives extend into the evenings for stunning night drives . here we’ll have the chance to photograph nocturnal animals , like leopard , genets , owls and elephant shrews , using a spotlight . after the night drive we’ll return to camp for dinner and bed .
handle seamlessly the logistical challenges that african touring presents . expertise , personalised service , attention to detail and best value tours are why , after 13 years , we ' re arranging more birding tours for top international companies and small groups than ever before . in sum , have a look at our
earthworms figure prominently in the diets of many pittas , especially during the nesting season . in australia , the diet of the rainbow pitta varies seasonally ; earthworms comprise most of the diet during the wet season , while other invertebrates are more important during the dry season .
recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : pitta angolensis . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .
family of birds . it is an elusive bird with an unknown lifespan . it is unknown if they are good at camouflage since they are hard to find even by experienced birdwatchers . some think they may be very shy . . it is a special bird with very characteristic features , which include : very long legs , large feet , and sharp talons . they are 6 . 5 to 7 inches tall , they have a beak that is 1 inch long and looks like a pointy sunflower seed and they weigh 3 oz . with their scarlet belly , black stripe over their eye , green and blue feathers , orange - buff breast , and dark brown crown they are very colorful and most pittas will have up to 9 colors on it . even though they are so colorful , you rarely get to see an african pitta . interestingly , both the male and the female pitta look the same .
there are also two pittas in tropical africa . this one ( below ) is green - breasted pitta , in another fine shot by gareth knass . again , i have spent a day searching for it at a
known
location in uganda , and again the great bird has eluded me .
the final genus , hydrornis , includes some variable oriental species that are sexual dimorphic in plumage and have a cryptic juvenile plumage in the species that have been studied . this genus includes eared pitta which had often been placed into its own genus [
anthocincla
] because of its alleged primitive characters .
then , irestedt et al . ( 2013 ) did a complete review of the entire red - bellied pitta set . they used both nuclear and mtdna , combined with vocal and morphological evidence , and
based on all available evidence
they proposed that the e . erythrogaster complex is composed of 17 species .
at 6 : 00 all ( few ) guests of the lodge had booked a trip on foot . the guide was richard . we rattled the whole area with the scrub vegetation for the pitta and a broadbill ( smithornis sp . ) . unfortunately in vain . instead , for example we observed grey - headed kingfisher (
a late morning road transfer from mfuwe lodge to bilimungwe bushcamp means that we’ll have time for a short morning drive at mfuwe lodge before we change camps . bilimungwe bushcamp is a three hour drive south from mfuwe lodge in the south luangwa national park , on the banks of the luangwa river . this is where we’ll look for the african pitta . there are a number of breeding pairs in the thickets close to the camp , and although they are still elusive , their mating calls usually give their positions away . photographers in the past few years have had the best success their in photographing them than anywhere else in africa . the game viewing around bilimungwe bushcamp is great , so we will spend the next few days looking for these birds while on game drives , with a good chance of seeing and photographing more than just the bird . once we arrive at bilimungwe bushcamp , we’ll have lunch and then a chance to unpack and settle into our rooms . after high tea we’ll go on our first game drive in search of the african pitta and everything else that will make great photos . the afternoon game drives extend into the evenings for stunning night drives . here we’ll have the chance to photograph nocturnal animals , like leopard , genets , owls and elephant shrews , using a spotlight . after the night drive we’ll return to camp for dinner and bed .
this tour is tailored towards photographers who are keen on bird photography and passionate about birding in general . photographers can be from a beginner level to advanced dslr users . we will search for the pitta in its breeding location , and spend quite a bit of time specifically focussing on attempting to photograph this rare and special bird .
with its concentration and diversity of wildlife , south luangwa national park offers an unrivalled safari experience . during november and mid december , three “once - in - a - lifetime” opportunities present themselves to safari goers in zambia . go in search of the “jewel of the forest” – the rare , migratory african pitta , while also being able to witness the unique , annual phenomenon of elephants regularly walking through mfuwe lodge reception . another highlight will be when we are joined by renowned , dutch - born ornithologist , frank willems to watch the world’s greatest migration – the highest density of mammals on earth – as 10 million straw - coloured fruit bats descend upon zambia’s kasanka national park… just a short flight away .
experiences with species this much sought after bird is difficult to locate unless it is calling , which occurs in a small time window , which is usually shortly after the first rains in early december . it hops on the branch , making a loud sound with it ' s wings , followed by a frog - like squeak . once it lands , it looks around , quite proud of itself , as if to say
did you see what i just did ? !
. click here to watch a video of the pitta displaying - be warned you may get seasick , a handheld video on a big lens does not work ! other names : angola pitta
another clade was named erythropitta . these are mostly small species with short tails , lots of red on the underparts , and greenish or bluish backs . there was initially six species in this genus , but that has now tripled when red - bellied pitta e . erythrogaster was split into 17 species ( more on that below ) .
with its concentration and diversity of wildlife , south luangwa national park offers an unrivalled safari experience . during november and mid december , three “once - in - a - lifetime” opportunities present themselves to safari goers in zambia . go in search of the “jewel of the forest” – the rare , migratory african pitta , while also being able to witness the unique , annual phenomenon of elephants regularly walking through mfuwe lodge reception . go one step further and extend your safari to join renowned , dutch - born ornithologist , frank willems to watch the world’s greatest migration – the highest density of mammals on earth – as 10 million straw - coloured fruit bats descend upon zambia’s kasanka national park… just a short flight away .
serious climate change challenges for birds and other biodiversity in africa are much less well understood than those in europe , north america and australia . given the magnitude of these challenges in africa , especially as compounded by existing conservation threats from land use change , invasive species , pollution and harvesting , a focus on the vulnerability of african birds and bird habitats is critical . we propose drawing on the insights from detailed biodiversity / climate change work in europe and australia to kick - start a wave of accelerated , collaborative and more detailed demographic , behavioural , ecological , biogeographic and conservation research on the vulnerability of african birds and bird habitats to climate change . we also hope to supplement and follow the symposium with an in - depth round - table discussion on this theme .
robert pitta has been a writer and editor in the defence / aerospace industry for over sixteen years . he is a former professional photographer and holds an advanced university degree . he has given lectures to the military and written on the history , development , and use of camouflage clothing and concealment techniques . he lives and works in maryland , usa .
in a recent visit to thailand , guide nik upton located a pair of eared pitta ( right ; photo by n . upton ) deep in the understory . like many pittas , it was not particularly shy but just cryptic and very difficult to view after each hop across the littered ground . this photo is of the adult female of the pair .
creative gardening with indigenous plants , now in its second edition , is an invaluable handbook for south african gardeners . in this comprehensive guide the authors set out to popularise the use of indigenous south african plants in gardens , parks , on roadsides and anywhere where previously exotic plants were preferred . this book covers more than 300 plants , all illustrated by stunning photographs in full colour showing the whole plant as well as selected features such as flowers , fruit , leaves and bark . the text comprises a description of each plant , its usages - including medicinal uses and snippets of folklore - and advice on cultivation . introductory chapters cover topics such as propagating plants from seeds and cuttings , gardening in the different climate regions , and using indigenous plants to attract birds and insects to the garden . taking a very practical approach , using symbols , distribution maps , plant size and flower colour , the authors lead the reader to the correct plant to choose for the application , whether this be tree , shrub , annual , perennial , climber or water - loving plant . this all - inclusive book is a must for gardeners , horticulturists , landscape designers and anyone involved in the south african nursery industry .
bird interactions with industry e . g . power lines and aircraft is an important factor to consider both from a conservation as well as an industry safety and quality of supply perspective . little has been done on the african continent with respect to bird power line and bird aircraft interactions . in south africa the endangered wildlife trust has pioneered the establishment of two unique industry partnerships to forge relationships with industry and to establish programs to effectively deal with the issue . as more and more power lines are constructed across the african continent and airports adhere to international safety standards , knowledge needs to be shared and assistance provided on how to deal with bird industry interactions ! the aim of such a symposium will be to present papers from what has been achieved in africa and to plan what still needs to be done .
the ' fffffrrrt ' sounds on the recording , which are the displaying pitta ( rapid wing - flapping ? ) , were detected from xc419773 by michael mills of go - away - birding . recording made before dawn , but , as michael puts it , pittas quite often start displaying when it is still dark . many thanks to michael for this cute contribution !
my personal best memory was at danum valley , borneo , and i wrote of it in my daily notes that evening ( below , notes from 4 aug 2003 ) . i really really really wanted to see the endemic blue - headed pitta , so after a rainstorm one afternoon , i hike out a trail to a spot where we had heard one the day before . i sat down quietly near the end of a log , and briefly played a tape . to my shock ,
the male blue - headed pitta appeared at the end of the log where it looked around , shook itself , and puffed out breast / belly ( see sketch ) . absolutely crippling views . it hopped down log towards me a bit before flying off .
a late morning road transfer from mfuwe lodge to bilimungwe bushcamp means that we’ll have time for a short morning drive at mfuwe lodge before we change camps . bilimungwe bushcamp is a three hour drive south from mfuwe lodge in the south luangwa national park , on the banks of the luangwa river . this is where we’ll look for the african pitta . there are a number of breeding pairs in the thickets close to the camp , and although they are still elusive , their mating calls usually give their positions away . photographers in the past few years have had the best success their in photographing them than anywhere else in africa . the game viewing around bilimungwe bushcamp is great , so we will spend the next few days looking for these birds while on game drives , with a good chance of seeing and photographing more than just the bird .
chris gooddie accomplished his goal of seeing all the pittas at the time when 32 species were widely accepted as the full set . now there are 49 species and counting . i wondered how many he still has left to see if he used the newest taxonomy . so i wrote him and the answer was that , except for the
red - bellied
group , none . he was aware of pending splits in
banded pitta
and potential splits in elegant pitta , so he saw all of them except the vigorsii race of elegant [ tanimbar and kai islands in eastern indonesia ; this was once split by clements but is lumped again in recent editions ] . chris says that he has continued to travel and see additional races of several pittas , but he is still 12 short of the entire 17 - species - set of the now - split
red - bellied pitta .
he agreed that it is likely there are some
cryptic species
in the complex , but thought that there is
so much vocal variation
within the known taxa , and so much to be learned about the remote island birds , that it was
too early to split red - bellied complex .
if i expanded by
top 50
birds in the world to a hundred , i ' d surely add several more pittas . so many are just drop - dead gorgeous , including rainbow pitta of northern australia ( right , in an exceptional shot by david fisher ) . they are all shy and secretive , with ethereal voices that draw one far from trails into primeval tropical forests in the old world .
although classification at the family level is widely accepted , there are conflicting opinions regarding the appropriate number of genera and species . although as many as six genera have been proposed , and preliminary estimates of genetic divergence support these distinctions , most authors have chosen to recognize only the genus pitta . recent taxonomic treatments recognize 29–31 species . this number will undoubtedly change as molecular methods generate a better understanding of the evolutionary history of the pittidae .
ringing activities have been conducted in africa for 60 years , and ringing is an important tool in continuing studies on the biology , survival and movement of birds . ringing has often been used in survey work , particularly in forest habitats . this symposium endeavours to present overviews of some recent work , showing how ringing will still be relevant as a tool to study african birds for decades to come . 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of safring , thus the paoc is an appropriate time to review ringing activities .
returning home , i even tried to do a painting of the encounter with the blue - headed pitta ( below , now embedded in color among my field notes ) . still , i ' m far from chris gooddie in terms of success — i ' ve barely seen a quarter of the world ' s pittas . just another good reason to take yet another long trans - pacific flight to a forest in the lowlands of southeast asia . . . .
physical characteristics : african pittas have a black head with a yellow side stripe ; white throat with pink wash ; blackish brown bill with a reddish base ; deep buff breast and flanks ( sides ) ; whitish color under the bill and throat that turns yellow at breast ; bright olive green upperparts with blue and black banding on wings ; dark azure - blue rump ; blackish flight feathers with paler tips ; black tail with red underside and blue upperside ; and pinkish to grayish white feet . males and females look alike . more
breeds may to august . domed nest is located 3–10 ft ( 1–3 m ) above the ground , often in palm trees . nest constructed from dead leaves and twigs on a base of larger sticks ; lined with fine rootlets . clutch size usually three to four . eggs similar to those of the hooded pitta ; white with dark purple or brownish spots over gray markings , most numerous on widest end . female and male share incubation , brooding , and provisioning of young .
p . a . longipennis : migratory ; breeds in central tanzania , malawi , southeast democratic republic of congo , eastern zambia , zimbabwe , and possibly into northern south africa ; nonbreeding migrant in northern tanzania , rwanda , burundi , democratic republic of congo , central african republic , uganda , and coastal kenya . p . a . pulih : west africa ; resident in sierra leone lowlands , ghana , liberia , ivory coast , nigeria , and coastal cameroon . p . a . angolensis : west africa ; southern cameroon , guinea , congo , democratic republic of congo , and angola
pittas give short calls , usually one , two , or occasionally three syllables , which can be either whistled or buzzy . the role that these calls play in territorial defense is evidenced by the fact that many species can be drawn out of dense vegetation by playing a recording of their call . in a natural setting , such a response may lead to encounters between males on adjacent territories . for rainbow pittas and elegant pittas ( pitta elegans ) biologists have described displays in which males from adjacent territories face off and perform bowing displays sometimes in conjunction with
purring
vocalizations .
much of avian life history theory has been developed from studies of birds in temperate climates of the northern hemisphere , where food availability is regarded as a critical driver of life history variation . yet , nearly two - thirds of the word’s bird species are confined to the tropics and temperate regions of the southern hemisphere , where they exhibit life histories that differ from north - temperate birds . also , traditional life history theory regards age - specific survival as the key driver of life history variation . this symposium will highlight the insights that recent studies of ‘southern’ , particularly african birds , provide to our understanding of global drivers of avian life history variation , and the conservation implications thereof .
bliimungwe’s four raised thatched rooms have been carefully designed to ensure the height of comfort whilst still retaining that authentic bushcamp feel . the tangle of mature mahogany trees that surround camp are echoed in the rich , wood interiors and the beautiful wooden furniture , handmade by local artisans . bright african textiles bring splashes of colour to the elegant rooms . after an early morning game drive , head back to your room for a refreshing , open - air waterfall shower , or continue the wildlife spectacle from your private deck . two of the chalets have twin beds ( queen - sized beds ) , while the other two each have a king bed . bilimungwe sleeps up to eight guests and is open from may to december .
winter offers the only chance of malagasy pond - heron , mascarene martin and short - tailed pipit . it is also possible to see madagascar cuckoo in winter and all the resident species are available in winter . while there is no replacing the exciting rush of full activity in mid - summer , winter birding can be surprisingly good and we have had good views of great bittern , thick - billed cuckoo , african golden oriole , rufous - bellied heron , allen ' s gallinule and even black coucal in the winter period . carmine bee - eater , madagascar bee - eater , collared pratincole , black - winged lapwing , wattled crane , osprey , terek sandpiper , grey - rumped swallow , mangrove kingfisher are all regularly seen on winter trips .
african pittas are monogamous like humans . that means , that they stay with one mate their entire life . they tend to usually breed between september and february . when it is mating season , the male pittas will show off their bright colors in a dance - like manner , spreading their wings and hopping on branches . their gestation period in unknown and it breeds once a year . there are typically 1 to 4 eggs in a litter . their eggs are glossy and round and their nest is usually hidden in a bush so that nothing can find it . the nest looks like a messy , leafy dome , which makes it even better for camouflage . when born , baby pittas are brown with pink legs and an orange beak . the baby pittas are
pittas are particularly associated with the islands of the indo - pacific . borneo , the philippines , new guinea , and many indonesian and melanesian islands host endemic pittas . the absolutely gorgeous ivory - breasted pitta ( right , a wonderful shot by rob hutchinson ) is endemic to halmahera and nearby moluccan islands . i was with rob when he called in this individual with a tape , and the bird appeared only briefly . rob managed this great shot ; mine was distant and marginal . it is truly remarkable how difficult these colorful birds are to see . unless they decide to fly briefly up to a perch ( as this one has done ) they seemingly melt away in the understory .