macroglossum aquila is a moth of the family sphingidae .

it is known from north-eastern india , bangladesh , thailand , southern china , vietnam , malaysia ( peninsular , sarawak ) , indonesia ( sumatra , java , kalimantan ) and the philippines ( luzon ) .

the wingspan is 49 – 54 mm .

macroglossum aquila

macroglossum aquila boisduval macroglossa aquila boisduval , 1875 , hist . nat . insectes , spec . gen . lep . , 1 : 340 . macroglossum aquila boisduval ; rothschild & jordan , 1903 : 657 .
no one has contributed data records for macroglossum aquila yet . learn how to contribute .
minden pictures stock photos - hummingbird hawk moth ( macroglossum aquila ) hovering near a flower , feeding on the nectar by means of its long probosci . . .
macroglossa aquila boisduval , [ 1875 ] , in : boisduval & guenée , hist . nat . insectes ( spec . gén . lépid . hétérocères ) 1 : 340 . type locality : [ bangladesh , ] silhet [ sylhet ] ; cochinchina [ vietnam ] .
macroglossum geoffmartini ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 10
macroglossum eggeri ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 10
macroglossum haxairei ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 10
macroglossum loeffleri ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 10
macroglossum luteata ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 14
macroglossum oceanicum ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 14
macroglossum perplexum ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 15
macroglossum pseudocorythus ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 15
macroglossum pseudoluteata ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 15
macroglossum stenoxanthum ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 15
macroglossum sulai ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 15
macroglossum corythus fuscicauda ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 12
macroglossum buruensis holland , 1900 ; novit . zool . 7 ( 3 ) : 556 ; tl : buru
macroglossum corythus fulvicaudata ; [ hmw ] ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 12
macroglossum corythus novebudensis ; [ hmw ] ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 12
macroglossum corythus novirlandum ; [ hmw ] ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 12
macroglossum corythus platyxanthum ; [ hmw ] ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 13
macroglossum corythus pylene ; [ hmw ] ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 13
macroglossum corythus xanthurus ; [ hmw ] ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 14
macroglossum sulai eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : 166 ; tl : sulawesi , selatan , bungku
wingspan : 49 - - 54mm . immediately distinguishable from all other species of macroglossum by the costal edge of hindwing dilated into a rounded lobe in proximal half . forewing upperside with antemedian lines placed more basally than in other species of macroglossum .
macroglossum marquesanum collenette , 1935 ; bull . bishop mus . 114 : 209 ; tl : hivaoa , kaava ridge , 2460ft
? macroglossum palauensis matsumura , 1930 ; trans . sapporo nat . hist . soc . 11 : 120 ; tl : japan
macroglossum eggeri eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : 173 - 174 ; tl : sulawesi , selatan , parigi
macroglossum pseudocorythus eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : 158 ; tl : sulawesi , selatan , makki , 800m
macroglossum pseudoluteata eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : 165 ; tl : sulawesi , selatan , palolo , 800m
macroglossum micacea albibase rothschild , 1905 ; novit . zool . 12 ( 1 ) : 79 ; tl : bougainville i . , solomons
macroglossum perplexum eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : ? 16 , 170 ; tl : sulawesi , selatan , mamujuju
macroglossum geoffmartini eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : 172 - 173 ; tl : sulawesi , selatan , n of palopo
macroglossum haxairei eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : 174 - 175 ; tl : sulawesi , selatan , paredean , 700m
macroglossum sylvia ; hogenes & treadaway , 1998 , nachr . ent . ver . apollo , suppl . 17 : 88 ( part . )
macroglossum fuscicauda rothschild & jordan , 1903 ; novit . zool . 9 ( suppl . ) : 663 ; tl : lifu , loyalty island
macroglossum novebudensis clark , 1926 ; proc . new england zool . cl . 9 : 54 - 55 ; tl : tanna , new hebrides
macroglossum xanthurus rothschild & jordan , 1903 ; novit . zool . 9 ( suppl . ) : 662 ; tl : larat , tenimber island
macroglossum oceanicum rothschild & jordan , 1915 ; novit . zool . 22 ( 2 ) : 292 ; tl : solomon islands , chago archipelago
macroglossum sylvia ; rothschild & jordan , 1903 , 658 ; [ hmw ] ; eitschberger , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 58 : 15
macroglossum ungues rothschild & jordan , 1903 ; novit . zool . 9 ( suppl . ) : 643 ; tl : buru , amboina , java , etc
macroglossum loeffleri eitschberger , 2002 ; neue ent . nachr . 54 : 171 - 172 ; tl : n . vietnam , 55km nww hanoi , tam dao
macroglossum lepidum rothschild & jordan , 1915 ; novit . zool . 22 ( 2 ) : 287 , pl . 20 , f . 5 ; tl : nias
macroglossum iwasakii matsumura , 1921 ; thous . ins . japan ( additam . ) 4 : 754 , pl . 54 , f . 9 ; tl : japan
macroglossum faro ; rothschild & jordan , 1903 , novit . zool . 9 ( suppl . ) : 665 , pl . 4 , f . 14 ; [ hmw ]
macroglossum sylvia ; inoue , kennett & kitching , 1997 , the moths of thailand 2 : 101 , pl . 30 , f . 136 , p . 146 gen 28
macroglossum kadneri eitschberger , 2004 ; neue ent . nachr . 58 : 7 , 10 , pl . 1 & 2 , f . 5 ; tl : indonesia , sulawesi , selatan , salubai
macroglossum palawana eitschberger & treadaway , 2004 ; neue ent . nachr . 58 : 7 , 10 , pl . 1 & 2 , f . 6 ; tl : philippines , palawan , irawan , 50m
macroglossum trigi eitschberger , 2004 ; neue ent . nachr . 58 : 4 , 11 , pl . 1 & 2 , f . 3 ; tl : indonesia , sulawesi , selatan , n of palopo
macroglossum napolovi eitschberger , 2004 ; neue ent . nachr . 58 : 9 , 10 , pl . 1 & 2 , f . 9 ; tl : n . vietnam , 55km nnw hanoi , tam dao
macroglossum wolframmeyi eitschberger & treadaway , 2004 ; neue ent . nachr . 58 : 8 , 11 , pl . 1 & 2 , f . 8 ; tl : philippines , off palawan , cuyo i . , 400ft
in the male genitalia , uncus gradually narrowed , apically obtuse , slightly downcurved . gnathos rounded apically . valve with stridulatory scales . harpe short , stout , upperside excavated , edges dentate , looking like a brush in lateral view . aedeagus with a patch of teeth near the base of the apical process , which is slender , denticulate basally , along its proximal edge and at the apex , which is obtuse .
china : guangdong ; guangxi ( guilin ; longsheng ) ; hainan ( wanning ) .
northeastern india , bangladesh , thailand , southern china , vietnam , malaysia ( peninsular , sarawak ) , indonesia ( sumatra , java , kalimantan ) , philippines ( luzon ) .
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histoire naturelle des insectes . species général des lépidoptères hétérocères . 1 . sphingides , sésiides , castnides 340
syntypes [ bangladesh : ] silhet [ sylhet ] ; cochinchina [ vietnam ] [ cmnh ] . only a male syntype from
cochinchina
has been found in the cmnh .
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diagnosis . the hindwings have the costa ( seen from below ) with an angular expansion at one third . the yellow band above is constricted centrally by the sharply angular border of the distal black zone . geographical range . n . e . himalaya to sundaland , philippines . habitat preference . two specimens have been taken in recent surveys , both from lowland forest in brunei ( harman , 1981 ) .
macroglossa vialis butler , 1875 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1875 : 240 , pl . 36 , f . 5 ; tl : canara
macroglossa interrupta butler , 1875 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1875 : 242 , pl . 37 , f . 2 ; tl : darjeeling
macroglossa belia hampson , [ 1893 ] ; fauna br . india ( moths ) 1 : 114 ; tl : ceylon
1024x768 ( ~ 71kb ) oppadake , okinawa , ryukyu , japan , 7 - 93 , photo © s . shuichi haupt
macroglossa calescens butler , 1882 ; ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 5 ) 10 ( 56 ) : 156 ; tl : new britain
macroglossa dohertyi rothschild , 1894 ; novit . zool . 1 ( 1 ) : 67 , pl . 5 , f . 2 ; tl : amboina
sphinx faro cramer , [ 1780 ] ; uitl . kapellen 3 ( 23 - 24 ) : 165
rhamphoschisma godeffroyi butler , 1882 ; ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 5 ) 10 ( 56 ) : 157 ; tl : duke - of - york i .
macroglossa burmanica rothschild , 1894 ; novit . zool . 1 ( 1 ) : 68 , pl . 5 , f . 3 ; tl : burma
heliophila divergens ( walker , 1856 ) ; list spec . lepid . insects colln br . mus . 8 : 94
macroglossa hemichroma butler , 1875 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1875 : 243 , pl . 37 , f . 1 ; tl : silhet
indo - australian tropics , australia , hong kong , sumatra , java . see [ maps ]
hong kong , japan , peninsular malaysia , sumatra , borneo , ? sulawesi . see [ maps ]
macroglossa mitchelli ménétriés , 1857 ; cat . lep . petersb . 2 : 95
macroglossa semifasciata hampson , [ 1893 ] ; fauna br . india ( moths ) 1 : 115
macroglossa orientalis butler , 1877 ; trans . zool . soc . lond . 9 ( 19 ) : 528 ; tl : moulmein
naf , seu , ceu , am , ac , s . india , indochina . see [ maps ]
1000x643 ( ~ 116kb ) northern greece , axios delta , june 1995 , photo © dylan lloyd leg .
macroglossa similis rothschild , 1894 ; novit . zool . 1 ( 1 ) : 68 ; tl : oinainissa
macroglossa corythus walker , 1856 ; list spec . lepid . insects colln br . mus . 8 : 92 ; tl : ceylon
macroglossa proxima butler , 1875 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1875 : 4 , pl . 1 , f . 1 ; tl : ceylon , canara
macroglossa proxima ; moore , 1882 , lepid . ceylon 2 ( 1 ) : 29 , pl . 91 , f . 1a - b
macroglossa fulvicaudata butler , 1882 ; ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 5 ) 10 ( 56 ) : 155 ; tl : new britain
macroglossa moluccensis rothschild , 1894 ; novit . zool . 1 ( 1 ) : 67 ; tl : batjan , n . molucca islands
macroglossa luteata butler , 1875 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1875 : 241 , pl . 37 , f . 5 ; tl : silhet
[ dylan lloyd ] hafanedd , deiniol rd . , bangor , wales , u . k . , ll57 2up
[ maps ] warning ! the maps are automatically generated from the textual information , and the process does not always produce acceptable result ; see about maps for more info .
histoire naturelle des insectes . species général des lépidoptéres hétérocéres . tome premier . sphingides , sésiides , castnides
lepidopterorum amboinensium a dre . l . doleschall annis 1856 - 58 collectorum species novae
reise der österreichischen fregatte novara um die erde in den jahren 1857 , 1858 , 1859 unter den behilfen des commodore b . von wüllerstorf - urbair . zoologischer theil . band 2 . abtheilung 2 . lepidoptera . rhopalocera
- 120 , ( inhalts - verz . ) 1 - 9 ( pl . 1 - 74 ) , ( felder & rogenhofer , 1874 ) , ( 5 ) : pl .
sammlung exotischer schmetterlinge , vol . 2 ( [ 1819 ] - [ 1827 ] )
systema naturae per regna tria naturae , secundum clases , ordines , genera , species , cum characteribus , differentiis , symonymis , locis . tomis i . 10th edition
a catalogue of the lepidopterous insects in the museum of the hon . east - india company in horsfield & moore ,
a list of the lepidopterous insects collected by mr . ossian limborg in upper tenasserim , with descriptions of new species
wallengren , 1858 nya fjärilslägten - nova genera lepidopterorum öfvers . vet . akad . förh . 15 : 75 - 84 , 135 - 142 , 209 - 215
if you have corrections , comments or information to add into these pages , just send mail to markku savela keep in mind that the taxonomic information is copied from various sources , and may include many inaccuracies . expert help is welcome .
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this large moth caterpillar gives the threatening appearance of a snake head , which may help to ward off potential predators . the eye - spots are patches of color on the body of the caterpillar , with its real head curled beneath .
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the glaucous-blue grosbeak ( cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea ) , also known as the indigo grosbeak , is a species of bird in the cardinalidae family .

it is the only member of the genus cyanoloxia .

it is found in argentina , brazil , and uruguay .

its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests , subtropical or tropical moist shrubland , and heavily degraded former forest .

glaucous - blue grosbeak

brewer , d . ( 2018 ) . glaucous - blue grosbeak ( cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea ) . 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 ) .
azulinho cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea glaucous - blue grosbeak durante a aula pratica do mini curso de observação de aves da divisão de fauna de são paulo , sucesso total , mais de 40 novos observadores estrearam observando essa ave . não use gaiolas , plante uma árvore que elas vem . denuncie o tráfico de animais silvestres , ibama - linha verde - telefone : 0800 - 61 - 8080 a ligação é gratuita ou pelo e - mail : linhaverde . sede @ urltoken
nests oct–dec in uruguay . nest a cup of small twigs , placed at low or medium height in dense vegetation . clutch 2–4 eggs , pale sky - blue . . .
14 cm ; three birds 16–19·5 g . male is deep dark sky - blue above ( each feather having very narrow blackish terminal edging ) , brightest on forehead and rump ; remiges blackish . . .
contributed for the female bird song project : urltoken apparent female ( timing of recording seems a bit early for a singing juvenile male , assuming they breed in austral spring ) , all brown with no hint of blue that i was able to see . calling and foraging in dense underbrush of araucaria forest , about 15ft away . amplified with audacity .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
sacc . 2005 and updates . a classification of the bird species of south america . available at : urltoken .
justification : this species has a very large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing , the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
the global population size has not been quantified , but this species is described as ' uncommon ' ( stotz et al . 1996 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss .
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) , in neotropical birds online ( t . s . schulenberg , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , ny , usa . retrieved from neotropical birds online :
apparent hybrids between this species and an unspecified sporophila seed - finch ( thraupidae ) reported from brazil . monotypic .
ne argentina ( misiones , corrientes , entre ríos and ne buenos aires ) , se brazil ( s são paulo , santa catarina , rio grande do sul ) and n , e & w uruguay ; in austral winter , some move n as far mato grosso do sul ( s brazil ) .
song , usually from concealed perch in dense cover , a fast , high , hurried jumbled warbling ; call “ . . .
edges of low forest , bushes on humid river islands , marshes , second growth ; from near sea - level to . . .
partial austral migrant . during austral winter , some move n as far as mato grosso do sul , s goiás . . .
not globally threatened . generally rather rare to uncommon over much of range . not well known .
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previously included in a much broader emberizidae . limits and composition redrawn in recent years , based on extensive molecular work # r # r . as compared to hbw : granatellus is imported from parulidae , amaurospiza from passerellidae ( part of emberizidae in hbw ) , and habia ( now including chlorothraupis ) and piranga from thraupidae ; at the same time , saltator and parkerthraustes have been removed to thraupidae .
sometimes subsumed within passerina . includes several species previously placed in cyanocompsa , moved here based on molecular data # r .
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this map displays aggregated data from ibc and my birding ( anonymously ) ; markers do not indicate precise localities .
entrada a gendarmeria ( ruta 2 c . km35 ) , area pp mocona , guarani , el soberbio , misiones
inventario de aves en campo avalos 2010 , corrientes , arg . : aves argentinas & alianzas por el pastizal .
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
this species has a very large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing , the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea . 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 .
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howard and moore 4th edition ( incl . corrigenda vol . 1 - 2 ) :
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gill & wright ( 2006 ) corrigenda / updates - 21 - sep - 2007 , website ( version 1 . 1 )
ioc world bird list ( v 5 . 3 ) , website ( version 5 . 3 )
gill , f . , and d . donsker , eds . 2015 . ioc world bird list ( v 5 . 3 ) . available at urltoken [ accessed 04 september , 2015 ]
zoonomen - zoological nomenclature resource , 2015 . 02 . 01 , website ( version 01 - feb - 15 )
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 .


it is found in brazil .

the wingspan is 18 – 23 mm .

the ground colour of the forewings is whitish cream , suffused ochreous or ferruginous brown , with paler and darker groups of scales .

the hindwings are brown .

auratonota badiaurea

this is the place for badiaurea definition . you find here badiaurea meaning , synonyms of badiaurea and images for badiaurea copyright 2017 © urltoken
auratonota badiaurea is a species of moth of the tortricidae family . it is found in brazil .
have a fact about auratonota badiaurea ? write it here to share it with the entire community .
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here you will find one or more explanations in english for the word badiaurea . also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word badiaurea and , of course , badiaurea synonyms and on the right images related to the word badiaurea .
auratonota aurochra is a species of moth of the tortricidae family which is endemic to ecuador .
auratonota chlamydophora is a species of moth of the tortricidae family and is endemic to ecuador .
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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 .