Blue-naped Pitta
Hydrornis nipalensis
A rotund, earthen-toned ground-dweller, usually hidden deep in the undergrowth of dense forests, often in damp areas near rivers and streams. Very shy, rarely venturing out into the open, though can sometimes be seen on the sides of trails in the early morning. Male has a bright sky-blue crown and nape, tea-green wings, and an ochre-brown belly. Females have a brownish head and are a browner-toned shade of green on the wings. Song is far-carrying and simple: a loud, piercing “pee-ya!”
Identification
It is a brightly colored bird, with a stub-tail. It is blue and green above, with a reddish-yellow coloring below. The bird's nape and hindneck are bright blue, and the tail is brown with a bit of green. The male and female birds are similar, but the female's hindcrown is reddish-brown, not blue, and it has a green hindneck.
Taxonomy
Genus: Hydrornis; Family: Pittidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Hydrornis nipalensis
- Authority
- (Hodgson, 1837)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pittidae
- Genus
- Hydrornis
Range and habitat
It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It can be found in bamboo jungles.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rufous-vented Tapaculo
Scytalopus femoralis
A fairly common cloud forest tapaculo found in the eastern Andes of northern and central Peru. Adult is gray with brown bars on the lower underparts. Young birds are browner and extensively marked with buff bars and scales. Similar to Trilling Tapaculo and Junin Tapaculo, and identification should be based on range and voice. Rufous-vented Tapaculo gives sharp chips and low frog-like notes, either alone or in an accelerating series. Inhabits forest understory and usually tough to see.
Roviana Rail
Gallirallus rovianae
A flightless rail with a plain rufous back and neck, a plain gray throat and narrow eyebrow, a dark bill, and underparts barred brown and white. Seemingly tolerant of a wide variety of habitats, including secondary forest and gardens. Similar to Buff-banded Rail, but underparts barred brown-and-white, not black-and-white, and upperparts much plainer. Call is reportedly a rapidly repeated high-pitched “ki-ti-ki-ti-ki-ti.”
White-cheeked Cotinga
Zaratornis stresemanni
Rare cotinga found only in high-elevation woodland in the western Andes of Peru. It is heavily streaked with brown and buff and has a white face and black cap. Feeds mainly on mistletoe berries; may rest on exposed branch for long periods of time when not feeding. Typical song is a series of sharp rasps that speeds up and then slows down again.
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