This juvenile Blue Winged Pitta (Pitta moluccensis) landed in Singapore’s Hougang Estate during the 2017 migration season. According to Jeremiah Loei, “It brought joy and happiness to our local Nature Photographers.” Most times photographers enjoyed their appearance at our Singapore Botanical Gardens.
Blue-winged Pittas breed in South China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and the Malay Peninsula. It migrates south to escape the northern winter, arriving in south Malay Peninsula and Singapore during October to April. Many proceed southwards to Sumatra, Borneo and Java.
In Singapore, the Blue-winged Pitta is a rare winter visitor and passage migrant. Most arrive around October, with some leaving south to return later on their way back to the north as late as April. They migrate in loose flocks mostly at night, landing in their favourite areas to rest and forage year after year.
As these pittas fly at night, there are many cases of them crashing against glass planes, injuring themselves LINK 1 and LINK 2 or even ending dead LINK.
Jeremiah Loei
Singapore
1st February 2018
References:
1. Erritzoe, J. (2003). Family Pittidae (pittas). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. eds. Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 8. Broadbills to Tapaculos. Lynx Editions, Barcelona. Pp.106-160.
2. Erritzoe, J. & H. B. Erritzoe (1998). Pittas of the world: A monograph on the pitta family. The Lutterworth Press, Cambridge. 207pp.
3. Wang, L.K. & C. J. Hails, 2007. An annotated checklist of birds of Singapore. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 15: 1-179.
This post is a cooperative effort between Birds, Insects N Creatures Of Asia and BESG to bring the study of birds and their behavior through photography and videography to a wider audience.
Nazim
An injured blue-winged pitta is in my house right now in Chai Chee! I saw it in a supine position on the staircase last night so I brought it home as I thought I would phone ACRES this morning to take it away. It sure serves as a Monday delight for me. 6/5/19