PITTA 1/7 - Mangrove Pitta

 

Its been awhile for me to get new lifer I am glad to chalked up this resident Pitta of Malaysia last weekend. Courtesy of my birding buddy JT. With the breeding season over the Mangrove Pitta in Port Klang are still active.

Measuring 180–210 mm (7.1–8.3 in) in length, the Mangrove Pitta has a black head with a buff-coloured crown, white chin and buff underparts. The shoulders and mantle are greenish and the vent is reddish. Juveniles have similar patterned plumage but are duller. It resembles the Blue-winged Pitta but can be distinguished by its much heavier bill.

 

They need strong beaks like the stork billled KF in the mangrove river flats to grab and dig for crustachean, mollusks and terrestrial insects. They seldom go beyond mangrove and coastal mudflats.

Its call, transcribed as wieuw-wieuw has been noted to be "more slurred" than the Blue-winged Pitta.

The Mangrove Pitta is native to the Southeast Asian countries of: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and southern Thai peninsula. Its natural habitat is specialised and restriction to subtropical or tropical mangrove forests and Nipah palm stands. It is threatened by habitat loss. In Malaysia; coastal mangrove forests are suffering severe pressure through clearance for fuelwood, charcoal production and construction materials, for the development of fish and shrimp ponds. Worse is alienation of forest reserve for housing development and opening of cultivation land is fast depleting the Mangrove forest of Port Klang. Very sad indeed if this continue.

Pittas are noted for being difficult to study and spot in the wild. However Mangrove Pitta is one of the easier ones to see in their natural habitat as it do sits high up in mangrove trees and calls. It is territorial in nature and will responds to call if another bird approaches their domain. It tends to be vocal while brooding but quiet at other times. Nesting is usually in May to June during the wet season here.