Blue-naped Pitta Hydrornis nipalensis nipalensis resident southeast Tibet, hendeei southwest and southern Yunnan (Ruili, Xishuangbanna) and southwest Guangxi. HABITAT & BEHAVIOR Forests, often near streams, to 1500 m (4,920 ft.). Secretive. Eats mainly arthropods and earthworms. ID & COMPARISON Similar to Blue-rumped Pitta H. soror, but blue on rump extends to back and blue on nape reaches crown. Male nipalensis has extensive turquoise patch on nape to rear crown; patch confined to nape in hendeei. Wings reddish-brown, mantle mostly greenish to brown, rump blue, tail brown with greenish tinge. Most of head and underparts rusty-brown, paler on throat, with dark lores and black line behind eye. Nape of female greener; mantle rump and tail browner. Juvenile darker with buff spots and streaking. Juvenile Blue-rumped Pitta lacks streaking on breast. Juvenile Rusty-naped Pitta H. oatesi has whiter throat and head-sides. BARE PARTS Bill black; feet pinkish-brown. VOICE Song consists of two notes, the first up-slurred and longer than the second. Song usually repeated at long intervals. Alarm call short, explosive. — Craig Brelsford
THE PITTAS OF CHINA
shanghaibirding.com covers all species in China in the family Pittidae. Click any link:
Eared Pitta Hydrornis phayrei
Rusty-naped Pitta H. oatesi
Blue-naped Pitta H. nipalensis
Blue-rumped Pitta H. soror
Blue Pitta H. cyaneus
Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis
Hooded Pitta P. sordida
Fairy Pitta P. nympha
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
