Whiskered pitta
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Erythropitta kochi

The whiskered pitta (Erythropitta kochi ) is a rare species of bird in the family Pittidae. It is endemic to Luzon in the Philippines. This bird is the largest pitta in the country reaching 23 cm long and 116 g in mass. It has a brownish head, blue breast, and red belly. It has broad ash malar or "whiskers". Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping. It is one of the most sought after birds by birdwatchers in the Philippines.

Appearance

EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized bird of lower-elevation montane forest floor and undergrowth on Luzon. Prefers thick undergrowth with moss, ferns, and a steep slope. Brown on the back and sides with a red belly, a blue chest, tail, and edge of the wing, rufous on the back of the head, a dark face with a pale moustache, and a pale line behind the eye. Very similar to Blue-breasted Pitta, but Whiskered usually occurs at higher elevations, has an obvious whisker on the face, and has a brown rather than green back. Song is a long, mournful downslurred note followed by several shorter ones, “doooo doo-doo-doo-doo!”."

Geography

Continents
Countries
Biogeographical realms

References

1. Whiskered pitta Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskered_pitta
2. Whiskered pitta on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22698648/93695101
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/57577

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About