Alternative name: Necklaced Pitta
- Erythropitta arquata
Identification
A medium-sized Pitta (15cm).
- Scarlet forehead to nape and side of neck
- Sky-blue postocular stripe
- Dark green-blue upperparts (distinguish it from other Bornean pittas) with a narrow sky-blue line on wings
- Orange-rufous cheeks and throat
- Scarlet rest of underparts with sky-blue breastband (like a necklace)
Females are similar but their upperparts are dark olive-green and their tails grey-blue. Juveniles are plain brown, mottled grey-brown and buffish on side of head and throat.
Distribution
Endemic to the northern part of Borneo in both Indonesia and Malaysia.
Locally common.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
The scientific name is also sometimes spelled arcuata.
Formerly placed in genus Pitta.
Habitat
Primary submontane forests, often with bamboo stands and fallen trees. Most common at 600 - 1200m, recorded from 150m to 1500m.
Behaviour
Feeds on ants and other insects.
Breeding season from January to September (peak March to August). The globular nest is made of dead leaves, gras and fibres. It's placed 0.5 to 2.5m above the ground in a tree. Lays probably 2 eggs (but only few records).
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Dickinson, EC, ed. 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3rd ed., with updates to October 2008 (Corrigenda 8). Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691117010
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2010. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.7). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2003. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 8: Broadbills to Tapaculos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334504
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Blue-banded Pitta. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-banded_Pitta
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
