Family Pittas (Pittidae)

Vulnerable

Azure-breasted Pitta (Pitta steerii)

figure, drawing, illustration of Azure-breasted Pitta (Pitta steerii)

Taxonomy

French: Brève de Steere German: Azurbrustpitta Spanish: Pita de Mindanao
Other common names: Steere’s Pitta
Taxonomy:

Brachyurus Steerii

Sharpe

, 1876,

Dumalon, Mindanao, Philippines

.

Race coelestis poorly differentiated, may not merit taxonomic recognition. Two subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution
  • P. s. coelestis Parkes, 1971 – C Philippines (Samar, Leyte, Bohol).
  • P. s. steerii (Sharpe, 1876) – S Philippines (Mindanao).

    • Descriptive notes

    19 cm; male 86–100 g, female 69–113 g. Adult has black head, dark green upperparts, green-blue uppertail-coverts, black tail; wings black, secondaries broadly... read more

    Voice

    Five or more loud, explosive short “whirp”, “kwo” or “kva”... read more

    Habitat

    Forest with thick undergrowth, preferring limestone areas; also degraded forest on Mindanao. To... read more

    Food and feeding

    Insects and worms recorded. Forages on ground, fallen logs and boulders; flicks over dead leaves with bill.

    Breeding

    Almost unknown. Male with enlarged gonads in May and fully fledged juveniles in Jun on Samar, juvenile in Jul on Bohol, and immatures in... read more

    Movements

    Sedentary.

    Status and conservation

    VULNERABLE. Restricted-range species: present in Mindanao and the Eastern Visayas EBA. Rare; recorded from only three localities since 1980. Rare and local on Mindanao, where... read more

    Recommended citation

    Erritzoe, J. (2020). Azure-breasted Pitta (Pitta steerii). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/57569 on 9 April 2020).