Pitta (genus)
| Pitta | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Green-breasted (left) and African (right) pittas | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Tyranni |
| Family: | Pittidae |
| Genus: |
Pitta Vieillot, 1816 |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
See text.
Pitta is a genus of birds in the Pittidae, or pitta family. They are secretive, brightly coloured birds that forage on the forest floor. They are long-legged and short-tailed with rounded wings. Nest construction, incubation and rearing of nestlings is performed by both parents. Incubation is completed in some 17 days, and the nestlings are altricial and nidicolous.
The antpittas, a Neotropical bird family of some 50 species, resemble the pittas in their hopping gait, furtive behaviour, long legs and short tails.
It contains 15 species, distributed from Africa, through southern, eastern and south-eastern Asia, to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. It was formerly the sole genus in the family, containing 31 species. However, following a 2006 study, two other genera, Erythropitta and Hydrornis, were split off, though all members of the family continue to be known as “pittas”.
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