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- Mangrove Pitta is a species of passerine bird in the Pittidae family.
- It is native to Southeast Asia and South Asia.
- Its Scientific Name is Pitta Megarhyncha.
- This bird usually feeds on insects and other small invertebrates.
- Distribution:
- Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand (primarily the west coast of the southern Thai peninsula).
- In India, It is found in the eastern part, especially in Odisha and West Bengal.
- Habitat:
- It is found in mangrove and nipa palm forests where it feeds on crustaceans, molluscs and insects.
- This bird usually feeds on insects and other small invertebrates.
- Features:
- It is a small secretive bird, measuring 17 to 19 cm in length and weighing 45 to 65 grams.
- It is a colourful bird which has a black head with a brown crown, white throat, greenish upper parts, buff under-parts and reddish vent area.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Near Threatened.
Mangrove Pitta bird census
- The country’s first mangrove pitta bird census was undertaken in Bhitarkanika, Odisha.
- The objective of the census is to record the growth pattern of these birds.
- These birds are yet to be conferred the endangered category.
- Key Highlights:
- These birds are a nearly threatened species found in a few pockets of eastern India, including Bhitarkanika in Odisha and the Sundarbans in West Bengal.
- The census was carried out by point count method, either by walking in the forest or using country boats in the creeks.
- A total of 179 individual mangrove pitta birds were counted.
- The highest concentration of the birds has been found in the mangroves near the Mahipura river mouth inside the Bhitarkanika National Park,” the DFO said.
Latest News
Sources
- The Hindu
