The elegant pitta is a species of passerine bird in the pitta family Pittidae. It is endemic to Indonesia, where it is found in the Lesser Sunda Islands and Moluccas.
Region
Eastern Indonesia (Lesser Sundas and Maluku)
Typical Environment
The elegant pitta inhabits lowland and foothill forests across islands of the Lesser Sundas and the Maluku (Moluccas). It favors primary and mature secondary evergreen forest, monsoon woodland, and dense thickets near streams. Birds are typically encountered on the forest floor or in low understory, using logs and root tangles as cover. It can persist in selectively logged forest and well-developed secondary growth, provided leaf-litter structure remains intact.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The elegant pitta is a strikingly colorful ground-dwelling passerine found only in eastern Indonesia. It frequents shady forest floors where it forages quietly among leaf litter, often remaining unseen despite its bright plumage. Like many pittas, it builds a domed nest close to the ground and gives a clear, whistled song that carries far through the understory.
The belly of the elegant pitta is red.
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; reluctant flier
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs, remaining territorial during the breeding season. Nests are domed, built close to or on the ground in dense cover. Both parents participate in provisioning the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A clear, far-carrying whistle, often given as a repeated two- to three-note phrase with deliberate pauses. Calls include sharp notes and soft churring given from shaded perches or the forest floor.
