Nicobar hooded pitta

The Nicobar hooded pitta is a species of passerine bird in the family Pittidae that is endemic to the Nicobar Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean.

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Distribution

Region

Eastern Indian Ocean (Nicobar Archipelago)

Typical Environment

Occurs in evergreen and semi-evergreen lowland forests, dense secondary growth, forest edges, and coastal thickets. It forages mainly on the shaded forest floor with abundant leaf litter and moist soil. It tolerates some habitat disturbance and may use plantations or scrub near intact forest. After rains, it is more active along damp gullies and seepage zones.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 600 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size18–20 cm

Wing Span25–30 cm

Male Weight0.09 kg

Female Weight0.09 kg

Life Expectancy7 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The Nicobar hooded pitta is the island-endemic form of the Hooded Pitta, confined to the Nicobar Islands of India. Like other pittas, it is a shy, ground-foraging bird that prefers dense understory and leaf litter. Its rich whistles carry far through forests, especially after rain. Habitat sensitivity means it can be affected by forest loss and severe weather events on its small island range.

Behaviour

Temperament

shy and secretive

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Usually solitary or in pairs, keeping low in dense understory. Nests are dome-shaped structures on or near the ground made of leaves and rootlets. Breeding likely coincides with monsoon periods when soil invertebrates are abundant. Both adults participate in territory defense and provisioning.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Voice is a clear, ringing two-note whistle repeated at intervals, often described as wiu-wiu or tew-tew. Calls carry far through forest and may be delivered from a low perch or hidden on the ground.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Nicobar jungle flycatcher

The Nicobar jungle flycatcher is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Nicobar Islands, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. It was at one time considered a subspecies of the brown-chested jungle flycatcher.

Nicobar megapode

The Nicobar megapode or Nicobar scrubfowl is a megapode found in some of the Nicobar Islands (India). Like other megapode relatives, it builds a large mound nest with soil and vegetation, with the eggs hatched by the heat produced by decomposition. Newly hatched chicks climb out of the loose soil of the mound and being fully feathered are capable of flight. The Nicobar Islands are on the edge of the distribution of megapodes, well separated from the nearest ranges of other megapode species. Being restricted to small islands and threatened by hunting, the species is vulnerable to extinction. The 2004 tsunami is believed to have wiped out populations on some islands and reduced populations on several others.

Nicobar pigeon

The Nicobar pigeon or Nicobar dove is a bird found on small islands and in coastal regions from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, east through the Indonesian Archipelago, to the Solomons and Palau. It is the only living member of the genus Caloenas alongside the extinct spotted green pigeon and Kanaka pigeon, and is the closest living relative of the extinct dodo and Rodrigues solitaire.