The Sula pitta is a species of the pitta. It was considered a subspecies of the red-bellied pitta. It is endemic to Indonesia where it occurs in the Sula and Banggai Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Wallacea (Indonesia)
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid evergreen lowland forest, tall secondary forest, and dense understory thickets, particularly where leaf litter accumulates. It keeps close to the forest floor and favors shaded gullies, stream edges, and vine tangles. While it may enter selectively logged forest, it generally avoids open or heavily degraded habitats.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Formerly treated as part of the red-bellied pitta complex, the Sula pitta is now recognized as a distinct island-endemic. It is a shy, ground-dwelling bird that relies on dense lowland forest and leaf litter for foraging. Habitat degradation and logging are the main threats, making intact forest corridors vital for its persistence.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct between cover
Social Behavior
Typically encountered alone or in pairs, defending small territories on the forest floor. Nests are domed or ball-shaped structures of leaves and roots placed near the ground or low in dense cover. Pairs are monogamous during the breeding season and maintain discreet contact calls while foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers clear, mellow whistled notes, often a repeated two-note phrase that carries through dense forest. Most vocal at dawn and dusk, with occasional soft contact calls given from low perches.
Plumage
Compact, short-tailed pitta with rich green upperparts, a dark head and face, and a bright crimson belly and vent; shows a contrasting blue shoulder patch and darker wings.
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates, including beetles, ants, termites, and earthworms; also takes small snails and occasionally small amphibians. Forages by hopping and pausing, peering under leaf litter and probing the soil. May use hard surfaces to break snail shells.
Preferred Environment
Primarily on the shaded forest floor in dense understory, along stream margins, and in ravines with deep leaf litter. Will sometimes visit slightly more open edges if cover is nearby.
