Pitta nympha

The Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha was at one time considered conspecific with Indian Pitta Pitta brachura. The latter is confined to the Indian subcontinent, while Fairy Pitta breeds in Japan, Korea, east and southeast China, and Taiwan.*

It is a brilliantly colored bird with an average body length of 19cm. Its colorful appearance has won it the title of "Little Forest Angel." It is also know in both Japan and Taiwan as “Eight colour bird.”

A census in 2002 found 511 birds in Taiwan, the largest known population of Fairy Pitta in the world. They are shy birds whose diet consists primarily of earthworms and small insects, which they hunt by vigourously flicking away fallen leaves. They are terrestrial, preferring humid, broadleaved forests (especially bamboo), from sea level to 200 m elevation.

Once abundant in parts of Taiwan, Fairy Pitta is now classed as Vulnerable, due to habitat destruction.

Fairy Pitta Photo Gallery

*Clements, James F. 2000. Birds of the World: A Checklist. (Updated 2004).

References from: http://www.gio.gov.tw/info/ecology/English/index_e.html

The Fairy Pitta Book