Superb pitta
Species of bird
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The superb pitta (Pitta superba) is a large pitta that is endemic to Manus Island which lies to the north of Papua New Guinea.
| Superb pitta | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Pittidae |
| Genus: | Pitta |
| Species: | P. superba |
| Binomial name | |
| Pitta superba | |
Description
The superb pitta is about 22 cm (8.7 in) long. It has black plumage with turquoise blue wings, a scarlet belly and green-tipped secondaries. The sexes are very similar but the female is a slightly smaller and duller than the male. As with other pittas, it is a secretive and rarely seen terrestrial bird. The diet consists mainly of snails.
Distribution and habitat
The superb pitta is distributed and endemic to primary and secondary forests of Manus Island of Papua New Guinea. Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and small population size, it is evaluated as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.