Blue-naped Pitta Hydrornis nipalensis nipalensis resident southeast Tibet, hendeei southwest and southern Yunnan (Ruili, Xishuangbanna) and southwest Guangxi. HABITAT & BEHAVIOR Forests, often near streams, to 1500 m (4,920 ft.). Secretive. Eats mainly arthropods and earthworms. ID & COMPARISON Similar to Blue-rumped Pitta H. soror, but blue on rump extends to back and blue on nape reaches crown. Male nipalensis has extensive turquoise patch on nape to rear crown; patch confined to nape in hendeei. Wings reddish-brown, mantle mostly greenish to brown, rump blue, tail brown with greenish tinge. Most of head and underparts rusty-brown, paler on throat, with dark lores and black line behind eye. Nape of female greener; mantle rump and tail browner. Juvenile darker with buff spots and streaking. Juvenile Blue-rumped Pitta lacks streaking on breast. Juvenile Rusty-naped Pitta H. oatesi has whiter throat and head-sides. BARE PARTS Bill black; feet pinkish-brown. VOICE Song consists of two notes, the first up-slurred and longer than the second. Song usually repeated at long intervals. Alarm call short, explosive. — Craig Brelsford
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
