Posted By Zoey T. Posted On

Luminous Yellow Eye Liner Combines With Blue And An Orange That Burns Like Lava, Exploding On This Bird In Volcanic Fiery Color

A STRIKING COLORFUL BIRD WHOSE BEAUTY IS ONLY ENHANCED BY THE BURNING ORANGE EYE LINE THAT BURNS LIKE LAVA CREATING A GLOWING JEWEL OF AVIAN BEAUTY!

MEET THE MALAYAN BANDED PITTA

Photo Courtesy of lonelyshrimp/Public domain

The Malayan banded pitta (Hydrornis irena), is a species of bird in the Pittidae family. An extremely colorful bird that sports a black head with a yellow/orange streak above both eyes, an orange nape, and a lemon-yellow throat. The chest area is barred with orange and dark blue finishing with a blue belly. The back is a chestnut brown finished off with a blue tail.

Photo Courtesy of lonelyshrimp/Public domain

This species is endemic to Thailand, Malaysia, and Sumatra where it primarily lives in primary lowland evergreen forests, including swamps at altitudes upwards of 5,000 feet.

It is also thought to exist in secondary forests, but may not do as well in this environment.

“Javan banded pitta” (cropped) by Wayan Konol is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The diet for the Malayan banded pitta consists mainly of fruit and insects as well as any similar invertebrates it can find.

Photo Courtesy of JJ Harrison (https://tiny.jjharrison.com.au/t/OasrAeljeC9F1lVX) / CC BY-SA 3.0

Breeding season for this bird differs throughout its range, however, when ready a globular-shaped nest is built with broad leaves, small sticks, and grass with a side entrance. This is usually placed in a low bush or sapling into which 2 to 5 eggs are laid.

“File:Banded Pitta female – Si Phangnga – Thailand S4E4041 (14071787140) (2).jpg” by Francesco Veronesi from Italy is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Having lost much of their primary forest in Thailand and the Malayan peninsular, these birds are now uncommon in these locations. More pressure has been placed on its population by the illegal cage-bird trade. For these reasons the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being “near threatened“.

“File:Hydrornis irena male by Jason Thompson, crop.jpg” by Jason Thompson is licensed under CC BY 2.0.