Pittas (Pittidae)

Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida) - HBW 8, p. 150

French: Brève à capuchon German: Kappenpitta Spanish: Pita Encapuchada
Other common names: Green-breasted(!)/Black-headed Pitta

Taxonomy: Turdus sordidus Statius Muller, 1776, Philippine Islands.
Recently treated as forming a superspecies with P. superba and P. maxima, sometimes also including P. steerii, but morphological differences seem too great for this treatment; probably closest to last of those three. The four New Guinea races novaeguineae, from which described race hebetior (from Karkar I, off N Papuan coast) considered indistinguishable, mefoorana, rosenbergii and goodfellowi are geographically isolated from others and show several plumage differences from them; may represent a separate species. Race palawanensis.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Turdus sordidus Statius Muller, 1776, Philippine Islands.
Recently treated as forming a superspecies with P. superba and P. maxima, sometimes also including P. steerii, but morphological differences seem too great for this treatment; probably closest to last of those three. The four New Guinea races novaeguineae, from which described race hebetior (from Karkar I, off N Papuan coast) considered indistinguishable, mefoorana, rosenbergii and goodfellowi are geographically isolated from others and show several plumage differences from them; may represent a separate species. Race palawanensis possibly better treated as synonymous with nominate. In original description, race mulleri was written thus (without umlaut), so this is correct spelling rather than muelleri. Twelve subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • cucullata Hartlaub, 1843 - Himalayan foothills from N India E to N Myanmar, S China (S Yunnan) and N Vietnam (W Tonkin), S to N Bangladesh, Thailand, S Laos and Cambodia; migrates S as far as Sumatra and Java.
  • abbotti Richmond, 1902 - Nicobar Is.
  • mulleri Bonaparte, 1850 - extreme S Thailand, N Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, W Java, Borneo, and W Sulu Is (Sibutu).

     See all 12 subspecies
  • cucullata Hartlaub, 1843 - Himalayan foothills from N India E to N Myanmar, S China (S Yunnan) and N Vietnam (W Tonkin), S to N Bangladesh, Thailand, S Laos and Cambodia; migrates S as far as Sumatra and Java.
  • abbotti Richmond, 1902 - Nicobar Is.
  • mulleri Bonaparte, 1850 - extreme S Thailand, N Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, W Java, Borneo, and W Sulu Is (Sibutu).
  • bangkana Schlegel, 1863 - Bangka I and Belitung I.
  • sordida (Statius Muller, 1776) - Philippine Is (except Catanduanes, Masbate, Panay, and Palawan group), including Basilan and Sulu Is (Jolo, Tawitawi).
  • palawanensis Parkes, 1960 - W Philippines (Calauit, Busuanga, Culion, Palawan, Balabac).
  • sanghirana Schlegel, 1866 - Sangihe I.
  • forsteni Bonaparte, 1850 - N Sulawesi.
  • novaeguineae S. Müller & Schlegel, 1845 - New Guinea, including W Papuan Is.
  • mefoorana Schlegel, 1874 - Numfor I, in Geelvink Bay.
  • rosenbergii Schlegel, 1871 - Biak I, in Geelvink Bay.
  • goodfellowi C. M. N. White, 1937 - Aru Is, off S New Guinea.