Graceful pitta

The graceful pitta was formally described in 1836 by the German naturalist Salomon Müller under the binomial name Pitta venusta. His specimens had been collected in western Sumatra.{{ cite journal | last=Müller | first=Salomon | author-link=Salomon Müller | date=1836 | title=Aanteekeningen, over de natuurlijke gesteldheid van een gedeelte der westkust en binnenlanden van Sumatra, met bijvoeging van eenige waarnemingen en beschrijvingen van verscheidene op dit, en andere Sunda-eilanden voorkomende dieren | language=Dutch | journal=Tijdschrift voor Natuurlijke Geschiedenis en Physiologie | volume=2 | pages=315–355 [348] | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DxkFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA348 }}{{ cite book | editor-last=Traylor | editor-first=Melvin A. Jr | year=1979 | title=Check-list of Birds of the World | volume=8 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=320 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14501097 }} The specific epithet is from Latin venustus meaning "beautiful" or "lovely".{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=400 | url=https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n400/mode/1up }} The graceful pitta is now one of 15 species placed in the genus Erythropitta that was introduced in 1854 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=July 2023 | title=NZ wrens, broadbills & pittas | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.2 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/nz_wrens/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=24 December 2023 }}

The graceful pitta is a petite bird that measures approximately {{cvt|18|cm}} in length. Its black coloring is enhanced with reddish undertones, and the bottom of its wings have vivid blue stripes running down them. The lower breast and abdomen are a dull crimson.  The upper chest is dark brown with a purple hue. The legs can appear to be either a purple-blue or a pale blue, and its iris is a dark brown color. The bill is black. The extended tail has reddish-black hues. Males and females are similar in appearance.{{Cite journal |last=Erritzoe |first=Johannes |date=2020 |title=Graceful Pitta (Erythropitta venusta), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/blcpit1/cur/introduction |journal=Birds of the World |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.blcpit1.01 |s2cid=216307874 |issn=2771-3105|url-access=subscription }} Juveniles have an all dark brown exterior with less color variation throughout the body. They also have pinkish-grey feet, a red tipped bill, and grayish colored irises.

The call has been described as a high pitched train whistle which remains at a consistent pitch.{{Cite web |title=Graceful Pitta - eBird |url=https://ebird.org/species/blcpit1 |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=ebird.org |language=en}}

The graceful pitta is a native of the Indonesian Sumatra's highlands.{{Cite web |title=Graceful Pitta |work=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |date=October 2016 |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22698667/93696083}} The Sumatra highlands consist of thick tropical forest with various species of plants, animals, and insects. It inhabits dense, moist woods with a thick understory of plants. But the habitat is decreasing rapidly due to deforestation. This has increased due to the demand for palm oil with Indonesia being the largest producer of it.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-10 |title=Indonesian Forests & Palm Oil - Greenpeace USA |url=https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/issues/indonesian-forests-palm-oil/ |access-date=2023-10-19 |language=en-US}}

The graceful pitta flies close to the ground. Primarily in residential levels through the trees.

Only one nesting has been recorded for graceful pittas which took place in May. But according to research, breeding can take place from May to July, and possibly as early as from February to October. The birds construct their nests that typically are placed around 60 cm above the ground, using materials such as dead leaves, bamboo leaves, fine roots, degraded fibers, and moss. The graceful pitta typically can produce two to three eggs every breeding cycle. Each of the eggs has a distinctive look with a dull white tone and dark brown and gray lilac spots.

The graceful pitta is very rare and is at risk and vulnerable. Although it has been legally protected from hunting since 1931, they still have a primary threat of deforestation to its habitat in Indonesia. This causes their population to steadily decrease as more areas become less occupant/available.

Erythropitta venusta 1838, crop.jpg|Illustration by Nicolas Hüet

Pitta venusta - De vogels van nederlandsche Indië (1860) (20269391674) (cropped).jpg|Adult and immature

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=4014&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet.]
• [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/grzimek_birds/pittidae/pitta_venusta.jpg/view.html Image at ADW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725195505/http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/grzimek_birds/pittidae/pitta_venusta.jpg/view.html |date=2008-07-25 }}

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graceful pitta

Category:Birds of Sumatra

graceful pitta

Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

Category:Endemic birds of Sumatra

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