Skip to main content

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

Near Threatened

Malayan Banded Pitta

Hydrornis irena

Malayan Banded Pitta (Hydrornis irena) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

See what's near you right now

The Malayan Banded Pitta (Hydrornis irena) is a member of the Pittidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 81.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Pittidae Pittas
  4. Genus Hydrornis
  5. Species irena

Where it lives

Malay Pen. and Sumatra

Quick facts

Weight
81.5 g
Family
Pittidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Malayan Banded Pitta is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Malayan Banded Pitta is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Malayan Banded Pitta (Hydrornis irena) is a member of the Pittidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen. and Sumatra.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 81.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.7 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 577,000 km².

Songs & calls

Malayan Banded Pitta — Call, song

Recorded by Greg Irving Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Malayan Banded Pitta?

The Malayan Banded Pitta is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 81.5 g.

Where does the Malayan Banded Pitta live?

The Malayan Banded Pitta is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen. and Sumatra, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Malayan Banded Pitta belong to?

The Malayan Banded Pitta (Hydrornis irena) belongs to the Pittidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Malayan Banded Pitta eat?

The Malayan Banded Pitta is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Malayan Banded Pitta migrate?

The Malayan Banded Pitta is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Malayan Banded Pitta endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Malayan Banded Pitta make?

1 real field recording of the Malayan Banded Pitta — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Malayan Banded Pitta's range?

The Malayan Banded Pitta has a mapped global range of about 577,000 km².

Conservation

Near Threatened

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Pittidae

More in Songbirds

Guides for this bird

Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds

How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.

4 min read

Back to top