Photo: Nicolas Huet / Jean Gabriel Prêtre / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Papuan Pitta
Erythropitta macklotii
Papuan Pitta (Erythropitta macklotii) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Papuan Pitta (Erythropitta macklotii) is a member of the Pittidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 72.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Pittidae Pittas
- Genus Erythropitta
- Species macklotii
Where it lives
Kai Is. (southeastern Moluccas), New Guinea and Cape York Pen. (Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 72.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pittidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Papuan 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 Papuan Pitta is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Papuan Pitta (Erythropitta macklotii) is a species of bird in the Pittidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Kai Is. (se Moluccas), New Guinea and Cape York Pen. (Australia).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 72.4 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 4.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 693,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Papuan Pitta?
The Papuan Pitta is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 72.4 g.
Where does the Papuan Pitta live?
The Papuan Pitta is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Kai Is. (se Moluccas), New Guinea and Cape York Pen. (Australia), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Papuan Pitta belong to?
The Papuan Pitta (Erythropitta macklotii) belongs to the Pittidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Papuan Pitta eat?
The Papuan Pitta is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Papuan Pitta migrate?
The Papuan Pitta is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Papuan Pitta endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Papuan Pitta make?
1 real field recording of the Papuan 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 Papuan Pitta's range?
The Papuan Pitta has a mapped global range of about 693,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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