Fun Noisy Pitta Facts For Kids

The noisy pitta (Pitta versicolor) is a bird species from the family Pittidae. It can be found in New Guinea and Australia (Queensland). This bird prefers rainforests, tropical and subtropical forests, and temperate forests of Australia. Their breeding season occurs from early spring to the end of summer.

The bird usually builds its nest on the ground and sometimes in a tree. They have a soothing call that you can frequently hear in the morning. It is also quite common from March to August in the breeding season.

This bird has distinctive yellow undercoverts, which separate it from similar types of birds in its particular location. The noisy pitta's feathers are colorful, consisting of various colors, such as yellow, maroon, black, and green.

Some other identification features include their black head, bright blue patches on their shoulders, and puffed plumage on their chest. The diet of this bird species includes snails, earthworms, and various insects.

To know more interesting facts about other birds species, you can also check out these Amazon parrot facts and Ani bird facts.

Noisy Pitta Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Noisy Pitta?

The noisy pitta is a bird species in the family of pitta birds. It is one of the most colorful birds in the world.

What class of animal does a Noisy Pitta belong to?

The noisy pitta (Pitta versicolor) belongs to the class Aves in the phylum Chordata. It is classified in the order Passeriformes.

How many Noisy Pittas are there in the world?

The population size of the noisy pitta species has not been estimated yet.

Where does a Noisy Pitta live?

The noisy pitta (Pitta versicolor) is endemic to eastern Australia and southern New Guinea. They can be found in forests along the eastern coast of the continent of Australia.

The distribution range of this bird during the breeding season stretches from the Torres Strait Islands and the northern Cape York Peninsula to the border of Victoria in New South Wales. As per data provided by the Wildlife Reserves, there are three subspecies that show seasonal movements.

The simillima is a northern subspecies whose distribution range is in northern Cape York and is a restricted migrant between south Papua New Guinea and the eastern Cape York Peninsula.

It moves to the north in the winter season. Some subspecies reside in Cape York all year round.

Alternatively, the southern subspecies show partial migration between lower-level offshore regions and higher inland areas. Both subspecies spend the winter season near the coast but migrate to breeding regions in summer.

What is a Noisy Pitta's habitat?

The noisy pitta's range map includes subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, temperate forest,s and rainforests of Australia. Sometimes, it is also found in hard woodland, mangroves, and scrub. During the breeding season, they can be found in the Torres Strait Islands, northern Cape York Peninsula, and New South Wales.

Who do Noisy Pittas live with?

Whether the bird lives alone or in a group is unclear. But it probably lives alone or in pairs in the rainforest due to its shy nature.

How long does a Noisy Pitta live?

The life expectancy of noisy pittas is about six years.

How do they reproduce?

Like other pittas, noisy pittas construct nests in a covered site on the ground. Their breeding season generally begins from late spring to early summer. In the southern region (northern New South Wales and southern Queensland), females lay eggs from July to February.

In Cape York, the laying season is from November to February. However, in the Torres Strait Islands, the breeding season is between January and April. There are few records of breeding in the years with more rainfall.

The nest of noisy pitta is dome-like and measures 11.8-7.9 in ( 30-20 cm). It is usually constructed on the ground on the base of a big rock, roots, or in a tree at the height of about 8.9 ft (2.71 m) from the ground.

These birds build their nests with twigs, roots, branches, feathers, moss, and strips of bark. It is lined with fine grass and other soft plant material.

Some pittas build a ramp on the entrance of the nest with sticks. They also put animal dung on the entrance inside the nest in the rainforests.

Both nesting parents take part in the formation of the nest. Females lay around two to five eggs in number per season in their nest, which varies by latitude.

The average measurement is 1.26 in x 0.98 in (32 mm x 25 mm). The southern noisy pitta eggs are much larger than the others.

Also, the initial ones are bigger than the later ones in a single clutch. Their color is white or blue-white with brownish-purple spots on the top and grayish-blue blotches on the bottom.

Both parents take part in the incubation, which lasts for 14 days in captivity. Parents take care of their hatchlings until they are ready to fly the nest.

What is their conservation status?

Noisy pittas are common in Queensland. They are of Least Concern, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Noisy Pitta Fun Facts

What do Noisy Pittas look like?

The length of noisy pittas is 7.5-8.3 in (19-21 cm). Males weigh around 2.5-4.0 oz (70.8-113.3 g), whereas females can weigh up to 2.5-4.5 oz (70.8-127.5 g). Noisy pittas are considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world.

These birds have a black head, bright blue patches on their shoulders, and a chestnut crown. The back of these birds is also green.

However, they have a lemon-yellow throat, breast, and belly. The tail is of black color but the under-tail is orange-red. Smaller juvenile birds are similar to adults but are duller than them.

Juveniles have olive-green wings and gray buffy breasts. These juvenile birds also have a chestnut crown with a little black on the tip.

The wing coverts do not possess any blue color like adult birds. Due to all these characteristics, these Australian birds are also known as buff-breasted birds, blue-winged birds, anvil birds, dragon birds, and lesser pitta birds.

These birds have a distinctive description from other birds of the world, especially in their natural habitat locations as they have a mustard-yellow underside.

How cute are they?

Noisy pittas are one of the most beautiful and cutest birds in the world. People love them because of their soothing calls and colorful feathers. These pitta birds are fun to watch.

How do they communicate?

Noisy Pitta birds communicate through calls which sounds like 'walk-to-work.

How big is a Noisy Pitta?

The total body length of a noisy pitta (Pitta versicolor) is 7.5-8.3 in (19-21 cm), which is four times bigger than a lesser goldfinch.

How fast can a Noisy Pitta fly?

The flying speed of the Australian noisy pitta is unknown.

How much does a Noisy Pitta weigh?

The weight of a noisy pitta male is 2.5-4.0 oz (70.8-113.3 g), while noisy pitta females weigh around 2.5-4.5 oz (70.8-127.5 g). They are 20 times heavier and bigger than a golden-hooded tanager.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for the male and female noisy pittas.

What would you call a baby Noisy Pitta?

The noisy pitta baby is generally known as a chick.

What do they eat?

The Australian noisy pitta's diet includes insects, worms, lizards, snails, woodlice, and fruits. It nods its head up and down and jerks its tail while it forages in the rainforests of Australia.

Are they dangerous?

No, the noisy pitta (Pitta versicolor) is not a dangerous bird species. In fact, these pitta birds are shy in nature which makes them adorable.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, they can make a good pet. These are the most beautiful birds in the world as they have colorful feathers. Therefore, they are amazing to watch.

Did you know...

Noisy pitta predators include cats and other wild animals.

What sound does a Noisy Pitta make?

Noisy pittas (Pitta versicolor) exhibit calls most frequently in the breeding season between March and August. The bird generally repeats its call twice, which is sometimes translated as 'walk-to-work'. Their calls are soothing to listen to.

What role does the Noisy Pitta play in the ecosystem?

These birds help in balancing the population of snails, lizards, and insects.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our seaside sparrow facts and black cuckoo facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable noisy pitta coloring pages.