Eared Pitta

The eared pitta is a large, cryptically coloured pitta 25–28 cm long. Unlike most adult pittas, it lacks brilliant blue or green areas. The male has a black central crown stripe extending onto the nape, bordered by rufous-buff feathers marked with dark bars; pale ear-coverts contrast with the dark head. Warm brown upperparts and deep rufous-cinnamon underparts blend with dead leaves. Females are more evenly brown and less strongly patterned (Wikipedia, general species account; AnimalStart species account).

The species occurs from Myanmar and southern China through Thailand, Laos and Cambodia to Vietnam, occupying lowland and foothill evergreen forest with a dense, shaded understorey. It is a terrestrial invertivore, walking through leaf litter and probing or flicking aside debris to expose small animal prey. Its subdued plumage and quiet ground-feeding behaviour make it easy to overlook. Adults are most often detected by their far-carrying, repeated whistle from within intact forest (Thai National Parks species account; Birbs species account).