Bill hard and horny, never extensively membranous, softly tumid, nor cered; nostrils without open communication; greater wing-coverts not more than one-half the length of the secondaries; primaries usually ten, more rarely nine; rectrices twelve, rarely ten; feet adapted for perching; hind toe and claw well developed and inserted on the level of the anterior toes; hind claw equal to, or longer than, the claw of middle toe; anterior toes three in number, never versatile, always free except when webbed or fused at base.
The order Passeriformes includes nearly as many species, among Philippine birds, as all the other orders combined. Most of the species of this order are less than 200, and very few of them are more than 300, millimeters in length. The small birds belonging to other orders are extremely few. Most ornithologists consider the Passeriformes to be the order of highest rank among birds, chiefly because of the highly developed vocal powers of many of the species. In the arrangement of the families of this order, the Turdidæ, Fringillidæ, and Corvidæ have variously been assigned to the place indicating the highest development.
Characters the same as those given in the key to Suborders.
Rectrices twelve; tarsus booted, or with obsolete, diagonal divisions.
Bill stout and compressed; culmen curved; gonys slightly curved; nostrils large and oval, entirely exposed; rictal and frontal bristles very short; wings short and curved to the body; first primary nearly as long as second, fourth longest; secondaries shorter than the primaries by the length of hind toe without claw; tail short, soft, and square, scarcely longer than its under coverts; tarsus and toes well developed, the former longer than tail and the latter extending entirely beyond the tip of tail. Colors various combinations of black, white, brown, bright scarlet, green, and blue.
RED-BREASTED PITTA.47
A-li-mu-cung, Ticao; hu-hu-co, Ticao and Masbate; li-o-co, Manila.
Basilan (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Cagayancillo (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Cebu (Bourns & Worcester); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Cuming, Heriot, Steere Exp., McGregor, Whitehead); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (McGregor, Bourns & Worcester); Mindanao (Steere, Murray, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow, Celestino); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Keay); Palawan (Bourns & Worcester); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Samar (Steere Exp.); Sibutu (Everett); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester); Sulu (Platen); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).
Adult (sexes similar).—Head, sides of head, and neck reddish brown, most intense on occiput; on each side of head a blackish brown band from nostril to above eye; a blue collar, followed by a dull green patch on mantle; back, rump, tail, and most of the wing blue; chin brown, merging into black on fore breast, followed by a wide dull green pectoral band which is more or less mixed with blue in its middle; rest of under parts bright scarlet; longest under tail-coverts tipped with blue; primaries black with blue tips, the third and fourth each with a white spot half way between tip and base; wing-coverts blue, a few of the outer lesser series with large white spots; tail blue above, black below. Length, 160 to 180. A male from Romblon measures: Wing, 97; tail, 35; culmen from base, 21; tarsus, 35. A female from Bohol, wing, 97; tail, 36; culmen from base, 21; tarsus, 36.
Young.—The young bird is very different from the adult, particularly in the coloring of the lower parts which are light earthy brown with very little red on the abdomen; upper parts dull brown; as the bird becomes older the adult plumage gradually makes its appearance; a great number of specimens would be necessary to show all the changes from young to adult.
“The red-breasted pitta is common throughout the islands; it is found on the ground, usually in dark places in the forest and in second growth. Ten males from Mindanao average: Length, 170; wing, 98; tail, 37; culmen, 22; tarsus, 34; middle toe with claw, 29. Six females from the same place, length, 162; wing, 98; tail, 37; culmen, 22; tarsus, 34; middle toe with claw, 29. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails dark brown; bill black.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
“Nearly mature males of this red-bellied pitta were collected near Cape Engaño. Mr. Whitehead is of the opinion, Ibis (1893), 505, that Pitta propinqua Sharpe, is not specifically distinct from the present species. The type of P. propinqua came from the Island of Balabac, and since Mr. Whitehead examined the British Museum series we have obtained, through Mr. Everett, an adult male from the typical locality. This bird agrees perfectly with Dr. Sharpe’s original description, Trans. Linn. Soc. (1877), 1, 330, and differs much from the typical examples of P. erythrogastra. It must, however, be stated, that both forms were found by Mr. Whitehead in the Island of Palawan, one of his specimens being almost typical P. propinqua, and, given a larger series, we should probably find that the two forms pass more or less one into the other in Palawan. Still P. propinqua is a very well-marked insular form, and I consider Dr. Sharpe fully justified in regarding it as distinct. Both he and Dr. Sclater are certainly mistaken, however, in regarding the ‘♂ juv. Dumalon, Mindanao,’ collected by Prof. Steere, as the young of P. propinqua, the Mindanao bird being typical P. erythrogastra.” (Grant.)
Balabac (Steere, Everett); Palawan (Whitehead, Platen, Bourns & Worcester, Everett).
Adult.—“Back entirely cobalt, including the scapulars; only the middle of the back green washed with blue, forming a band across the back; throat entirely brownish black, becoming jet-black on the fore neck; chest bright blue, the sides only greenish; under wing-coverts dull blue.” (Sharpe.)
“Dr. Sharpe founded his Brachyurus propinquus on an adult male bird obtained by Dr. Steere in Balabac. Dr. Steere obtained a second specimen of a red-bellied pitta, also a male, but in very immature plumage, at Dumalon, near Zamboanga, in Mindanao, and this bird Dr. Sharpe assigned also to be B. propinquus, though not without hesitation. Owing to the meager material available, the validity of this species has always been open to question; and hence I made a point of securing a series of these red-bellied pittas from Balabac and Palawan, with the result that it has at length become possible to compare adult birds from Balabac with adult birds from Luzon, Mindanao, and Palawan.
“The characters relied upon by Dr. Sharpe as distinguishing P. propinqua from typical P. erythrogastra were: (1) Back entirely cobalt, including the scapulars; only the middle of the back green, washed with blue, forming a band across the back. (2) Throat entirely brownish black, becoming jet-black on the fore neck. (3) Chest bright blue, the sides only greenish. (4) Under wing-coverts dull blue, instead of grayish brown.
“Of these characters the last three appear to be of no value, as birds from Luzon and Mindanao present them in greater or less degree, and I have come to the conclusion that they belong to the fully-adult birds, from whatever locality. But on viewing the upper surfaces of a series of Balabac-Palawan specimens side by side with a series of Luzon-Mindanao birds, the first mentioned character is at once seen to be a good one, the green tract on the back of the former series forming a comparatively narrow band, whereas in the latter series it extends nearly to the rump. It is noticeable, further, that the cobalt and green hues are much brighter than in any of the specimens from Luzon or Mindanao, though it is no doubt very possible that this may be owing to the freshness of the Balabac-Palawan skins.
“I have, therefore, no longer any doubt that P. propinqua differs sufficiently from P. erythrogastra to make it necessary that it should be separated from the latter by the appropriate appellation which Dr. Sharpe originally bestowed upon it. And in this case it will follow that the locality ‘Mindanao’ given in the ‘Catalogue of Birds’ will require correction, as, indeed, it would in any case, for the type was described from Balabac.” (Everett.)48
Luzon (von Othberg, Whitehead).
“This species was based on a specimen in the Darmstadt Museum, of which Mr. Gould gives the subjoined description:
“‘General color above dull olive-brown, with somewhat of a ruddy tint on the sides of the neck and mantle; wing-coverts lilac-gray, the primary-coverts and quills blackish brown; the primaries externally grayish towards their ends; the secondaries and inner greater coverts olive-brown, washed with lilac-gray on the outer webs; the second, third, and fourth primaries with a large white spot on the inner web, the last-named having the white spot on the outer web as well; upper tail-coverts and tail lilac-gray, the latter darker; forehead and crown, as well as the lores, region of the eye, and ear-coverts dark brown, the latter slightly shaded with an olive tinge; nape and hind neck dull red; cheeks ashy brown, with a bluish shade under certain lights, forming a very broad moustache; throat reddish in the center, brown on the sides, forming a malar stripe; the fore neck red with a tinge of lilac; chest lilac-gray, the sides olive-brown; remainder of under surface of body scarlet; the sides olive-brown, with which color the center of the abdomen is washed; under tail-coverts scarlet, the longer ones tipped and edged with lilac-blue; thighs ashy gray; under wing-coverts dull lilac-blue, some of the outer ones tipped with white; axillars olive-brown, like the back; quills ashy brown below, relieved by the before-mentioned white spots on the primaries. Length, 190, culmen, 30; wing, 119; tail, 56; tarsus, 53.’
“The large size and dark brown ear-coverts are the distinguishing features of this pitta.” (Sclater.)
“Immature female.—Top of the head rather dark brown, shading gradually into a more rufous tint on the nape; all the feathers have rather darker margins, giving these parts a slightly scaled appearance; a few of the dull red feathers of the adult are beginning to make their appearance; the dark olive on the rest of the upper parts has a somewhat browner shade, though here and there some of the greener feathers of the adult plumage may be seen; the grayish blue of the outer wing-coverts and outer webs of the secondaries is replaced by dull olive, and the slate-blue of the upper tail-coverts and tail is not so bright; the ear-coverts are brown, with buff centers; the moustache stripes dirty white, devoid of that reddish shade characteristic of the adult plumage; the chin and throat-feathers with white centers and black margins and bases, those on the fore neck being conspicuously white, washed with reddish; the chest-feathers are whitish buff, with here and there a few slate-blue feathers; rest of the under parts dirty whitish buff, most of the feathers, especially those on the sides and flanks, margined with brownish buff; a few pale scarlet feathers indicate the colors of the adult, but are much less brilliant.
“In more advanced examples the upper parts entirely resemble those of the fully adult bird, but the slate-blue on the wings is almost wanting; the fore neck and chest are still intermixed with white-and-buff centered feathers, and on the rest of the under parts the scarlet feathers of the adult and the whitish buff of the juvenile plumage are represented in about equal parts.
“It is difficult to imagine anything more glorious than the colors of the fully adult male, the brilliant scarlet of the lower breast and belly contrasting vividly with the shining slate-blue chest.
“The adult female differs from the male only in having the colors of the under parts rather less brilliant.” (Grant.)
Koch’s pitta is known only from the highlands of northern Luzon.
Wow-há, Siquijor and Bohol.
Balabac (Everett); Bantayan (McGregor); Basilan (Steere, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Cebu (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Luzon (Meyer, Möllendorff, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque?49 (Steere Exp.); Mindanao (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Meyer); Palawan (Steere, Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, White); Romblon (McGregor); Samar (Whitehead); Semirara (Worcester); Sibuyan (McGregor); Siquijor (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Platen); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester).
Adult (sexes similar).—Entire head, neck, chin, and throat velvety black; back and greater part of the wings green, changing with the light; rump and tail-coverts shining silvery blue; tail black, tipped with green; breast and sides bluish green; a large black patch on middle of abdomen; lower abdomen and under tail-coverts bright red; primaries white with black bases, the four or five outer ones with narrow black tips; secondaries black, tipped with green on upper surface; primary-coverts and alula velvety black; lesser and median coverts shining silvery blue. Iris brown; bill black; legs and nails dirty brown. Length, about 180. A male from Romblon, wing, 110; tail, 35; culmen from base, 25; tarsus, 40. A female from Tablas, wing, 102; tail, 34; culmen from base, 26; tarsus, 37.
The amount of white on the outer primaries varies to a great extent; in females it is usually much less than in males.
“The black-headed pitta is called ‘wow-ha’ by the natives from its note. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails very dark brown; bill black. Twelve males average: Length, 169; wing, 103; tail, 39; culmen, 25; tarsus, 36; middle toe with claw, 32. Three females, length, 167; wing, 100; tail, 37; culmen, 25; tarsus, 36; middle toe with claw, 32.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Whitehead secured a nest of the black-headed pitta near Paranas, Samar, on June 30, 1896. The egg is thus described:
“Shape rounded ovate. Ground-color pure white, thickly speckled all over with brown and larger underlying spots of french-gray, the latter being most numerous round the larger pole. Measurements 26 mm. by 21 mm.
“The nest with two slightly incubated eggs (one of which was broken) were brought by a native, together with the parent birds. The somewhat bulky nest was composed outwardly of twigs and lined with moss.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
Sibutu (Everett). Borneo, Sumatra, Banka.
“Similar to P. atricapilla, but of rather larger dimensions.” (Sclater.)
Writing of Pitta atricapilla and P. mulleri Sharpe50 says: “These two birds are closely related; but the Bornean species [mulleri] almost entirely wants the black patch on the belly, and has the thighs blackish instead of ochraceous brown.”
Marinduque (Steere Exp.).
Male.—Related to Pitta atricapilla from which it is said to differ in having the under parts suffused with blue so that there is hardly a trace of green remaining; white of the wing-quills much reduced; chest-spot relatively small; and the color of the vent-feathers bright carmine-red not cinnabar-red.51
Bohol (McGregor); Mindanao (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp.); Samar (Steere Exp., Whitehead).
Adult (sexes similar).—Entire head and neck and their sides black; upper parts green; rump light blue; tail and its coverts black; chin and throat white; rest of under parts light blue, except a band of velvety black down middle of breast, and the bright scarlet of crissum; thighs gray; primaries black, some of them with small white spots near the middle; secondaries green; alula and primary-coverts black; secondary-coverts shiny silvery blue. Iris brown; bill black; legs gray. Length, about 190. A male from Bohol measures: Wing, 115; tail, 38; culmen from base, 26; tarsus, 42. A female measures, wing, 115; tail, 38; culmen from base, 27; tarsus, 40.
Sclater says: “It is impossible to mistake this noble species, distinguished at once by its pure white throat and silvery blue under surface.”
“The plumage of some of the young birds, being in an interesting stage of transition, is worth describing. The youngest example, a male, has the upper parts and wings like those of the adult, but the breast, sides, and flanks are of a dirty, grayish olive, only one or two of the silver-blue feathers being visible, and the entire middle of the breast and belly are pale scarlet. A rather older bird is similar to the above, but down the sides and middle of the breast are three lines of pale blue feathers. In both specimens these are being attained by molt. In the middle of the breast a tuft of the black adult feathers is making its appearance amongst the red, and some of the latter appear to be turning black without a molt. * * *.” (Grant.)
Steere’s pitta is by no means common in any of the islands where it has been found. In Bohol it was collected in forests of small trees growing on coral-limestone hills and Whitehead found the species on similar ground in Samar.
Basilan (Celestino). Burma, Siam, Cambodia, southern China, Malay Peninsula, Borneo.
Adult (sexes alike).—Sides of head including lores, cheeks, supercilia, and ear-coverts black, connected by a wide black collar; wide vertical stripe black, bordered on each side by a wide stripe of fulvous brown, the feathers edged with pale buff on exterior webs; back, scapulars, and tertials dark green; rump, upper tail-coverts, and lesser and median wing-coverts bright ultramarine-blue; chin black; throat white; lower throat, breast, abdomen, and flanks ruddy buff, most intense on breast; vent, under tail-coverts, and middle of abdomen bright red; tail black, tipped with dull blue; primaries black, each feather with a white patch, mesial and smallest on first, reaching tip on seventh; secondaries black, edged with dull blue on terminal half; alula, primary-coverts, axillars, and wing-lining black. A male measures: Wing, 119; tail, 38; culmen from base, 26; bill from nostril, 17; tarsus, 39. A female from Basilan (type of Pitta fastosa) measures: Length in flesh, 190; wing, 117; tail, 40; culmen from base, 28; bill from nostril, 18; tarsus, 36.
The type of Pitta fastosa McGregor proves to be a specimen of P. moluccensis. This species is migratory.