Table Of ContentFIRST AUSTRALIAN RECORD OF HOODED PITTA
(PITTA SORDIDA CUCULLATA) WITH NOTES
ON ITS DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATION
By R.E. JOHNSTONE and J.C. DARNELL
Department of Ornithology, Western Australian Museum,
Locked Bag 49 Welshpool DC Western Australia 6986
INTRODUCTION and claw 27 mm. Iris dark brown;
bill black; gape pinkish white
On 23 January 2010 a fresh dead
(the gape area and orbital skin
pitta was found by workers,
may have faded after death as
under shrubs beside a footpath at
photographs of live birds of
the mining camp on Barrow
similar age shows the gape area to
Island, Western Australia at
be pale yellow and the orbital
20°49'36"S, 115°26'42"E. It was
skin bluish pink to pale blue);
extremely fresh when found
mouth flesh; legs pinkish grey.
(eyes still fleshy) and appeared to
Crown and nape dark chestnut
have died that day. Several
brown, with a few feathers on
photographs were taken and it
the midline of forehead with
was identified as a Hooded Pitta
dusky blackish centres. Lores,
Pitta sordida. The specimen was
chin, throat, sides of head and
frozen and sent to AQ1S in
collar below the nape black.
Karratha then sent to the
Mantle, back and scapulars dark
Western Australian Museum on
green. Rump and uppertail
12 February 2010. The specimen
coverts lustrous or glistening
was then prepared into a study
turquoise blue. Tail black with
skin (registered number A37111)
narrow (1.0-2.6 mm wide) dark
and its identification confirmed
blue tips. Lesser upperwing
as a Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida
coverts glistening turquoise blue
cucullata Hartlaub, 1843.
(the feathers with black bases
and broad blue tips, forming a
conspicuous glistening blue
DESCRIPTION OF THE
patch on the shoulder), the blue
SPECIMEN
also extending onto the marginal
Details of the bird are as follows: underwing coverts; median and
Subadult male; total length 166 greater coverts dark green.
mm; weight 35g (with no body or Primaries black with a broad
subcutaneous fat); exposed apical white band across all the
culmen 22 mm; entire culmen 25 feathers but restricted to the
mm; bill width 8.5 mm; bill inner web of the outermost
depth 8.5 mm; wing 114 mm; tail primary (the white narrowest on
35 mm; tarsus 39 mm; middle toe the outermost primary and
66
becoming progressively broader the green extending across the
on the inner feathers (1-7) and tip on the innermost feathers;
reduced to a dull spot on the tertials dark green with blackish
outer web of the 8th primary. bases. Breast flanks and sides of
Secondaries black with outer belly pale green (paler than back)
web broadly edged with green on and tinged with pale blue gloss.
the outer half of the feather and Central patch on belly black,
Figure 1. Photograph of Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida cucullata A37111 showing details
of upper and underparts.
67
some feathers tipped with bright east India, south-west China,
red; lower belly and undertail South East Asia (Myanmar, North
coverts bright red. Underwing Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand,
coverts and axillaries black. south Laos, Cambodia),
Undertail black. See Figure 1. Philippines, Sulawesi, the Greater
Sundas (Sumatra, Borneo and
Java) and New Guinea (including
DISTRIBUTION, GEOGRAPHIC
the Aru Islands). (See Figure 2).
VARIATION, STATUS AND
Currently twelve subspecies are
MIGRATION
recognised, most with restricted
The Hooded Pitta is one of the distributions and these can be
most common and widespread of divided into two distinct groups
the pittas ranging from north¬ i.e. those from mainland Asia to
Figure 2. Map showing the distribution of Pitta sordida populations.
68
the Philippines, Borneo and islands in the Malacca Straits and
Sulawesi and those to the east in on islands off west Sumatra
the New Guinea region. including Nias.
Southeast Asian and Philippine The subspecies P. 5. bangkana
populations are paler green than from Banka and Belitung
those from the New Guinea (Billiton) islands off south-east
region, have a bluish wash on the Sumatra, is sedentary, has a
belly and or flanks and have smaller wing (100-105 mm) and
more orange tones on the lower has a variable amount of
belly and undertail coverts. In chestnut brown on the crown.
addition the New Guinea or
The subspecies P. s. abbotti occurs
eastern populations have very
on the Nicobar Islands, is also
little or no white in the wing,
sedentary, and is similar to
whereas all South East Asian
cucullata but is shorter winged
populations have large wing
(wing 105-109 mm), has a
patches. The various subspecies
reduced blue patch on the rump
can also be divided into those
and uppertail coverts (the rump
with chestnut on the crown and
patch of cucullata is twice as
those with the head entirely
large) and the white primary
black (including the crown).
patch is narrow and confined to
Nine subspecies have entirely
6 feathers.
black heads and only three have
Based on coloration and size,
chestnut crowns, viz¥ P. 5.
especially wing size, the Barrow
cucullata, P. s. bangkana and P. s.
Island specimen is a P. 5. cucullata.
abbotti.
Some northern populations of
The subspecies cucullata breeds in this subspecies undergo long¬
the Himalayan foothills, north¬ distance migration south to the
east India and Bangladesh and Malaysian Peninsular, Sumatra
south and east to Myanmar, and occasionally further south.
Yunan, Thailand including the Passage migrants and winter
peninsula and Indochina. This visitors of cucullata have been
subspecies is large, long winged recorded on the Malaysian
(wing 108-119 mm, weight 57- Peninsula (in mainly western
71g), has a rich chestnut-brown areas).There are also numerous
crown and nape and has more reports of night-time collisions
extensive red on the belly than at lights on land south to
the nominate subspecies. Part of Singapore. In the Malay
the population of this, the Peninsula the main autumn
northernmost subspecies is influx (based on netting
migratory, with birds moving observations) is from 15 October
south to peninsular Thailand, to 22 December, with passage
Malaysia, Sumatra and west Java migrant intensity low through
during the northern winter. October and much heavier in
Migrants of P. 5. cucullata have November and December.
regularly been recorded on Judging from isolated captures at
69
Fraser’s Hill during late January trouble trying to forage and feed
and early February and even one on Barrow Island after burning
found on 10 March, small up all of its reserves.
numbers obviously continue to
move within and south through
the Malay Peninsula in mid¬ HABITAT, FOOD AND CALL
winter. The return spring
The Hooded Pitta occurs in a
migration back to the breeding
wide range of habitats including
quarters occurs in April-May.
primary riverine forests,
At Fraser’s Hill (Malaysia) during secondary forests, scrubs, swamps,
1966-69 a total of 974 night- overgrown plantations, orchards,
flying migrants were netted gardens, mangroves and sago
from 15 October to 22 December swamps. Although usually in
and from 7 April to 8 May during very open habitats during
the migration period (Medway migration it generally favours
and Wells 1976). Passage migrants more or less closed canopy forest.
or wintering birds have also been It also occupies a wide altitudinal
collected on small islands in the zone from sea level to c. 2,000m
Malacca Straits. This implies that (in India). They feed mainly on
migrants move south through insects especially ants, beetles,
the Malaysian Peninsula on a termites, cockroaches and bugs,
broad front and are undeterred also earthworms and snails and
by some fairly large sea crossings. generally forage on the forest
Also of interest is the fact that floor probing the leaf litter. The
autumn migrants netted at call of cucullata is described as a
Fraser’s Hill tended to weigh less loud fluty double whistle
than birds already in their winter ‘whew-whew’ or ‘raew-raew’ and
quarters in November. A total of a harsh ‘skyew’ alarm or contact
353 intercepted night migrants call. Wintering birds apparently
captured in October-December call mainly at dusk and dawn.
weighed 47.3-75.4g; 23 daytime
captures south of the breeding
WEATHER
range weighed 60.0-73.5g,
December to January 50.0-63.0g; Between 10 and 16 December
February 62.5-66.5g, March 64.5- 2009 cyclonic storm Ward
69.5g, April 80.4g and May 60.0- formed off Sri Lanka in the Bay
64.0g .The April 80.4g is possibly of Bengal, then tracked south¬
an extreme departure weight. west. It had a major influence on
the region with strong winds and
The Barrow Island bird weighed
heavy rain extending from
only 35g, had a bony keel, no
southern India to western
subcutaneous or body fat, and at
Sumatra.
about half the weight of many
migrants was positively The major weather events for
emaciated. It would no-doubt north Western Australia in
also have had a great deal of December 2009 and January 2010
70
were tropical cyclones Laurence birds in the eye of the cyclone
and Magda. Severe tropical and carry them not only across
cyclone Laurence developed in seas but far inland and this has
the Arafura Sea on 8 December, led to a number of Asian species
moved southwest passing over reaching the Pilbara and
Darwin on 12 December. It then sometimes well inland in
skirted the Kimberley coast Western Australia.
reaching category 5 intensity
This record also highlights the
before crossing the coast east of
value of specimens in gaining
Koolan Island. It then re-crossed
information on these Asian
the coast, tracked west, and
migrants including details of sex,
steadily intensified before
age, condition, morphology and
turning southeast towards the thus their region of origin.
east Pilbara coast which it
eventually crossed near Wallal
on the 80 Mile Beach (on 21 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
December) as a category 5
We would like to thank Lee
cyclone.
Mould and Nathan Waugh, for
On the 18 January 2010 tropical
their interest and help in
low Magda formed close to the
securing this valuable specimen
Indonesian island of Roti
for the Western Australian
(southwest of Timor) and moved
Museum.
southwest reaching cyclone
intensity on 20 January. By 21
January it was close to Browse REFERENCES
Island and it crossed the
GRIMMETT, R., INSKIPP, C. and
Kimberley coast at Kuri Bay, on
INSKIPP, T. 1998. Birds of the Indian
22 January and quickly
Subcontinent. Christopher Helm,
weakened overland.
London.
LAMBERT, F.R. and WOODCOCK,
CONCLUSION M. 1996. Pittas, Broadbills and A shies.
Pica Press, Nr. Robertsbridge, UK.
Judging from satellite imagery it
is possible that one or all of these MEES, G.F. 1986. A list of the
extreme weather events could birds recorded from Bangka
have played a part in driving the Island, Indonesia. Z oologische
Barrow Island bird so far south. Verhandelingen 232:1-176.
Cyclones often drive migratory WELLS, D.R. 2007, The Birds of the
birds well off course and far Thai-Malay Peninsula, Vol Two:
beyond normal range limits. Passerines. Christopher Helm,
They are also known to entrap London.
71
FROM FIELD AND STUDY
Cannibalism in Fence Skinks - began to swallow it. The whole
While tending to our garden in process took less than a minute.
our backyard in North Perth on
Our backyard is paved and has
the morning of 24 February 2013,
stone work features with a mix¬
I noticed some activity by an
ture of low vegetation (mainly
adult Fence Skink, Cryptoblepharus herbs and vegetables). 1 estimate a
buchananii, amongst some litter population of about 8-10 C.
that had collected in a corner.
buchananii for the section of the
This individual was approxi¬ back yard 1 was working. I have
mately 9 cm long from tail tip to
observed juvenile C. buchananii
snout. On closer inspection, the
on numerous occasions and
adult skink was chewing on a
always wondered if they all
juvenile of the same species.
radiated out once they reached
Once the juvenile had stopped
adult stage or took over terri¬
moving, the adult grabbed the tories of other individuals that
juvenile at mid body and began
have died. I can now add the
to chew along the length of the
observation that young also
juvenile while moving towards
form part of the adult’s diet.
its head. On having the head of
the juvenile in its mouth it EDWARD CANNELLA - 39
Doris St., North Perth. WA 6006
Observations on birds drinking at rainfall in January but only 1mm
a Pilbara waterbole - On 27 in February, so surface water was
February 2012 we were a few rapidly diminishing.
kilometres from Roebourne,
A short period of observation
wandering along a deeply eroded
soon established that many birds
dry wash, following a scattered
were drinking there, so we
line of small eucalypts. We had commenced photographing from
noticed the numbers of small
a camouflaged hide. Four sessions
birds were increasing and
of observation totalling 9 hours
eventually we came across a very
took place. During this time we
shallow small pool (see Figure 1).
added 30/40 litres of water each
The surrounding arid flat had a
visit to prolong its duration.
patchy covering of spinifex Though the pool was very small,
heavily in seed and shrubs to 4m
we estimate that in excess of
in height. The country was in
5000 visits took place in a 24
excellent condition with plenty
hour period. Birds were cautious
of spinifex seed on the ground.
in their approach and most
Roebourne had recorded 210mm
bathed as well as drank.
72
Figure 1. The waterhole.
Figure 2. Buff-banded Rail.
73
Visiting species were: Sacred Kingfisher. A single bird
perched close to water.
Brown Quail. Up to 3 adult birds
came each time, usually as a Rainbow bee-eater. A single bird
close pair and a few each perched close to pool and
session. swooped for insects.
Diamond Dove. Small groups Magpie-lark. One male bird had
would sit on nearby perches several visits and spent a
with 1 to 3 birds going down considerable amount of time
to the pool at regular successfully hunting small
intervals. fish and flying away with a
beak full.
Spinifex Pigeon. Small groups
would come close to the pool, Brown Songlark. A single bird on
but a maximum of 2 would a few occasions.
drink at anytime. Rufous Songlark. A single bird
Crested Pigeon. There were odd made 3 visits, which were
single birds. mostly spent sitting in the
water bathing.
Buff-banded Rail. A single bird at
regular intervals was a Horsefield’s Bushlark. Regular
surprising observation in this visits by up to 3 birds.
habitat (see Figure 2).
Brown Honeyeater. A maximum
Black-fronted Dotterel. A single of 3 birds at one time. Usually
bird fed around the pool most 1 or 2 with the latter being a
of the time. pair.
Spotted Harrier. A single bird White-plumed Honeyeater. A
flew over twice at 9m causing pair came at evening time,
much anxiety. both days.
Galah. Small flocks came on a Singing Honeyeater. 1 or 2 birds
regular basis with a maximum on a few occasions, both days.
of 17 birds, but only a few
Zebra Finch. Flocks of up to 50 in
would drink together.
vicinity with a steady stream
Cockatiel. They were most visiting the pool. They
anxious in their approach appeared to enjoy bathing
with flocks of up to 25 immensely with some birds
perching on tops of nearby floating on top of water on
trees, with only a few going to their side doing barrel rolls.
the pool together. Star Finch. One pair on the first
Budgerigar. There were flocks of day.
30/40 in the vicinity and
Painted Finch. Usually came in
perching on trees close to
pairs which drank close
pool. They were reluctant to
together, or sometimes just
be the first and only 2 or 3
the odd single bird. A daily
drinking together.
total of about 20.
74
Figure 3. Pictorella Mannikin.
Pictorella Mannikin. Three birds (2013) the status of this species
came to the pool in¬ in the Pilbara is uncertain and
frequently, with two behav¬ it is probably only a rare
ing as a breeding pair. They visitor from the Kimberley;
not only came to drink, but the three previously publish¬
searched under the wet dead ed records from the Pilbara are
leaves in the sloppy mud close all since 1995 (see Figure 3).
to the waters edge gathering
some form of grubs. TONY and JOAN BUSH,
According to Johnstone et al. 18 Cunningham St, Albany
75
