15 |
![]() |
Rainbow PittaAlternate name(s): "Black-breasted Pitta" Size: 16-19 cm Weight: 52-88 g |
![]() |
Similar |
![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Photos |
Race "iris"
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal view of a Rainbow Pitta
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Frontal view of a Rainbow Pitta
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Fogg Dam CR,
NT, July 2020]
Close-up near-frontal view of a Rainbow Pitta
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Near-frontal view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2018]
Near-frontal view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]
Near-lateral view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]
Lateral view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Lateral view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Lateral view of a Rainbow Pitta
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Rainbow Pitta foraging on the ground
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Dorsal view of a Rainbow Pitta hiding in shrubbery
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2018]
Dorsal view of a Rainbow Pitta (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Fogg Dam CR,
NT, July 2020]
Close-up dorsal/ventral view of a Rainbow Pitta
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, July 2020]
![]() |
Breeding information |
Breeding season: Oct - Feb | Eggs: 3 - 4 | Incubation period: 15 - 17 days | Fledging age: 14 - 20 days |
Nest building: Female & male | Incubation: Female & male | Dependent care: Female & male |
![]() |
Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Domed basket | Material: Thick sticks, dead leaves, grass, bark | Height above ground: 0 - 2? m |
Rainbow Pitta nest with two chicks inside; this nest was found
in a major fork, 2.5 m off the ground, in a Douglas River flood
zone (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Oolloo Road, Douglas-Daly, NT, January 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a Rainbow Pitta carrying a thick stick
for its nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Howard Springs Nature Reserve, near Darwin, NT, October 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a Rainbow Pitta ignoring a snake while
collecting nest material (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Howard Springs Nature Reserve, near Darwin, NT, October 2020]
![]() |
Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 30 x 24 mm | Colour: White, with sparse light-grey to light-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
![]() |
Behaviour |
Rainbow Pittas spend a lot of time on the ground, but to mark
their territory they use elevated perches
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, November 2018]
![]() |
Food, Diet |
Rainbow Pittas feed, amongst other things, on worms.
Lateral view of a Rainbow Pitta that has caught a worm
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
![]() |
Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
Rainbow Pittas usually call only during the breeding season.
rainpit_pb_20191219.m4a |
iris (Darwin, NT) |
Contact calls? | © PB | |
rainpit_pb_20200614.m4a |
iris (Darwin, NT) |
Contact calls? (Q&A) (+ Grey Whistler) |
© PB |
More Rainbow Pitta sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.