Pittas – Family Overview

Pittas are small to medium-sized passerine birds belonging to the family Pittidae. They are renowned for their strikingly colourful plumage and short, rounded bodies.

Pittas are primarily birds of dense forests, where they inhabit the understorey and forest floor. They are most often found in tropical and subtropical forests, including evergreen, moist deciduous, and bamboo-rich habitats.

Despite their bright colours, pittas are often elusive and secretive in behaviour. They spend much of their time hopping on the ground, using their strong legs to forage among leaf litter.

Pittas feed mainly on insects, earthworms, snails, and other invertebrates, which they pick from the forest floor. Many species are seasonal migrants, moving between breeding and non-breeding areas in response to rainfall and food availability.

The family is distributed across Africa, Asia, and Australasia. India hosts several resident and migratory pitta species, particularly in forested regions with well-developed undergrowth.

---

Licensing & Prints

Selected photographs from this bird family are available for licensing and fine-art prints. You can explore curated images in the Pittas collection on BirdsPhotos Shop.