Pittidae (redirected from Pitta (bird))

Pittidae [′pid·ə‚dē]

(vertebrate zoology)

The pittas, a homogeneous family of brightly colored suboscine birds with an erectile crown of feathers, in the suborder Tyranni.

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Pittidae 

a family of birds of the suborder Clamatores of the order Passeriformes. The compact body is 15 to 28 cm long. The legs are long, and the neck and tail are short. Most species have bright plumage, consisting of a contrasting combination of dark blue, red, green, and rust. There are 23 species, distributed in the tropics of Africa, Asia, and Australia. The birds live in forests and thickets, staying mainly on the ground and moving with quick hops. They build covered nests on the ground or in shrubs. A clutch contains two to seven multicolored eggs. The birds feed on insects, worms, mollusks, and small vertebrates.