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Why does the Hooded Pitta stand on one leg?

on 24th December 2008

The Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida), an uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant to Singapore, has been seen by many around the end of November to December 2008. The areas around Jurong, at the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, are a favourite spot.

The pitta has also been spotted at Bidadari, a lightly wooded area that was, until recently, a cemetery.

And on 17th December, Johnny Wee also succeeded in photographing a Hooded Pitta, but standing on one leg (below left). Now why did the pitta stand on one leg? To conserve heat, of course. The un-feathered leg areas, unlike the rest of the bird that is covered with feathers, tend lose heat faster. So in an effort to conserve heat, the bird lifted one of its legs so that it was covered by its body feathers – you don’t expect the bird to lift up both its legs at the same time, do you?

At Bidadari, there were at least two Hooded Pittas, as noted by G Sreedharan on 15th December: “…you will probably be aware of the Hooded Pitta sighting at Bidadari from two week-ends ago. Well I have an interesting addition of information from there… Last Saturday (13 Dec) I actually sighted two Hooded Pittas at that location. KC Tsang who was also near me sighted both birds as well. A few more bird photographers were there with us but were concentrating on the first pitta and thus they did not observe the other pitta.

Philip Tang’s wife, who was standing beside me when I took the attached photo (above right) has a very nice and short video of the pitta grabbing and eating what looks like a roach that crawled up its body.

“Also seen there on that day were Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscurus) (again), pair of Blue-and-white Flycatchers (Cyanoptila cyanomelana) (male and female adults) and Chinese Goshawk (Accipiter soloensis).”

Pitta standing on one leg by Johnny Wee; other by G Sreedharn.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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