Indian Pitta- a rare sighting of this migratory bird

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There are times when life give you a blot from the blue!! Or a bolt with a dash of blue😀.


Indian Pitta at Mitthi
Indian Pitta or Navranga

Last year in the month of July , I had joined bird expert @arpitdeomurari and three other enthusiasts  to catch a glimpse of this bird ( in Udaipur)  in migration from the foothills of Himalayas to southern India and Srilanka. We were fortunate to spot it but I missed having my camera to capture it for my records. 


Come July 2025, while having lunch in our dining area, I spot some movement behind my Adenium pot. I was expecting a snake which is common in our premises. In order to identify the kind of snake lurking around,, I kept keen watch and what I spot made me rub my eyes twice!! 



Camouflage of this elusive bird.
Despite its vibrant colors, it blends itself so well in the surrounding!!







It was the movement of black lores of the bird which caught the attention initially. 


Finally it revealed itself.


An Indian Pitta ( Navranga ) foraging on the floor of our garden. Or should I say our forest, since that is where they are usually seen! I stayed put behind our glass doors observing this extremely shy and elusive bird for almost an hour. Truly a treat to see it twist, turn,bend and hop displaying myriad colors of its plumage while it went around its business. 



Indian Pitta at Mitthi
This bird gets its name from Telugu word 'pitta' meaning 'small' and at 20 cm it truly is :)


Pitta
Indian Pitta is most active during dawn and dusk which is when it gives a unique sweet call. But since this was around noon, it just kept foraging or probably hunting for a safe place to nest and rest. 






Location: Sanand, Gujarat 382110, India

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