Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Pitta
Pit′ta
(pĭt′tȧ)
, Noun.
(Zool.)
Any one of a large group of bright-colored clamatorial birds belonging to
Pitta
, and allied genera of the family Pittidæ
. Most of the species are varied with three or more colors, such as blue, green, crimson, yellow, purple, and black. They are called also ground thrushes
, and Old World ant thrushes
; but they are not related to the true thrushes. ☞ The pittas are most abundant in the East Indies, but some inhabit Southern Asia, Africa, and Australia. They live mostly upon the ground, and feed upon insects of various kinds.
Definition 2024
Pitta
Pitta
See also: pitta
Translingual
Pitta sordida
Proper noun
Pitta f
Usage notes
Following a 2006 study, a number of species previously in Pitta were reclassified into two newly created genera within family Pittidae.
Hyponyms
- (genus): Pitta anerythra, Pitta angolensis, Pitta brachyura, Pitta dohertyi, Pitta elegans, Pitta iris, Pitta maxima, Pitta megarhyncha, Pitta moluccensis, Pitta nympha, Pitta reichenowi, Pitta sordida, Pitta steerii, Pitta superba, Pitta versicolor (species)
References
- Gill, F. and Wright, M. (2006) Birds of the World: Recommended English Names, Princeton University Press, ISBN 978-0691128276
- Irestedt, M., Ohlson, J. I., Zuccon, D., Källersjö, M. & Ericson, P. G. P. (2006), “Nuclear DNA from old collections of avian study skins reveals the evolutionary history of the Old World suboscines (Aves: Passeriformes)”, in Zoologica Scripta, volume 35, DOI:, pages 567–580