Aussie Finch Forum

Hi All,

Please check out: Banded Pitta Care & Natural History http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatbirdb ... rd-part-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The word “Exquisite” popped into my head when I caught my first glimpse of a Banded or Van den Bock’s Pitta (Pitta guajana) hopping through the underbrush in a Bronx Zoo exhibit. Years later, I had the good fortune to work with this beautiful ground-dweller, and my enthusiasm for them soared. Although still uncommon in captivity, the Banded Pitta is a species worth aspiring to – definitely a bird to keep as a “goal” while honing your skills and expanding your collection. Read article here: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatbirdb ... rd-part-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Comments and questions appreciated,

Thanks, Frank
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Thanks findi, great article. Waiting on part 2 etc. I have to go out now, but will post more later.

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated; here's Part II, Care/Conservation: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatbirdb ... rd-part-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Best, Frank

Part 2 very informative as well. Very few private aviculturalists keep pittas in Australia even though we have three species native to our continent, The Noisy Pitta, The Rainbow Pitta and the Red-bellied Pitta with the Blue-winged Pitta being an occasional vagrant from SE Asia. I and a few others keep Noisy Pittas and only two or three private keepers have Rainbow Pittas. We are yet to work on the powers that be to obtain permission to keep and breed the Red-bellied Pitta. Unfortunately, with our importation laws we will never be able to have access to the Banded Pitta.

Pittas are some of my favourite softbills, with red bellied being my favourite Aussie and garnet being my favourite foreign... Too late now I'll read the article tomorrow, but looking forward to it!

Gorgeous little birds!

The Pitta's all seem to be very pretty birds.
LML

Tintola wrote:Part 2 very informative as well. Very few private aviculturalists keep pittas in Australia even though we have three species native to our continent, The Noisy Pitta, The Rainbow Pitta and the Red-bellied Pitta with the Blue-winged Pitta being an occasional vagrant from SE Asia. I and a few others keep Noisy Pittas and only two or three private keepers have Rainbow Pittas. We are yet to work on the powers that be to obtain permission to keep and breed the Red-bellied Pitta. Unfortunately, with our importation laws we will never be able to have access to the Banded Pitta.

Thanks so much for the spectacular photos; they are not common in private collections here in the US. Insectivorous birds in general do not receive much attention here, only Banded Pittas are seen with any regularity in zoo.

Best, Frank

Hi All,

Thanks very much for your interest; glad you enjoyed and very happy to be here, Frank

Happy to have you here. Please share any more of your favourites with us as the keeping of softbills is gradually taking off here in Australia.
If you have a Facebook profile have a look at Softbills Australia for more on what we are keeping here.
Jeff