In a recent article I did, for the Birds of India website
(Kolkatabirds.com), on Fifty birds to see before you die I had rated
the Blue Pitta as one of the birds I wanted to see desperately. There
have been no recent reports (and certainly no photographs) from India.
Pam Rasmussen lists it for the legendary South Assam Hills (North
Cachar, Tripura and an old specimen from Garo Hills). She further adds
that while it is listed for Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur,
she has not been able to trace the basis of these records.
While watching a brilliant short documentary called "The Wild Meat
Trail" directed by Rita Banerji and Shilpi Sharma (Dusty Foot
Productions), I managed to get a quick glimpse of a dead Blue Pitta,
amongst a pile to dead birds, which had been killed for the wild meat
trade. I am enclosing a photograph taken in the food market in
Dimapur, Nagaland showing this bird.
An illustration by John Gould of this bird is also attached
If anyone has any recent or any other information, regarding its
presence in India, please get in touch with me
(biks.grewal@gmail.com).
It is pity that these misguided people who kill these birds are even
unaware of the significance of their targets. Perhaps if the powers
that be, re-directed their energies and made the hunters more aware,
they could earn a better livelihood as bird-guides and at the same
time save their fantastic natural heritage.
Regards
--
Bikram Grewal
B 197 Sheikh Sarai - 1
New Delhi 110017
+91 9811159398
--
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