Binomial name origin: Pitta means a little bird in Telugu language while megarhyncha  mega- means “large” and rhynchos means “beak” in Ancient Greek

Mangrove Pitta is endemic to Eastern India where mangroves are predominat and in South East Asia. These reside and breed in the mangrove forests in Bhitarkanika, Sunderbans etc in India and amongst Nipa Palms in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar.

These birds feeds on Molluscs, Crustaceans and insects found in the clayey and slushy mangrove forests. They have a lovely call and are very vocal during the breeding season which I was very lucky to hear.

My sighting of this was in Bhitarkanika NP, Odisha where they are relatively easy to spot especially in the breeding season.