Hydrornis is a genus of pitta in the family Pittidae. The genus contains thirteen species, found in South-east Asia. The genus was formerly merged with the genus Pitta, but a 2006 study split the family into three genera.
Taxonomy The pittas were at one time all usually placed in the genus Pitta, the only genus in the family Pittidae, but when a 2006 molecular phylogenetic study found that the pittas formed three separate groups, the genus was split and some species were moved into two resurrected genera, Erythropitta and Hydrornis. The genus Hydrornis had been introduced by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1843 with the blue-naped pitta (Hydrornis nipalensis) as the type species. The name Hydrornis combines the Ancient Greek words "water" and "bird".
The pittas in Hydrornis have sexually dimorphic plumage, a feature that is absent for all other pittas. Also for those species that have been studied, the juveniles have a spotted cryptic plumage.
Species The genus contains 13 species: Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Hydrornis phayrei Eared pitta Southeast Asia. Hydrornis nipalensis Blue-naped pitta Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Hydrornis soror Blue-rumped pitta Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam Hydrornis oatesi Rusty-naped pitta China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Hydrornis schneideri Schneider's pitta Sumatra in Indonesia Hydrornis caeruleus Giant pitta Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Hydrornis baudii Blue-headed pitta Borneo Hydrornis cyaneus Blue pitta Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Hydrornis elliotii Bar-bellied pitta Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam Hydrornis gurneyi Gurney's pitta Malay Peninsula Hydrornis guajanus Javan banded pitta Java and Bali Hydrornis irena Malayan banded pitta Thailand, the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. Hydrornis schwaneri Bornean banded pitta Borneo
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