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📮 Indian Pitta on India Post Stamp (28 April 1975)
The Indian Pitta was one of the four birds featured in India’s colorful 1975 “Indian Birds” stamp series, issued on 28 April 1975.
🐦 About the Bird (Detailed)
🎨 Appearance — “Nine-Coloured Bird”
The Indian Pitta is famously called the “Navrang” (nine-coloured bird) because of its vivid plumage:
- Bright green back
- Buff underparts
- Black head stripe with a bold white eyebrow
- Blue shoulder patch
- Reddish vent (under-tail area)
- Short tail and sturdy pinkish legs
Despite its small size, it is one of the most strikingly coloured birds in India.
🌳 Habitat & Range
- Found across much of the Indian subcontinent
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Prefers:
- Dense undergrowth in forests
- Scrub jungles
- Gardens and wooded urban areas (especially during migration)
It is a winter visitor to most parts of India, migrating from central and northern regions.
🍽️ Feeding Habits
A ground-feeding insectivore:
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Eats:
- Insects (beetles, ants, termites)
- Earthworms
- Small snails
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Forages by:
- Hopping on the forest floor
- Flipping leaves to find prey
🎶 Call & Behavior
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Known for its loud, whistling call:
- Often described as “wheet-tew” or “tee-tee-tee”
- Usually heard more often than seen
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Behavior:
- Shy and elusive
- Stays hidden in dense foliage
- Active mostly during early morning and evening
🪺 Breeding & Nesting
- Breeding season: May to August
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Nest:
- A large, globular structure with a side entrance
- Built on the ground or low in bushes
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Clutch size:
- Typically 4–5 eggs
- Both parents help in incubation and feeding chicks
🛡️ Conservation Status
- Classified as Least Concern
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Still fairly common, though:
- Sensitive to habitat destruction
- Requires dense undergrowth to thrive
🌼 Interesting Facts
- One of the few birds that combines bright colours with secretive behavior
- Its arrival in many regions is considered a sign of seasonal change (monsoon/summer transition)
- Because it stays on the ground, it’s often missed despite being nearby
🎯 Why it featured on the 1975 stamp
The Indian Pitta was chosen because it:
- Represents India’s rich avian diversity
- Is visually perfect for stamp art due to its multi-coloured plumage
- Is a well-known yet mysterious bird across the country
With this, you now have the complete set of all four birds issued on 28 April 1975:
- Himalayan Monal
- Western Tragopan
- Asian Black-headed Oriole
- Indian Pitta
