Unlimited edition. 18 x 24 inch, museum-quality poster on matte paper.

If the South Papuan pitta were a designer, surely it would be all about color-blocking. It wears bold swatches of Prussian blue, azure, and chili red that make me think of a Victorian suit and vest with a splendid, baby blue cravat. (I know, I know, Victorians didn’t rock those color combinations, but if “Bridgerton” can give the Regency era the pop treatment, why can’t the pitta do it for the Victorian?)

The bird wears this impressive suit as it attends to humble tasks, mostly feeding on the forest floor of Papua New Guinea (or the extreme north of Queensland, Australia). Ornithologists note that pittas are often observed with dirt on their bills, so the bird likely does some digging for larvae, earthworms, and some tasty seeds in addition to gleaning insects and snails on the surface.

The only difference in coloration between the male and female South Papuan pitta is slight – the color of the bird’s iris. In females, it is rust-brown and, in males, chocolate-brown. Maybe I’m hairsplitting (or iris-splitting), but, hey, the color column is female! 💪

Speaking of splitting, this species was until recently considered conspecific with (i.e., the same as) what are today deemed two different pitta species (and a complex of subspecies). In recent decades, molecular studies and fine-grained morphological distinctions led ornithologists to split the populations of what was called simply the Papuan pitta into the different species we have today. Many bird nerds still refer to the complex as one species, Papuan pitta, and as someone who leans “lumper,” I’m generally in favor of that approach. On the other hand, in most cases I’m content to follow the taxonomic lead of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Note: These archival poster prints feature rich, appealing colors. I encourage customers to take care in handling them until they are framed/protected for display; the darker colors on the matte paper can be scratched. They ship rolled, so customers need to flatten them before framing (or have their framer do so).

Charitable Sales Model: Whenever one of these poster prints is purchased, a charitable contribution equal to 10% of the print’s cost (or $3.60) is made to a nonprofit working to tackle environmental or social challenges. Read more about my charitable sales model here.