Pitta atricapilla Lesson, Trait d'Orn. (1831), 394; Sclater,
Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1888), 14, 438; Grant and Whitehead, Ibis
(1898), 245 (eggs); Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 245; Sharpe, Hand-List
(1901), 3, 182; Oates and Reid, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1903), 3, 227;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 68.
Wow-há, Siquijor and Bohol.
Balabac (Everett); Bantayan (McGregor); Basilan (Steere, Steere
Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Bongao
(Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Cebu (Bourns &
Worcester, McGregor); Luzon (Meyer, Möllendorff, Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque? [52] (Steere
Exp.); Mindanao (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester);
Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Meyer); Palawan (Steere,
Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester,
White); Romblon (McGregor); Samar (Whitehead); Semirara
(Worcester); Sibuyan (McGregor); Siquijor (Steere Exp., Bourns &
Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Platen); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester);
Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester).
Adult (sexes similar).--Entire head, neck, chin, and throat velvety
black; back and greater part of the wings green, changing with the
light; rump and tail-coverts shining silvery blue; tail black, tipped
with green; breast and sides bluish green; a large black patch on
middle of abdomen; lower abdomen and under tail-coverts bright red;
primaries white with black bases, the four or five outer ones with
narrow black tips; secondaries black, tipped with green on upper
surface; primary-coverts and alula velvety black; lesser and median
coverts shining silvery blue. Iris brown; bill black; legs and nails
dirty brown. Length, about 180. A male from Romblon, wing, 110; tail,
35; culmen from base, 25; tarsus, 40. A female from Tablas, wing,
102; tail, 34; culmen from base, 26; tarsus, 37.
The amount of white on the outer primaries varies to a great extent;
in females it is usually much less than in males.
"The black-headed pitta is called 'wow-ha' by the natives from its
note. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails very dark brown; bill
black. Twelve males average: Length, 169; wing, 103; tail, 39; culmen,
25; tarsus, 36; middle toe with claw, 32. Three females, length, 167;
wing, 100; tail, 37; culmen, 25; tarsus, 36; middle toe with claw,
32." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Whitehead secured a nest of the black-headed pitta near Paranas,
Samar, on June 30, 1896. The egg is thus described:
"Shape rounded ovate. Ground-color pure white, thickly speckled
all over with brown and larger underlying spots of french-gray,
the latter being most numerous round the larger pole. Measurements
26 mm. by 21 mm.
"The nest with two slightly incubated eggs (one of which was broken)
were brought by a native, together with the parent birds. The somewhat
bulky nest was composed outwardly of twigs and lined with moss." (Grant
and Whitehead.)