Population
Estimated population is unknown (2020) and decreasing.
Status NT
Forest loss due to illegal logging, fires and habitat fragmentation are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Habits
Shy.
Food
Insects, spiders, small snails.
Voice
A long, clear whistle, increasing in volume and ending ubruptly. Ventriloquial.
Black-crowned Pitta (Erythropitta ussheri) [XC150841]
by Mike Nelson from Rainforest Discovery Center, Forest Trail, Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia (song)
Black-crowned Pitta (Erythropitta ussheri) [XC310343]
by Peter Boesman from Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia (song)
Nest
Domed, composed of dead leaves and decaying vegetation, on the ground, amongst understorey.
Eggs (Guide)
2; white with light grey or reddish spots.
Subspecies
Pitta granatina (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Garnet Pitta (Erythropitta granatina) and Black-and-crimson Pitta (Erythropitta ussheri) following Lambert (1996), Erritzoe and Erritzoe (1998), Erritzoe (2003) and Mann (2008) owing to morphological and vocal differences and their apparent parapatry.
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Garnet Pitta (Erythropitta granatina).