Gurney’s Pitta

Nature 1 Minute

Gurney’s pitta (Hydrornis gurneyi) is a medium-sized passerine bird. It breeds in the Malay Peninsula, with populations mainly in Myanmar. The common name and Latin binomial commemorate the British banker and amateur ornithologist John Henry Gurney (1819-1890). Its diet consists of slugs, insects, and earthworms.

Description

The male has a blue crown and black-and-yellow underparts; the rest of the head is black, and it has warm brown upper parts. The female has a brown crown and buffy-whitish underparts.

Status and conservation

Gurney’s pitta is endangered. It was initially thought to be extinct for some time after 1952, but was rediscovered in 1986. Its rarity has been caused by the clearance of natural forest in southern Burma and peninsular Thailand.

Its population was estimated at a mere nine pairs in 1997, then believed one of the rarest bird species on earth. A search for it in Burma in 2003 was successful and discovered that the species persisted at four sites with a maximum of 10-12 pairs at one location. This granted the species a reassessment from the IUCN, going from critically endangered to endangered. Later on, further research completed in Burma by 2009 provides strong evidence that its global population is much greater than previously estimated, owing to the discovery of several new territories in this country.

The pitta was voted the “most wanted bird in Thailand” by bird watchers visiting that country.

SOURCE: THAI NATIONAL PARKS

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Published by pat frederick

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197 thoughts on “Gurney’s Pitta”

  1. Morning All
    we did our banana run yesterday afternoon. hubby took the portable oxygen along and wore it in the jeep. it’s helping him to retrain his breathing. the machine does not constantly put out air–it waits for you to inhale thru your nose, then it releases a pulse of air. that way you don’t waste the battery. but hubby was getting to be a mouth breather–not good for his asthma–and this is subtly helping to retrain that.
    anyway, he left it in the jeep when we parked and walked into walmart and all the way thru the store to the pharmacy without stopping to catch his breath ONCE! that’s a big change. he pushed the cart and walked around with me for nearly 45 minutes–not setting any records but not getting out of breath either!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Morning, Pat! Some connectivity issues this morning – had to reset everything but so far, it’s holding. Hard to tell how much snowfall we got since it’s still dark but it seems to have moved thru here now; hitting the eastern part of the state today. No probs with the sat dish, thankfully. Still above zero at 4 this morning. I pulled the afghan aside and peeked out to the patio – no sign of Wheezer, no tracks. I haven’t checked to see if the snow has drifted and covered the doggie door. The winds will pick up today and start blowing all this around, creating blizzard conditions but mostly in the east and south – hello, Sis!!! LOL

      That is excellent news about his breathing! Sounds like he is on the mend but don’t let him backslide. You know how it goes – get to feeling so much better…..and do too much, too soon. Good that he has you to watch his back!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Morning Filly!
        4??!!!!??? dang that’s cold!!!
        we’re sitting at about 28* here. down in town and then further south at walmart is was above 40* yesterday.
        hope Wheezer has a warm someone to cuddle with!
        hubby is feeling so much better than he has in the last 6 weeks and he is building back his strength. but that respiratory therapist was a Godsend! that young man helped hubby more than he knew.

        Liked by 3 people

          1. it is!
            I made sure to let him know how much i appreciated him and how wonderful he was at his job. his face showed astonishment–it was like no one ever praised him before–weird. but i wanted him to know much of a difference he made with hubby!

            Liked by 3 people

              1. you’re too kind. he deserves the credit–you should have seen the look on his face when he realized HE could control the panic breathing and not have to rely on an inhaler–it was empowering. and that knowledge was not imparted by a doc–a pharma pusher–nope–a fellow asthmatic taught him that.
                it was game changing! and i told that young man how powerful that was and thanked him profusely.

                Liked by 1 person

  6. video at tweet

    The Vigilant Fox 🦊
    @VigilantFox
    Wow. Scientists are now warning that the latest COVID variant could trigger a “heart failure pandemic.”

    And get this: Pfizer, the same company that sold you the so-called vaccines, is making a big bet on that “heart failure pandemic.”

    The pharmaceutical giant recently acquired several companies. This includes a major $6.7 billion cash acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals, a firm specializing in developing treatments, particularly for heart inflammation conditions like myocarditis and pericarditis.

    So, the company that caused the heart damage is now looking to profit from heart damage. Is my analysis wrong here?

    Liked by 1 person

        1. Exactly! SD had her as his pick for one of Trump’s Cabinet member appointments – she is NOT to be trusted, period! And she is all-in on “climate change,” so….hmmm…yeah, NO! Wouldn’t surprise me to see some back-room financial connection to this new, modern city they want to build.

          Liked by 2 people

    1. Hey! That’s a net positive for the Military Industrial Complex! Between Ukraine & Afghanistan & actual US military needs, they’re cranking product out like there’s no tomorrow!

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Ice Kates
    @kathrynwise6869
    This is a 1000 gram iron bar. It’s raw value is around $100.

    If you decide to make horseshoes, its value would increase to $250.

    If, instead, you decided to make sewing needles, the value would increase to about $70,000.

    If you decided to produce watch springs and gears, the value would increase to about $6 Million.

    However still, if you decided to manufacture precision laser components out of it like ones used in lithography, it’ll be worth $15 Million.

    Your value is not just what you are made of – but above all -in what ways you can make the best of who you are.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Now if the FBI wasn’t so focused on those dastardly insurrectionists, Christians, raw food vendors/farmers, they just MIGHT have found this themselves!!!

      Liked by 2 people

  16. El Deep Stato Fake Parody
    @IiiVindman
    Jan 11 • 3 tweets • 2 min read •
    Read on X
    Hole-E-💩: Not only did Fani Willis hire her lover to be Special Prosecutor in the Trump Election Interference case, despite his lack of qualifications to hold the position, but she has contracted with his 2 lawyer firm to do “Taint” work (go through documents to determine attorney client privilege). Another case of conflict of interest, but also if I understand this correctly the DA Fani Willis contracts with her lovers 2 lawyer firm Wade and Campbell, to determine what evidence is privileged in a criminal case and her office isn’t allowed to view, then she climbs into the sack with him after work. AYFKM? I would think that every conviction her office has won that Wade And Campbell worked on should be reversed. I’m not a lawyer but this seems like a BFD. What say you @mrddmia @TamarHallerman @RepMTG @Jim_Jordan @BrianKemp @Georgia_AG @McAdooGordon @ProfMJCleveland @GASenateGOP @GaHouseGOP

    https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1745272720940838960.html

    Liked by 2 people

  17. Liked by 1 person

  18. we can arrest ultra maggot for this right aiding and abetting this criminal’s behavior

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Val1
    Val1
    January 12, 2024 7:35 am

    President Trump’s Truth 👇

    “Ron DeSanctimonious has just dropped to a solid third place in the new Suffolk University Poll, as Birdbrain, who performed poorly in the last debate against him, nevertheless overtakes Ron in Iowa. TRUMP, however, surges to a 34 Point lead, “knowing that his people will vote no matter how cold it gets. They will walk on glass for him in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” Chris Christie is “kaput,” strangely deciding to drop out prior to New Hampshire, where he has put in so much time, effort, and money. I hear he will soon be Endorsing “Aida” Hutchinson, who last week cracked 1% for the first time, before falling back down to Zero. Chris is desperately seeking a TV job, but sadly, no one wants him. ABC FAKE NEWS can get him back for half of what they were paying him. May he rest in peace!”

    https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/111742956803283506

    Like

  22. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/blue-collar-democrats-switching-to-republican-in-deep-purple-pennsylvania-5561596
    EXCERPT: “Nearly 59,000 registered Pennsylvania Democrats left the party in 2023; that makes more voters than fans needed to fill the capacity of the Franklin Field Football Stadium at the University of Pennsylvania.

    Of those nearly 59,000 who left the Democratic Party, 36,950 switched to the Republican party, and 21,644 switched their party affiliation to “other,” the category the Pennsylvania Department of State uses in its data to cover parties such as Green and Libertarian.

    “As the Democrat Party tilts further to the progressive left, more historically traditional, working-class families are moving to the Republican Party, both in terms of how they vote and how they’re registered,” conservative political strategist Charlie Gerow told the Epoch Times. There is a significant shift going on in the base of the party, he said.” — The Epoch Times

    Our Take: “The presidential election year is going to test our bicameral thinking abilities. While Republicans are taking a victory lap on GOP voter registration in Pennsylvania, the bigger story is the 21,644 voters that moved to ‘other.’ The American People are largely finished with the two party system, and this is apparent across the country.

    It’s been a while since I’ve looked at the CO voter registration numbers, and this story provides me the opportunity. Also, we see a similar trend. Per the Colorado Secretary of State website, as of January 2, 2024, there are 3,810,616 active voters in the Centennial State, and the vast majority of them are unaffiliated. This trend has been increasing since 2010, and it’s telling.

    In 2022, Democrats accounted for 28.2% of registrations, and in 2024, they’re down to 26.8%. Republicans accounted for 25.1% in 2022, and they’re now down to 23.7% in 2024. In contrast, unaffiliated voters went from 44.8% in 2022 to 47.7% in 2024. Third party consistently accounts for around 2% of the electoral franchise in Colorado, and is materially unchanged.

    One other factor in Colorado that may be driving an increase in UAF is our Open Primaries. By switching to UAF, voters can vote in either primary which, as we saw in 2022, can heavily impact Republican candidate selection. This is not an issue in PA yet, but the commies are actively trying to change that. Caution, PA!

    Still, the current data does not show ‘victory’ for the GOP and, while they may want to take a victory lap on these numbers in PA and other states, the data reveals a much deeper story about the collective mind: The American People are politically nonbinary.

    This is great for the awakening but, once you realize the plot, it is hard to stomach the party narratives. In other words, the GOP has little to celebrate these days, but the American People are crushing it. America First.” — Ashe in America

    Liked by 1 person

  23. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/hertz-begins-dumping-20000-evs-shift-back-petrol-cars
    Our Take: “Tom Brady has had a rough go with promotional opportunities over the past few years. After the FTX scam blew up in his face, his decision to be the face of Hertz EVs is another embarrassing blow to the celebrated quarterback’s non-pigskin business portfolio.

    The best part of this story is that Trump was right. The internal combustion engine is far superior to the battery-powered hot wheels, and customer demand doesn’t lie. People want their cars to work reliably, and EVs are more expensive, more breakable, less reliable, and harder to power given the current infrastructure. Give the people what they want!

    It will be interesting to see if Hertz gets government blowback from this decision. It’s 2024 in Biden’s America, and I don’t think businesses are allowed to make their own decisions anymore. We shall see.” — Ashe in America

    Liked by 2 people

          1. I wasn’t thinking of physical attributes as much as their attitude. I’d have to think on my favorite QB for that category.

            Liked by 1 person

        1. Yep, & if I understand correctly, solar panel recycling / disposal is next to impossible. More burden for landfills. Environmentalists are addled.

          Liked by 1 person

    2. Filly, that cat meme was definitely with Wheezer in mind!
      “We’Re LOOKING FOR A QUIeT NeIGHBORHOOD WHERE eVERYONE
      FeeDS US BeCAUSE THeY ALL
      BeLIeve we BeLonG TO THEM. “

      Liked by 2 people

  27. illegals go to the front of the line…Maine homeless to the back

    sync
    January 12, 2024 8:28 am

    Maine has begun paying rent for homeless immigrants living in apartments located in the town of Brunswick.
    The state budgeted nearly $3.5 million to provide 60 migrant families in Brunswick with two years of rent. Maine expects the immigrants to “gain the means” to pay housing costs through state “support” and “guidance.”

    https://keprtv.com/news/nation-world/maine-begins-paying-rent-for-homeless-migrants-portland-brunswick-augusta-new-england-migrant-southern-border-crisis-biden-trump-illegal-immigrants-asylum-seekers

    sync
    January 12, 2024 8:30 am
    Reply to sync

    Meanwhile, Maine citizens are put in back of the bus

    With more than 15,000 on Maine’s housing voucher waitlist, need outpaces supply

    https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-housing-crisis-15000-housing-voucher-waitlist-mainehousing-choice-homelessness-section-8

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Call me perverse…the invaders in the city of Chicago are getting all the “guidance” they deserve…
      8”-12” of snow till Early Sunday morning. Then…wait for it…zero to -10 early Monday & that’s without windchill. Take that invaders!! You may want to reconsider going back to where you came from!

      Liked by 1 person

  29. “We received about 20 inches of snow this week. So ….

    8:00 am: I made a snowman.
    8:10 – A feminist passed by and asked me why I didn’t make a snow woman.
    8:15 – So, I made a snow woman.
    8:17 – My feminist neighbor complained about the snow woman’s voluptuous chest saying it objectified women everywhere.
    8:20 – The gay couple living nearby threw a hissy fit and moaned it should have been two snowmen instead.
    8:22 – The transgender man / woman / person asked why I didn’t just make one snow person with detachable parts.
    8:25 – The vegans at the end of the lane complained about the carrot nose, as veggies are food and are not to be used to decorate snow figures.
    8:28 – I was being called a racist because the snow couple is white.
    8:30 – I used food coloring to make one of the snow couple a different color and be more racially inclusive.
    8:37 – Then I was accused of using a black face on the snow person.
    8:39 – The middle eastern gent across the road demanded the snow woman be completely covered.
    8:40 – The police arrived saying someone had been offended.
    8:42 – The feminist neighbor complained again that the broomstick of the snow woman needed to be removed because it depicted women in a domestic role.
    8:43 – The ‘council on equality’ officer arrived and threatened me with eviction.
    8:45 – TV news crew from ABC showed up. I was asked if I know the difference between snowmen and snow-women? I replied “Snowballs” and am now a sexist.
    9:00 – I was on the news as a suspected terrorist, racist, homophobe, and sensibility offender, bent on stirring up trouble during difficult weather.
    9:10 – I was asked if I have any accomplices. My children were taken by social services.
    9:29 – Far left protesters offended by everything, marched down the street demanding that I be arrested.
    9:45 – The boss called and fired me because of the negative association with work that had been all over social media.
    10:00 – I cry into my drink because all I wanted to do was build a snowman…

    Moral: There ain’t no moral to this story. We are doomed.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Pat, you can share anything I post except my personal stuff. In fact, I do this primarily so people WILL forward them and share as widely as possible. Besides giving me something to do, I mean….😉😉😉😉

        Liked by 1 person

  30. Progress report – almost light enough to take pics but I’m considering waiting until it is ALL done…temp down to 3 now, wind picking up and snowing….

    Liked by 1 person

  31. so what do you do when the FBI is in contempt??????

    Black Knight
    January 12, 2024 8:48 am

    Per TGP this AM:

    IC officials are warning against an attack on American soil by Hezbollah.

    Of course they are. The government has been letting them in for months at the border.

    The coming strife and attacks domestically that SD and many of us have warned against will be blamed on them whether they are the actual perpetrators or not.

    Why?

    To escalate US military actions in the ME for the ‘support’ and objectives of our ‘allies’ there.

    Wait for it – 3, 2, 1 …..

    In other news, the FBI has refused to turn over the Seth Rich files to Ty Clevenger as per court order to do so within 14 days. It has been 40 days and they are in contempt.

    Liked by 1 person

            1. well yeah…Walter Matthau was in that…but that top meme? the kid on the bike? that phrase…pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever–that comes from the replacements.
              and i agree–first Grumpy Old Men better than second

              Liked by 1 person

  35. “NeverNikki: Rand Paul Says America CANNOT Vote for NeoCon Nikki Haley—I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.”
    JD RUCKER
    JAN 12, 2024

    “Senator Rand Paul announced Friday morning that he has an opinion about the upcoming election. He did NOT endorse a candidate. Instead, he declared that one candidate in particular must never be president. He even launched a website, NeverNikki.net.

    According to the site: “I have been watching the GOP Primary closely for a while now, and I like various aspects of several candidates – Republicans like President Trump, Governor DeSantis, and Vivek Ramaswamy. I’m interested in the ideas of some independents too, such as Bobby Kennedy. As I look over the field, I don’t think I yet have a first choice, but I do know one thing: count me in as Never Nikki.”

    His thread on Twitter broke down the details of his decision. Never Nikki. Never.”

    Liked by 1 person

  36. OK, I couldn’t wait….I’m exceeding the 5 link rule so sue me! 😀😉😊😆😅😃
    Before:

    Now:

    Before:

    Now:

    Before:

    Now:

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh, yeah, and it will be much worse after a day/evening of possible 35- 40 MPH wind gusts! It’s blowing like crazy! Still snowing a bit but now it’s mostly just blowing. I can see me shoveling my way to the back yard via the garage door at some point. Unless I get lucky and the eaves over the patio sill protect that small strip closest to the wall, enough for me to push the door/snow open far enough that I can get out at least.

        Liked by 1 person

  37. “Double Decker Bus Explodes into Huge Fireball in London”

    ENTIRE ARTICLE @whatsuptoday: “An electric double-decker bus burst into flames on Thursday morning, with shocked witnesses reporting a loud ‘bang’ on their commute. Passers-by described the dramatic scenes after the blaze broke out in Wimbledon Hill Road, south west London shortly after 7.20am. Three fire engines and around 15 firefighters attended the scene and 25m cordon and road closures are in place, the London Fire Brigade said. Watch the footage below:

    “We heard a huge bang,” resident Max Pashley said. “We were terrified.” Another witness wrote on X: “Not what we expect to see on the school run…. Bus on fire – and the fumes are awful….”

    People have been advised to avoid the area after police, ambulances, and firefighters all rushed to the scene during rush hour. In footage and pictures from the scene, the electric bus appears to be the 200 route going from Mitcham to Raynes Park. Electric buses were introduced to the capital in 2014. There are now around 1,000 zero emission buses in operation across London, of which electric vehicles form a large proportion, according to TfL.

    A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Part of a double-decker electric bus is alight. A 25-metre cordon has been put in place as a precaution and road closures are in place. There are currently no reports of any injuries.”

    The London Ambulance Service confirmed no one had been injured in the incident. A spokesperson said: “We were called today (11 January) at 7:19am to reports of an incident on Wimbledon Hill Road, Wimbledon. We sent resources to the scene including members of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and an ambulance crew. There were no injuries and our teams were later stood down.”

    The Met Police said they called at 7:23am to reports of a bus on fire and said they expect road closures to remain for some time. A spokesperson added: “We thank the local community for their patience and cooperation as emergency services work at the scene.” Earlier, the Merton Police account tweeted: “Please avoid the area of Wimbledon Hill Road this morning. There will be congestion as the road is blocked off in both south and northbound directions.”

    Liked by 1 person

  38. “Secretive “Sue And Settle” Back In Play At Biden’s EPA. Biden spent six times more on “sue and settle” fees than Trump in their first years.”
    ADAM ANDRZEJEWSKI
    JAN 12, 2024

    Topline: “The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability opened an investigation into “sue and settle” practices at the Environmental Protection Agency in November 2023. The investigation puts a white-hot spotlight on a practice that had largely gone ignored until new data from our organization at OpenTheBooks.com showed millions of dollars in spending on attorneys’ fees to environmental activist groups since Biden took office.

    We found the Biden Administration has already spent more taxpayer money on sue and settle than any other recent president.

    (Attorneys’ fees paid to litigants under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act from 2013-2022. Figures not adjusted for inflation.)

    The last time the government audited EPA litigation was a 2011 GAO report: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-11-650.pdf

    The EPA does not litigate; the DOJ does on EPA’s behalf, typically via the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. EPA provides technical expertise to the DOJ.

    Key Background….”

    https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/secretive-sue-and-settle-back-in

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Hmmm….now let me think a minute…..? Yeah, that’s right! Who was President when we see a dramatic drop??? My, that’s just got me stumped…you?🙃😜😝😉😉😉

      Liked by 1 person

  47. Friday Funnies: I have questions.
    The Mockingbirds want to load the answers into your brain.

    ROBERT W MALONE MD, MS
    JAN 12, 2024



    “OK- so this cartoon clearly is not entirely factual – but still, it is damn funny! Cause early on, this thought most definitely crossed my mind.”

    “The benefits of modern medicine…”

    Liked by 1 person

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