A Record of Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha on Amami-Oshima Island, Kagoshima, Southwestern Japan

Scientists captured the first documented images of a Fairy Pitta (Pitta nympha) on Amami-Oshima Island, Japan, using camera traps. The bird was recorded twice within 12 seconds at 6:35 PM on May 18, 2015, marking the species' first confirmed presence on the island. This discovery expands the known distribution of the Fairy Pitta, a small, colorful songbird native to Southeast Asia and the Sunda Islands. The study relied on camera trapping—a non-invasive method for documenting wildlife—highlighting its utility in recording rare or elusive species in their natural habitats.

Yoshihara, R., Goto, Y., Kitaura, K., & Mizuta, T. (2016). A Record of Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha on Amami-Oshima Island, Kagoshima, Southwestern Japan. Journal of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, 48(1), 12–15. https://doi.org/10.3312/jyio.48.12