The Malayan eight-colored plover ( scientific name : Pitta moluccensis ) is a bird of the family Grematidae , also known as the purple-blue-winged eight-colored plover , with a body length of 19–21 cm and a weight of 74–90 g. The Malay eight-colored plover, also known as the purple-blue-winged eight-colored plover and the fairy eight-colored plover, has a body length of 19-21 cm and a weight of 74-90 grams. It is very similar to the plumage of the blue-winged eight-colored plover, with a bright body color, the crown stripe from the forehead to the back of the neck is black, the forehead is narrower, and the back of the head is gradually widened; the sides of the crown are light brown; the eyes, eye circles, cheeks, ear feathers and the upper part of the neck to the back of the neck are bright black, and meet the crown stripes on the back of the neck to form a black collar. The surface of the dorsal, shoulder, and medial secondary flight feathers is bright grass green; the small winged coverts, the waist and tail coverts are bright purple-blue; the large coverts are blue-green, and the outer margins of the ends are purple-blue. The primary flight feathers are black at the base, with 5-6 broad white spots on the outside, and the feathers are black, and most of the remaining 4-6 feathers are all white. The chin is black , the throat and lower part of the neck are white , the sides of the neck are slightly yellow , the thorax , ventral and flanks are bright yellow , and the thorax is thicker , while the thorax and ventral side of the blue-winged eight-colored thrush are pale brown. The central and subtail coverts of the abdomen are scarlet; the tail feathers are black with a bluish-green apex margin.
It is found in Xiahe, Gansu, and Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, in China. It is also found in Shanghai and may be a lost bird.
Nests usually lie on the ground in bamboo, secondary forests or shrublands, and rarely in dense forests. But there are also nests built on trees, facing trees at the entrance, and only some of them can be approached. Adult birds can be allowed to monitor potential intruders and escape quickly in dangerous situations. The nest placed on the tree is about 50 cm wide, 20 cm deep, and has a diameter of 9 cm at the entrance. The nest is built like a loose spherical shape that leaves an entrance, the structure is relatively rough, mainly composed of fine branches, bamboo leaves, moss, lichens, grass stems and roots, the nest mouth is mostly open at the near end, and there are generally hidden objects such as fallen leaves or other debris to bury the nest. In areas dominated by bamboo, bamboo leaves account for a large proportion of the main building materials. Nests are placed at different heights from the ground, from 2.50 m to 4 m. Each nest lays 4-5 eggs, up to a maximum of 7. Colors vary from light red, dark purple or white. Males and females build nests, hatch and feed their chicks together. Incubation lasts about 17 days.