This rarely seen bird prefers not to fly, although it can very well, but to hop or gallop about on the ground and it does it fast! Viewed at normal speed, the bird seems to have an rather peculiar gait. However, when slowed down to 12.5%, one sees that the bird tends to gallop on both feet instead of running with each foot alternating. I'm not sure if there are any other birds which prefer, not to use their wings, but to gallop or hop like the blue-winged pitta over not-so-short distances (eg. 3 to 5 metres). Most of the birds I have observed which do walk on the ground will prefer to flap their wings to assist a walk of more than a metre. White-breasted waterhens do walk over extended distances and they also do run without using their wings but their step is one which alternates each foot. Understandably, flapping a set of wings would take up more energy than running or hopping along.
(note : the bird is actually a mangrove pitta and not a blue-winged pitta. These look very alike but there are some slight difference such as the size of the bill )
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