First record of the ground-dweller Blue Pitta Hydrornis cyaneus from Garo Hills, Meghalaya

The Blue Pitta, Hydrornis cyaneus (Blyth, 1843), a rare and secretive bird species, is scarcely recorded in Northeast India. This study reports the first photographic evidence of the species from Nokrek NP, Meghalaya, through a camera trap survey conducted from September to November 2024. The bird was recorded on four occasions at three locations, primarily in high-altitude semi-evergreen forests between 1009 and 1341 m above sea level (asl). These observations expand the known distribution of the species in India and highlight the effectiveness of camera traps in documenting elusive forest birds, emphasising Nokrek’s significance as a refuge for rare avian biodiversity.