In Yunnan, this elusive pitta lives near the forest floor in moist forests, often beside streams.
The male described for Yunnan has a deep brown head and underparts with dull green wings. Females are duller, with browner wings.
The Yunnan populations forage on the ground for insects, grubs, snails, and worms in moist forest above 1,000 m, often near streams. They are shy and rarely seen.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.