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This is a brief account and checklist for a three week trip birding in Sri Lanka in December 1997. We used public transport, only hiring vehicles where there was no alternative within the two National Parks, stayed in hotels at the cheaper end of the spectrum, and used around five of the days on non-birding activities including planning etc. The birding is generally fairly easy, and we managed to see or hear all but one of the 21 endemics. By doing it this way, we also gained some insight into Sri Lankan culture and history.
We stayed with Prof. Sarath Kotagama and his wife on the first and last nights, and he was instrumental in planning our itinerary. Three other valuable sources of information were Krys Kasmierczak's trip report from 1990, Where to watch birds in Asia, and the 1996 Lonely Planet Guide. The OBC special Sri Lanka issue with the sites guide came out whilst we were there! and would have been a great help - especially if we hadn't met Prof. Kotagama - although it seems rather biased towards accommodation provided by the sponsors.
Bird books: the most important is Kotagama & Fernando (1994) A field guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. We also took Phillips' annotated checklist and Ali & Ripley's Pictorial guide to the Indian subcontinent - both of which were well worth having. If you can get hold of Henry, that looks excellent. Banks & Banks field guide on the other hand was pretty useless.
Dec. 97
| 1-2 | Colombo area (inc. briefly to Bellavilla (Be) & Ingidya (I)) |
| 3-4 | Travelled to and around Anuradhapura (A) |
| 5-6 | Sigiriya (Sy) |
| 7 | Nuwara Eliya, Hakgala Waterfall & Botanical Gardens (H) |
| 8 | Horton Plains (World's End (WE)), Galway Forest (G), Victoria Gdns (VG). |
| 9 | Victoria Gardens - Travelled to Bundala |
| 10 | Bundala (Bu) |
| 11 | Yala N P (Y) |
| 12-16 | Travelling/beaches/Kandy |
| 17-19 | Sinharaja (S) |
| 20 | Return Colombo |
Endemics in all-capital letters.
Be I A Sy H WE G VG Bu Y S --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Little Grebe - - 2 - - - - - 2 1 - Spot-billed Pelican 2 - 120 - - - - 6 40 - - Indian Shag - - c - - - - - - - - Pigmy Cormorant 5 - c + - - - - - - - Indian Darter - - - - - - - - - 1 - Grey Heron - - 3 - - - - - + + - Purple Heron 2 - 2 - - - - - - 1 - Indian Pond Heron c c c + - - - - c c - Cattle Egret 8 c c c - - - - c c - Great White Egret - - - - - - - - 2 - - Intermediate Egret 2 + - + - - - - + + - Little Egret 1 + + - - - - - + + - Black-crowned Night Heron - - 6 - - - - - 3 - - Painted Stork - - 2 2 - - - - 50 100 - Asian Openbill 1 + - - - - - - 10 - - White-necked Stork - - 1 - - - - - - - - Black-necked Stork - - - - - - - - - 1 - Black-necked(Oriental)Ibis - - - 2 - - - - 6 18 - Spoonbill - - - - - - - - 30 50 - Greater Flamingo - - - - - - - - 2 - - Lesser Whistling Teal - - - 5 - - - - 50 40 - Garganey - - - - - - - - 60 - - Black-shouldered Kite - - - - 1 - - - - - - Brahminy Kite 2 - c c - - - - + + - Shikra - 1 1 - - - - - 1 - - Crested Goshawk - - - - - 1 - - - - - Black Eagle - - - - - - - - - - 1 Changeable Hawk Eagle - - - - 1 - - - - - - Mountain Hawk Eagle - - - - - - - - - - 1 White-bellied Sea Eagle - - 2 - - - - - - 3 - Grey-headed Fish Eagle - - - - - - - - 1 1 - Crested Serpent Eagle - - - 1 - - - - - 1 - Shahin Falcon - - - - - 3 - - - - - Oriental Hobby - - - - - - 1 - - - - SRI LANKA SPURFOWL - - - - - - - - - - 10(h) SRI LANKA JUNGLEFOWL - - - - - - - - 4 3 15 Indian Peafowl - - - - - - - - 10 30 - White-breasted Waterhen 1 - - 1 - - - - 3 1 - Moorhen - - - (1) - - - - - - - Purple Swamphen 10 - - - - - - - - - - Watercock - - - 1 - - - - - - - Pheasant-tailed Jacana 10 - 5 + - - - - 2 4 - Greater Thick-knee - - - - - - - - 12 15 - Red-wattled Plover + + + + - - - - 40 20 - Yellow-wattled Plover - - - - - - - - 8 10 - Curlew - - - - - - - - 1 - - Kentish Plover - - - - - - - - 5 - - Lesser Sandplover - - - - - - - - 5 - - Little Stint - - - - - - - - 200 10 - Long-toed Stint - - - - - - - - - 1 - Turnstone - - - - - - - - 1 - - Ruff - - - - - - - - 1 1 - Pintail Snipe - - - - - - - - 2 - - Black-tailed Godwit - - - - - - - - 45 - - Black-winged Stilt - - - - - - - - 30 4 - Common Sandpiper - - - - - - - 5 15 5 - Green Sandpiper - - - - - - - 1 - - - Greenshank - - - - - - - - 4 5 - Marsh Sandpiper - - - - - - - - 40 30 - Curlew Sandpiper - - - - - - - - - 25 - Redshank - - - - - - - - 10 2 - Grey Plover - - - - - - - - 2 - - Asiatic Golden Plover - - - - - - - - 2 1 - Crested Tern - - - - - - - - 2 - - Whiskered Tern - - - - - - - - 2 - - Gull-billed Tern - 10 - - - - - - - 2 - Little Tern - - - - - - - - 5 5 - Saunders's Little Tern - - - - - - - - 2 - - Pompadour Green Pigeon - - - 5 - - - - - - - Orange-breasted Green Pigeon - - - - - - - - 4 6 - Green Imperial Pigeon - - - - - - - - 3 2 20 SRI LANKA WOOD PIGEON - - - - - 10 - - - - - Spotted Dove - c c c c - - c c c + Emerald Dove - 2 - - 1 1 - - - - 1 Alexandrine Parakeet - - - 8 - - - - - - - Rose-ringed Parakeet - 4 c + - - - - c c - LAYARD'S PARAKEET - - - - - - - - - - 20 SRI LANKA LORIKEET - 2 - - - - - - - - 15 Jacobin Cuckoo - 1 - - - - - 10 2 - - Koel 1 - 5 - - - - - 2 - - RED-FACED MALKOHA - - - - - - - - - - 6 Blue-faced Malkoha - - 3 - - - - - 2 2 - Common Coucal 1 4 15 c - - - - 2 + 3 GREEN-BILLED COUCAL - - - - - - - - - - (h) Collared Scops Owl - - - - - - - - - - Colombo(h) CHESTNUT-BACKED OWLET - - - - - - - - - - 1 Indian Edible-nest Swiftlet - - - - - 10 - - 5 - 25 House Swift - - c c - - - - - - - Indian Palm Swift - - 10 - - - - - - - - Crested Tree Swift - - - 4 - - - - 20 10 - Brown-backed Needletail - - - - - - - - - 1 1 Sri Lanka Frogmouth - - - - - - - - - - (h) Long-tailed Nightjar - - - - - - - - 3 - - Malabar Trogon - - - - - - - - - - 1 Common Kingfisher - - - + - - - - - 1 - Stork-billed Kingfisher - - 1 2 - - - - - - - White-breasted Kingfisher - 2 10 + - - - - 5 4 - Chestnut-headed Bee-eater - - - 4 - - - - 3 - - Blue-tailed Bee-eater 8 - 5 - - - - - 10 10 15 Little Green Bee-eater - - - 5 - - - - 30 50 - Indian Roller - - 2 + - - - - 4 3 - SRI LANKA GREY HORNBILL - 3 - 1 - - - - - - - Malabar Pied Hornbill - - - - - - - - - 1 - Brown-headed Barbet - - 10 c - - - - 2 c - YELLOW-FRONTED BARBET - - - - - - - - - - 15 Coppersmith Barbet - - 8 - - - - - - - - Red-backed Flameback - 2 1 + - 3 - - 3 1 - Greater Flameback - - - - 1 - - - - - - Lesser Yellow-naped Woodpecker - - - - - - - - - - 3 Indian Pitta - - - - - - - - 1 - - Rufous-winged Bushlark - - - 2 - - - - - - - Oriental Skylark - - - - - - - - 2 2 - Barn Swallow 30 10 - - 40 - - - - - - Pacific Swallow - - - - 4 - - - 50+ 40 8 Red-rumped Swallow - - - - - - - - 2 - - Brown Shrike (+Philippine Shrike) - 1 - + (2 Ph) 1 - 1 4 - - Black-headed Oriole - - 3 - - - - - h 1 - White-bellied Drongo - 1 - - - - - - - - 4 Crested Drongo - 1 - - - - - - - - 8 SRI LANKA WHITE-HEADED STARLING - - - - - - - - - - 21+2 Common Mynah - 10 - + 10 - - 5 30 - - SRI LANKA HILL MYNAH - - - - - - - - - - 4+2+10 House Crow c.50 + 20 - 10 - - - 10 10 - Jungle Crow - 1 5 - 20 - - - 50 100 - Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike - - - - 10 - 2 - - - - Common Wood Shrike - - - + - - - - - - - Large Cuckoo Shrike - - - + - - - - - - - Scarlet Minivet - 1 - - 4 3 - - - - 10+10 Small Minivet - 2 2 + - - - - 4 4 - Iora - - 1 + - - - - 3 2 - Jerdon's Leafbird - - 2 + - - - - 2 - - Golden-fronted Leafbird - - - - - - - - - - 1 Black-capped Yellow Bulbul - 1 - + - - - - - - 5+10 Red-vented Bulbul - 4 10 + 30 - + + 40 40 10+4 YELLOW-EARED BULBUL - - - - 25 20 - 3 - - - White-browed Bulbul - 1 1 - - - - - - - - Yellow-browed Bulbul - 25 20 - - - - - - - 4+10 Black Bulbul - 4 - - - - - - - - 6+8 BROWN-CAPPED BABBLER - 1 - - - - - - - - - Slatey-headed Scimitar Babbler - - - - 3 2+ - 2 - - 2 Dark-fronted Babbler - 7 - - - - - - - - 15+20 Yellow-eyed Babbler - - - - - - - - 2 1 - SRI LANKA RUFOUS BABBLER - - - - - - - - - - 40+2 Yellow-billed Babbler - - - - - - - - 50 - - ASHY-HEADED LAUGHING THRUSH - - - - - - - - - - 30 Brown-breasted Flycatcher - 3 - - - - - - - - 1 Asian Brown Flycatcher - - - + - - - - - - 2+2 Tickell's Blue Flycatcher - 2 - + - - - - - - 2 DULL BLUE FLYCATCHER - - - - - 1 - - - - - Grey-headed Flycatcher - - - - - 8 1 - - - - White-browed Fantail Flycatcher - - - + - - - - 2 1 - Asian Paradise Flycatcher - 1 1 + - - - - 2 - 3+3 Black-naped Monarch - - - 2 - - - - - - 1+1 SRI LANKA BUSH-WARBLER - - - - - 1+2h - - - - - Zitting Cisticola - - - - - 7 - - 1 - - Grey-breasted Prinia - - 1 - - - - - - - - White-browed Prinia - - 2 + - - - - 15 5 - Ashy Prinia - - 1 - - - - - - - - Indian Tailorbird - - 1 - - - 1 - - - - Blyth's Reed Warbler - - - - - 1 - 1 - - - Large-billed Leaf Warbler - 2 - + - - - - - - 1 Green Warbler - - - - 1 - - - - - 1+1 Greenish Warbler - - - + 4 4 - - - - 1 Indian Blue Chat - - - + - - - 1 8 - - Magpie Robin - 1 - + 6 - - 4 4 - - Indian Shama - - - + - - - - - - - Pied Stonechat - - - - 2 8 - - - - - Indian (Black) Robin - - - - - - - - - - - SRI LANKA WHISTLING THRUSH - - - - 1 seen poorly - - - - SPOT-WINGED THRUSH - - - - - - - - - - 1+4 Blackbird - - - - 1 - - - - - - Grey (Great) Tit - - 1 - 20 10 4 1 - - - Velvet-fronted Nuthatch - - - - 1 1 - - - - - Richard's Pipit - - - - 4 +1 Nuwera Eliya 2 2 - Forest Wagtail - - - 1 2 - - 2 4 - - Yellow Wagtail - - - - - - - 1 - - - Grey Wagtail - - - - 10 2 - 4 - - 1+1 LEGGE'S FLOWERPECKER - - - - - - - - - - 7+4 Tickell's Flowerpecker - - - - 2 - - 1 - - 1+4 Purple-rumped Sunbird 1 - 3 + - - - - 10 3 3+2 Loten's (Long-billed) Sunbird - - 2 - - - - - - - - Purple Sunbird - - - - - - - - 10 4 - Oriental White eye - - - + 10 5 - - - - - SRI LANKA WHITE EYE - - - - 22 30 - 10 - - - House Sparrow - - - - + - - + 50 - - Baya Weaver - - - - - - - - - 10 - White-rumped Munia - - - 2 nest building - - - - Spotted Munia - - - + 30 - - - 6 - - Black-headed (Chestnut) Munia - 10 - - - - - - - 1 -
Be I A Sy H WE G VG Bu Y S
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asian Elephant - - - - - - - - - 11 -
Water Buffalo - - - - - - - - - c100 -
Sambar - - - - - 40 - - - - -
Chital - - - - - - - - - c120 -
Wild Boar - - - - - - - - - 14 -
Jackal - - - - - - - - 3 6 -
Hare sp. - - - - - - - - 1 - -
Common Langur - - - - - - - - 20 - -
Torque Macaque - 15 - - - - - - - - -
Bear (Purple-nosed Leaf) Monkey - - - 10 12 - - - - - -
Giant Squirrel - 4 - - - - - - - + -
Dolphin sp.(v. dark, tail
wagging/porpoising) - - - - - - - - - 10+ -
Mugger Crocodile - - - - - - - - - 10 -
Monitor Lizard - - - - - - - - - 6 -
Asiatic Hobby - One perched in tall tree in a garden near Galway Forest seems to be fairly unusual record.
SRI LANKA SPURFOWL - Heard each day at S, but failed to get decent views. The call is very loud, and given early to mid morning. Best to follow up calls when you get the chance!
SRI LANKA JUNGLEFOWL - Easy to see - especially at S research camp where very tame.
SRI LANKA WOOD PIGEON - Only saw it around WE on Horton's Plains although possibly some distant views at S.
LAYARD'S PARAKEET - The common (and only) Parakeet at S. 2 at Pinavilla near Kandy were the only others away from S.
SRI LANKA LORIKEET - Once I'd learnt the call, saw lots at S. Otherwise just one at I.
RED-FACED MALKOHA - All 6 birds seen in one bird party. Relocated some of these birds here (1 km before S research camp) so had several sightings.
GREEN-BILLED COUCAL - Heard just down from Martin's house, and saw a nest there, but failed to see this one.
Collared Scops Owl - Heard on the edge of Colombo from Sarath's house.
CHESTNUT-BACKED OWLET - Heard and then another bird seen just before the Sinharaja Research Camp.
Sri Lanka Frogmouth - Heard on two evenings at Martin's house, and near the research camp. Failed to see one.
Malabar Trogon - only in the big bird party - 104 birds! - 1km before the S. research camp.
SRI LANKA GREY HORNBILL - Surprisingly tame, but unobtrusive species.
Malabar Pied Hornbill - Only seen at Yala where one was in dead trees above a lake.
YELLOW-FRONTED BARBET - Common at S. Calling a lot.
Indian Pitta - Dipped painfully at VG where Yoga was watching one together with 3 Pied Thrushes as six dogs piled into the area (near the main footbridge) and none of them were seen again. Worth visiting this site very early morning. Did eventually have brief view of one at Bundala.
Philippine Shrike - This subspecies of Brown Shrike seen at Hakdala Gardens.
SRI LANKA WHITE-HEADED STARLING - 19 seen in the big flock at S. is apparently an unusually large number. Several were seen gathering moss in their beaks before flying off in a sub-group.
SRI LANKA HILL MYNAH - Only seen at S. where quite easy, but often only flying over high.
YELLOW-EARED BULBUL - Common at HW, HG and WE.
BROWN-CAPPED BABBLER - Only seen at Ingidya, but not usually difficult at S. Keeps very close to the ground.
SRI LANKA RUFOUS BABBLER - Lots at S.
ASHY-HEADED LAUGHING THRUSH - Only seen in the big S. flock.
DULL BLUE FLYCATCHER - One only, at HG just above the shop.
SRI LANKA BUSH-WARBLER - Missed this at G and VG where it does occur. The one seen was the first bird of the day towards WE on Horton's Plains.
SRI LANKA WHISTLING THRUSH - Almost certainly saw this species, but only silhouetted in the dense undergrowth just above HG. But remains the one endemic species that I missed. Didn't get to HW at dawn or dusk when it should be easier though.
SPOT-WINGED THRUSH - Important to get up early and walk the tracks at S. Had several sightings this way. Song is clearly that of a Thrush, and quite easy to track down. Also seen in the day there in the half-light just before a heavy rain.
LEGGE'S FLOWERPECKER - Common around Martin's house and several seen towards research camp at S.
SRI LANKA WHITE EYE - Numerous at all sites in the Nuwara Eliya area but not seen elsewhere. Does occur at S. though.
As well as the invaluable help and hospitality of Sarath Kotagama and his wife, I would like to thank P. Yoganathan ('Yoga') at Keena Cottage, Keena Road, Nuwera Eliya, Martin at Sinharaja, and Eben who all helped to make our stay so interesting and enjoyable, and for help in finding the birds and interesting places.
Any correspondence to: Chris Bowden, c/o Research Dept. RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds, SG19 2DL, UK