 Being home to a large number of fascinating avians, Sri Lanka is the ornithologist's
paradise. A total 431 species of birds have been recorded so far out of which
251 are resident and 23 are endemic to the island. Most of the endemic birds are
confined to the wet zone.
The ideal places to steal a view of the endemic birds are Sinharaja Natural
World Heritage, Horton Plains National Park and the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary.
Coastal wetlands of Bundala and Yala National Parks and Muturajawela &
Bellanwila Marsh provide a good place of habitation for migratory shore birds.
Migratory tree warblers, thrushes, cuckoos etc. can be seen in the forests.
The large reservoirs in the dry zone draw various species of ducks, terns and
herons. Flocks of visiting flamingoes have brought immense fame to Bundala.
Sinharaja
Sinharaja is a great tropical rain forest spanning across Galle, Matara and
Ratnapura. It offers some splendid views of the endemic birds found in the island.
It offers such a wide variety for the bird watchers that even an entire lifetime
will be insufficient to unearth its mysteries. It is home to a number of endemic
birds such as the black-crested bulbul, whistling thrust, Sri Lanka white eye
etc.
Bundala
246 kms southeast of colombo, Bundala is the birdwatcher’s paradise. It
is the terminating point of a vast migration of birds from the north. At any
given point of time from August to April it hosts over 20,000 shore birds. The
lagoons and the inter-tidal mud provide safe nesting and feeding place for wintering
birds. Migratory Stints, Sand Pipers, Plovers, Terns, Gulls, Ducks, and Flamingos,
in vast numbers, co-habit with the resident water birds such as Herons, Egrets,
Pelicans, Cormorants, Teals, Storks, Stilts, and Grebes, to create a colourful
blend for the tourists to relish.
Yala (Ruhuna) National Park
Situated 309 km. south of Colombo, Yala spans over an area of 1,259 sq.km and
shares its northern frontiers with the Lahugala Elephant Sanctuary. The vegetation
ranges from open parkland to dense jungle. The entire park is dotted with water
holes, small lakes, lagoons which are home to flocks of birds which holds the
fascination of the bird watchers. |
