Bird Watching

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The abundance of Sri Lanka’s bird life makes it an ornithologist’s paradise. Of the 435 recorded species, 230 are resident, and no less that 23 are endemic to the island. Most of the endemic birds, like the Sri Lanka Myna or the Yellow-eared Bulbul, are restricted to the wet zone. Others, such as the striking Red-faced Malkoha and the Sri Lanka Spot-winged Thrush, can be found throughout the island, although confined to small areas of humid forests.

Among the best areas for bird-life are the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary and the Polonnaruwa Archaeological Reserve Area. Around mid-August, the first flock of the species that live through winter in Sri Lanka begin to arrive with large numbers of waders from northern temperate countries – sandpipers, stilts, plovers and terns – finding refuge in the unique lagoons along the costal belt.

In the forested areas, migratory tree warblers, thrushes and cuckoos can be found. Reservoirs in the dry zone attract numerous types of ducks, whilst large water birds – including storks, herons and egrets – can be easily spotted in areas such as Bundala, Kalametiya and Wirawila in the extreme south-eastern coast. The eastern lagoons in the island, particularly Bundala, are especially famous for migrating flocks of flamingos.

Bird Sanctuaries
The sanctuaries at Kumana, 312 km from Colombo, Wirawila 261 km, Bundala 259 km, Kalametiya 224 km, are all lagoon locations in Sri Lanka’s extreme south eastern coast. The coastal sanctuaries are exotically picturesque with combinations of lagoons, swamps, rivers, jungles, lakes and plains. Large flocks of both resident and migrant aquatic birds can be found here.

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Srilanka Tourism