Birding Hotspots....

The jungles of Sri Lanka abound in a variety of wildlife,which is surprising for an island

of its size in the tropics.A visit to the Sri Lankan jungles is to enter a whole new world

where nature has largely stayed still.There are four majour national parks.Of these the best

known is Ruhunu National Park,at Yala,in the deep South of the island.The other 3 well known

national parks are Wilpattu,Inginiyagala and Udawalawe.
Sri Lanka has a rich and exotic variety of wildlife and a long tradition of conservation

rooted in its 2,230 year old Buddhist civilisation. The following are the most important

sanctuaries in terms of attractions, accessibility and availability of facilities.


Yala (Ruhuna) National Park

Yala National Park Situated 309 km. south of Colombo, Yala is approximately 1,259 sq.km. in extent and is located in the south eastern corner of the island. Its northern

boundaries border on the Lahugala Elephant Sanctuary and it has the added bonus of a scenic

ocean frontage. The terrain is varied flat plains alternating with rocky outcrops. The

vegetation ranges from open parkland to dense jungle. Water holes, small lakes, lagoons and

streams provide water for the animals and birds. The speciality here is the large numbers of

elephants.


The Peacock is easily the most famous of the birds at Yala.The mating dance of the male,with

its colourful plumes fully spread,is a photographer's delight.While the Peacock has its

fame,there are also many other species which attract those who are interested in bird

life,and add to the mood and feel of nature.The Painted stork,many varities of heron,the

spoonbill,the bee-eater,many colourful parakeets,the Malabar Pied & Grey

Hornbills,kingfishers, wood-peckers and hoopoe are a few birds that can be seen by the

observant in the jungles of Sri Lanka. There is accomodation in the national parks of Sri

Lanka in special bungalows maintained by the Department of Wild Life Conservation.


Dry rations are taken by the visitors and they are made for you by caretakers who are expert at

turning quick,tasty meals.Travel inside the parks only by a vhicle.Four- wheel drive is

recomended.



While the elephant is undoubtedly the best known attraction at Yala,Seen in small and large

herds,what is the most appealing here is the overall mood of the undisturbed jungle.Large

herds of spoted Deer are seen all over the Park,as are many Sambhur,and for those who are

sharp eyed to observe,many of the endemoc Muntjac or Barking Deer.Monkeys-the pinkish Rhesus and the grey faced Langur Monkey,live and play on the tree-tops and the ground below. Wild Buffalo and Wild Boar could give you a good surprise and a great picture,while sight of a

leopard sunning itself or drinking at a water hole could be a memorable experience,As dusk

gathers,there is every chance of seeing the Ceylon Sloth Bear scampering with its young on

it back.the progress of your vehicle could be held up by a Python across the track,and near

the many waterholes will be found whole colonies of Crocodiles.



Wilpattu National Park

Situated 176 km. north of Colombo, Wilpattu is approximately 1,908 sq.km. in extent.

It has a dense jungle cover which makes it a more exciting park where animals have to be

tracked. There are numerous delightful little lakes - known as villus - and the leopard and

sloth bear are the speciality rather than elephants.
The bird diversity in this park is extremely high due to the presence of different

types of habitat. Its one of the best sites to observe the migrating waders which land there

by mid August.Many species of resident storks, three types of cormorant and darter, jacana

and swamphen are a few examples of water birds easily noticed. Many forest dwelling

resident and migrant species are frequently come across.

A word from the editor...

When Sonal Balasuriya told a colleague he was going on a birding trip to the Kaudulla

national park for 3days, he was met with, ‘You’ve already birded Minneriya, there can’t be

any lifers for you’. ‘True enough,’ he responded, ‘but there is more to life than lifers …’
This resonated with me as I often feel that there is too much emphasis in birding circles on

being able to tick a new species and not enough on just revelling in the pleasure of being

surrounded by birds, their antics and sounds, even if they are ones seen a hundred times

before. But then I have no ambition to tick every species on the planet. Don’t get me wrong:

I am as excited as the next person when I catch a glimpse of a bird I have never seen

before. And, yes, there are some birds that I would build an entire holiday around if there

were a chance of seeing them for the first, and possibly only, time.
Photograph: Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher (Kaudullu National Park)

TIPS & TRICKS FOR A BEGINNER...

....Compliments of Wild Birds Forever
We've had many requests to help identify backyard birds. We thought we'd share some tips with you to make bird identification easier. There are several things to consider when watching and identifying your backyard birds. First, you need a good field guide. Second, a good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope will bring your backyard birds up close and in focus. And thirdly, follow our pointers below on how to identify a new bird.


Need a new
field guide?
GET A GOOD FIELD GUIDE
Having a good field guide handy is one of the most important steps in identifying your backyard birds. We recommend the following field guides:A Field Guide to the birds of Sri Lanka by John Harrison & A Guide to the birds of Sri Lanka by G.M.Henry, the script which we consider as our bible than yet a another guide book. Leaf through your field guides often to become familiar with the wonderful variety of birds that inhabit our country.


Check out our
binoculars &
spotting scopes
BINOCULARS & SPOTTING SCOPES
A good pair of binoculars or spotting scope is essential equipment for the backyard birder. We offer advice on how to select binoculars and have the best selling birding binoculars and spotting scopes available.

BIRD IDENTIFICATION TIPS
More than230 species of birds breed in our small island. This can be daunting to the birdwatcher who wants to identify a newcomer at the backyard feeding station. The challenge lies not only in seeing the bird, but also accurately identifying them. The following guidelines can help you narrow down the search in your field guide as a new visitor parks on your feeding station. Look for the following identifying characteristics of the bird you want to identify.

SIZE:First, ask yourself "how big is the bird?" The easiest way to do this is to compare it to another well known bird. Is it as big as a mynah or as small as a tailorbird? Is the bird fat or skinny, long or short? This is an important first step to identifying the bird.

COLOR & MARKINGS: Observe the overall color and appearance of the bird. Is it mostly blue or red for example. Next, identify unique field marks such as a black head, white stripes on the wing bars, yellow belly or white spots.

SHAPE & SIZE OF BEAK: Notice the shape and size of the beak. Is it short and stocky like that of a seed eating bird? Or is it long and slender like an insect eating bird. The beak is an important clue to the family and type of bird you're trying to identify.

FAMILY & BEHAVIOR: Ornithologists organize birds into family groups that share certain structural characteristics. Identifying family resemblances is often helpful in identifying birds in the field. A good example is the Picidae family which are quickly recognized as the woodpeckers. This would narrow your search from 250 down to 22.

Behavioral traits also provide some good clues. Is it a perching bird? Is it visiting your bird feeder? Or is it foraging on the ground? Is it a water bird? Or is it a sunbird? This general classification step will make identifying the bird in your field guide easier.

BIRD SONG OR CALL: We often hear a bird before we see it. Learning to identify the specific song or calls of birds will enable you to become a better birder and easily recognize birds. Learning the sounds of birds may well become as essential to you as your field guide and binoculars. Many of the field guides we sell have information about bird songs as well. Next time you are out taking a walk, stop and LISTEN! A bird's

Where the Birds Live...

It is noticeable how most kinds of birds tend to keep to certain special surroundings, and it is not by chance that we find them there again and again.
Many factors are at work in determining just where any given species can live and reproduce most successfully, and while some birds are much more adaptable than others, all are influenced by such things as their food requirements, the availability of nest-sites or song-posts, cover for roosting, and so forth.
a convenient name for a bird's immediate and typical surrounding is 'habitat', and each type of habitat, whether it be hill forest, dense shrubberies, open countrysides are marshlands, has its own characteristic birds.
This picture explains in detail what a habitat is all about.