Birds of Sri Lanka

In one of the most abused ecosystems in Sri Lanka, among mounds of garbage, the beauty of nature still shines. The story of Kerawalapitiya.

Sri Lanka’s central highlands are a region of remarkable natural beauty, home to a diverse range of ecosystems. In my view, the crown jewel of this highland landscape is Horton Plains National Park—a stunning plateau encircled by some of the highest peaks in the country. This is a capture of my experience during the excursions into the great Horton Plains.

For someone serious about birds in Sri Lanka, Mannar is a destination you will visit again and again. The road from Mannar to Jaffna through Pooneryn is a must-visit as it goes through flat, arid but rich birding sites. It's a beautiful drive. This blog post is about that super adventure.

The Sri Lankan avifauna is given special recognition by featuring on our contemporary currency notes. This is the eleventh series of notes issued in 2010 by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and it is themed “Development, Prosperity and Sri Lankan Dancers”.

Sinharaja Rain Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, is one of the last untouched rainforests in Sri Lanka. This lush sanctuary is a surviving fragment of the vast forest that once blanketed the island’s southwest wet zone. Teeming with life, Sinharaja is home to an incredible array of endemic species—from vibrant birds to unique reptiles, insects, and plant life. For any true nature enthusiast, a visit here is an absolute must.

This little bird was the spark that ignited my passion for birding. Back in 2012, during a safari in Udawalawe National Park, I encountered a solitary Bay-backed Shrike—an unexpected visitor that had flown all the way down from India. Perched calmly amidst the scrub, it caught my eye and held my attention in a way no bird had before. That fleeting moment marked the beginning of a journey that continues to this day.

The Bar-headed Goose is a remarkable species, known for being one of the highest-flying birds in the world. In fact, there are unconfirmed reports of these geese being spotted flying over Mount Everest during their winter migration to the Indian subcontinent. However, they don’t venture as far as Sri Lanka during this migration, nor are they typically recorded as a species seen in the country. That’s what makes finding one in Mannar so extraordinary.