Sri Lanka has more than 400 species of birds, of which 21 are unique to the island, and many more are only found in south India. Travelling through the country, it is easy to see them at fairly close quarters. Many perch conveniently on electrical wires, displaying their colourful plumage at the roadside.
At first it seems that the ever-present crows, of which there are two species, are the only birds in town, rooting through dustbins and dodging traffic, but a dawn walk will provide a fair bird list. There are the sweet-songed black and white magpie robin, the green barbet, the golden oriole, which migrates from India, and the noisy, chattering grey indian babbler, as well as bulbuls, noisy flocks of parakeets and the chocolate coloured mynah. Cormorants and snake birds are the diving champions, whilst plovers and waders keep to the muddy banks. The painted stork ventures further in search of crabs, frogs and water snakes and with luck you may spot a kingfisher waiting to pounce. One bird even the most amateurish ornithologist will be able to identify is the spoonbill,swishing the water from side to side, like a diner searching for something in his soup. Another strange creature is the pheasant-tailed jacana, which has developed elongated toes for walking across lily pads.
The rarer rainforest and mountain birds are not at all difficult to spot if you visit any of the parks or sanctuaries. In contradiction of the proverb, birds of different feather do flock together, including leafbirds, flycatchers and babblers. The brilliant blue magpie lives in groups in the hill forests, feeding on insects. The pied ground thrush got its name because it has variegated markings on its wings and is often found foraging through leaf litter. The malabar trogon is widespread in Sri Lanka, the male easily identifiable by his bright red breast and black head. Others to look for are yellow-green ceylon iora, the wedge-tailed drongo, as well as barbets, parrots and minivets in the orginal forests of the wet zone mountains. An infamous bird of the forests is the "devil bird", so named for the horrifying sound of its call that is uttered in the middle of the night. Although it is not difficult to hear, no one has positively identified the marker of the sounds. The raucous call of the bizarre Malabar pied hornbill in the dry zone will guide you to the flocks that live on the tallest tree tops. Other birds regularly seen on drives around the island ate raptors, in particular hawks and eagles. Most of the reservoirs have the fishing tank eagle or the white-bellied sea eagle. Mountains with cliffs are frequented by the black eagle and the mountain hawk eagle, the brahiminy kite, and the serpent eagle, which are all predators who prey on small mammals and birds.
At first it seems that the ever-present crows, of which there are two species, are the only birds in town, rooting through dustbins and dodging traffic, but a dawn walk will provide a fair bird list. There are the sweet-songed black and white magpie robin, the green barbet, the golden oriole, which migrates from India, and the noisy, chattering grey indian babbler, as well as bulbuls, noisy flocks of parakeets and the chocolate coloured mynah. Cormorants and snake birds are the diving champions, whilst plovers and waders keep to the muddy banks. The painted stork ventures further in search of crabs, frogs and water snakes and with luck you may spot a kingfisher waiting to pounce. One bird even the most amateurish ornithologist will be able to identify is the spoonbill,swishing the water from side to side, like a diner searching for something in his soup. Another strange creature is the pheasant-tailed jacana, which has developed elongated toes for walking across lily pads.
The rarer rainforest and mountain birds are not at all difficult to spot if you visit any of the parks or sanctuaries. In contradiction of the proverb, birds of different feather do flock together, including leafbirds, flycatchers and babblers. The brilliant blue magpie lives in groups in the hill forests, feeding on insects. The pied ground thrush got its name because it has variegated markings on its wings and is often found foraging through leaf litter. The malabar trogon is widespread in Sri Lanka, the male easily identifiable by his bright red breast and black head. Others to look for are yellow-green ceylon iora, the wedge-tailed drongo, as well as barbets, parrots and minivets in the orginal forests of the wet zone mountains. An infamous bird of the forests is the "devil bird", so named for the horrifying sound of its call that is uttered in the middle of the night. Although it is not difficult to hear, no one has positively identified the marker of the sounds. The raucous call of the bizarre Malabar pied hornbill in the dry zone will guide you to the flocks that live on the tallest tree tops. Other birds regularly seen on drives around the island ate raptors, in particular hawks and eagles. Most of the reservoirs have the fishing tank eagle or the white-bellied sea eagle. Mountains with cliffs are frequented by the black eagle and the mountain hawk eagle, the brahiminy kite, and the serpent eagle, which are all predators who prey on small mammals and birds.
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