Sllist

Sri Lanka Bird List, January 2002
with notes on subspecies where of interest; disputed common and specific names in brackets
Taxonomy follows Sibley & Monroe

Sri Lanka Spurfowl Galloperdix bicalcarata ^E	seen well at a site just outside the park boundary at Sinharaja
Sri Lanka Junglefowl Gallus lafayetii ^E	seen or heard at all sites
Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus	very common in the dry south-east
Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica	Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus	Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	huge flocks at Bundala
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis	Tissamaharama
Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus	a couple seen at Hikkaduwa
Darter Anhinga melanogaster	Yala and Bundala
Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger	common throughout
Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis	Yala, Bundala, Tissa tanks
Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis	quite common in the dry south-east
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	recorded at most sites
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	Yala and Bundala
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	Yala and Bundala
Great Egret Ardea alba	Yala and Bundala
Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia	Kitulgala and Yala
Cattle Egret Ardea ibis	fairly common in agricultural areas, not surprisingly mainly in association with water buffalo
Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii	common anywhere with water
Striated Heron Butorides striatus	one on mudflats at Bundala
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis	three or four at Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus	one at Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis	one at Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus	quite common in the dry south west
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	quite common at Yala
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala	quite common at Yala
Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans	Udawalawe, Yala, Bundala
Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus	only one at Yala
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus	three or four at Yala
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber	a huge flock of 100+ at Bundala
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus	seen at a number of sites outside the wet zone
White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster	Yala
Grey-headed Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus	one seen at Yala
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela	Kitulgala, Udawalewe
Shikra Accipiter badius	Tissmaharama
Besra Accipiter virgatus	two at Kitulgala
Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo	Horton Plains
Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis	Sinharaja and Horton Plains
Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus	the most common raptor, seen at all lowland sites
Mountain Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus nipalensis	one en route to Kitulgala
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	one at Yala
Slaty-legged Crake Rallina eurizonoides	one at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus	common in the dry south east
Watercock Gallicrex cinerea	two at Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio	Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus	Debera Wewa Tank near Tissamaharama
Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura	quite a few at Yala and Bundala
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	Yala, Bundala
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	Yala, Bundala
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis	Yala, Bundala
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia	Yala, Bundala
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus	one in the Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos	Kitulgala, Tissa, Bundala
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	Bundala
Little Stint Calidris minuta	Bundala
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus	five at Bundala
Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus	common in tanks in the dry south east
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus	a large gathering of 30+ seen at a tank en route to Tissa
Great Thick-knee Esacus recurvirostris	Yala and Bundala
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	Yala, Bundala, Tissa
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva	Yala and Bundala
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	Bundala
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	Bundala
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius	Yala and Bundala
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	Bundala
Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus	Bundala
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii	Bundala
Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus	a number of sightings in the dry south east
Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus	also mainly in the dry south east, in higher numbers than the former
Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus	Bundala
Crested Tern Sterna bergii	Bundala
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii	Hikkaduwa
Little Tern Sterna albifrons	Bundala
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus	very common on tanks in the south east
Rock Dove Columba livia	common throughout
Sri Lanka Wood-Pigeon Columba torringtoni ^E	two at Surrey Tea Plantation en route to Nuwara Eliya
Spotted Turtle-Dove Streptopelia chinensis	arguably the most widespread bird in Sri Lanka!
Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica robinsoni	Kitulgala, Sigiriya
Orange-breasted Pigeon Treron bicincta	Yala
Pompadour Green-Pigeon Treron pompadora pompadora	Kitulgala, Sinharaja
Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea	recorded at most sites
Sri Lanka Hanging-Parrot Loriculus beryllinus^E	common at Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri	most common in the south east
Layard's Parakeet Psittacula calthropae^E	not observed in high numbers but seen at Kitulgala, Sinharaja, Sigiriya
Pied Cuckoo Oxylophus jacobinus	this beautiful cuckoo was seen at Udawalewe, Yala and Sigiriya
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus	one at Sinharaja
Common Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus varius ciceliae	Horton Plains
Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus	one at the research centre at Sinharaja
Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus	Udawalewe, Yala and Bundala
Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris	heard at Sigiriya
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea	Yala, Bundala, Sigiriya
Blue-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus viridirostris	Udawalewe and Yala
Sirkeer Malkoha Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii	two at Yala
Red-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus ^E	up to 6 seen at Sinharaja, contender for bird of the trip!
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis	common throughout
Green-billed Coucal Centropus chlororhynchus ^E	one at Kitulgala, one at Sinharaja
Oriental Scops-Owl Otus sunia	one found roosting in an old woodpecker nest near Debera Wewa Tank
Indian Scops-Owl Otus bakkamoena	one roosting in a banana garden near Debera Wewa Tank, Tissa
Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis	also in a garden near Debera Wewa Tank
Brown Wood-Owl Strix leptogrammica	one at Surrey Tea Plantation
Chestnut-backed Owlet Glaucidium castanonotum ^E	one at Kitulgala
Sri Lanka Frogmouth Batrachostomus moniliger	one at Kitulgala
Jungle Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus kelaarti	near Martin's at Sinharaja
Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus	common in the Yala area
Jerdon's Nightjar Caprimulgus atripennis	heard near Yala
Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata	Yala and Bundala
Indian Swiftlet Aerodramus unicolor	common throughout
Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis	one or two at Kitulgala
House Swift Apus affinis	major towns
Malabar Trogon Harpactes fasciatus	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis taprobana	a few near Tissamaharama
Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis	near Debera Wewa Tank
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis	throughout
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis	Bundala and, surprisingly, in a filthy ditch in a suburb of Colombo
Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis	common in the dry zone
Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus	Sinharaja, Yala, Bundala, Tissa, Sigiriya
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti	Bundala and Tissa
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis	Udawalewe
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops	in quite high numbers at Yala
Sri Lanka Grey-Hornbill Ocyceros gingalensis ^E	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Malabar Pied-Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus	Yala, Sigiriya
Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica	seen and heard almost throughout
Yellow-fronted Barbet Megalaima flavifrons^E	common in the wet zone
Crimson-fronted Barbet Megalaima rubricapilla (Sri Lanka Small Barbet M. malabarica ^E)	only one seen at Kitulgala, near rice padi
Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala	common in the dry zone
Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis	one at Yala
Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus wellsi	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense psarodes	Kitulagala, Sinharaja
Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus stricklandi	Horton Plains
White-naped Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes festivus	a pair of this super bird seen near Debera Wewa Tank
Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura	surely the easiest pitta to see, at least 12 seen at Sinharaja, Yala, Bundala, Debera Wewa Tank, Nuwara Eliya and Sigiriya; another contender for bird of the trip!
Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea ceylonensis	Kitulgala, Sinharaja
Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi	seen at all lowland sites
White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola	Yala and Tissa
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus	Yala
White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens	Kitulgala, Sinharaja, Sigiriya
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Sri Lanka Crested Drongo) Dicrurus paradiseus lophorhinus	this race occurs in the wet zone, it lacks the rackets and has a deeply forked tail which is twisted at the ends, it also has a muc reduced crest - in other words it looks nothing like the Greater Racket-tailed Drongos I have seen in so many other countries! (However there is apparently a cline across the south of the Indian peninsular)
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia multicolor	this race looks radically different to the SEA races, with uniform black upper parts and wings; observed at most sites
Large Cuckoo-shrike Coracina macei	one at Kitulgala
Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike Coracina melanoptera	one at Sinharaja
Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus	Kitulgala and Bundala
Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus leggei	Kitulgala, Sinharaja and Sigiriya; this race occurs on the peninsular and in Sri Lanka, both the male and female have a black mantle
Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus	common in the wet zone but also seen in riparian forest at Yala
Sri Lanka Magpie Urocissa ornata ^E	a few seen at Sinharaja including one on a nest
House Crow Corvus splendens	near all human habitation
Large-billed Crow (Jungle Crow) Corvus macrorhynchos (C. levaillantii)	common throughout
Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons insularis	one at Kitulgala, also at Sigiriya
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus	at all sites except Sinharaja
Philippine Shrike L. c. lucionensis	this distinctive race of Brown Shrike seen at Horton Plains
Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus	Yala and Bundala
Rufous-winged Bushlark Mirafra assamica affinis	Yala, Bundala and Horton Plains
Oriental Pipit Anthus rufulus	Yala, Horton Plains and Sigiriya
Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus	Kitulgala and Yala (winter visitor)
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea	wet zone and montane areas
House Sparrow Passer domesticus	towns
White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata	Kitulgala and Tissa
Black-throated Munia Lonchura kelaarti (Sri Lanka Hill Munia L. kelaarti ^E)	only seen in a rice padi at Kitulgala
Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata	Kitulgala and Yala
Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca	Bundala
Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar	Debera Wewa
Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus	Debera Wewa
Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica	seen at most sites
Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiatica	Tissa
Long-billed Sunbird Cinnyris lotenia	all sites except Sinharaja
Legge's (White-throated) Flowerpecker Dicaeum vincens ^E	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos ceylonense	Kitulgala, Sinharaja, Nuwara Eliya, Sigiriya
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis	Sinharaja
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica	common in the dry zone
Pacific (Hill) Swallow Hirundo (domicola) tahitica	Horton Plains
Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica hyperythra	Udawalewe and nearby tanks
Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus (Black-capped Bulbul ^E)	common in the wet zone
Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer	seen every day at every site, another contender for most common bird in Sri Lanka
Yellow-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus penicillatus ^E	Nuwara Eliya and Horton Plains
White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus	Yala and Bundala
Yellow-browed Bulbul Iole indica	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler Bradypterus palliseri^E	Horton Plains
Blyth's Reed-Warbbler Acrocephalus dumetorum	one at Debera Wewa
Clamorous Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus	Debera Wewa
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius	Kitulgala, Sinharaja and Sigiriya
Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides	Yala and Horton Plains
Large-billed Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis	one at Debera Wewa
Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii pectoralis	two or three at Udawalewe
Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica valida	one at Udawalewe
Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis brevicauda	Udawalewe and Sigiriya
Plain Prinia Prinia inornata insularis	Yala, Bundala and Sigiriya
Ashy-headed Laughingthrush Garrulax cinereifrons ^E	two or three groups of up to 10 birds at Sinhraja, often loosely associating with mixed flocks
Brown-capped Babbler Pellorneum fuscocapillum ^E	Kitulgala and Sigiriya
Indian Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus horsfieldii	common at Sinharaja in mixed flocks, also commonly heard at Horton Plains
Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra	near Udawalewe
Dark-fronted Babbler Rhopocichla atriceps	Kitulgala, Sinharaja and Sigiriya
Orange-billed Babbler Turdoides rufescens^E	common at Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis taprobanus	common throughout although replaced by the above in deep forest
Great Tit Parus major mahrattarum	Victoria Park at Nuwara Eliya; found in south India and Sri Lanka with smoky grey underparts and dark grey upperparts
Sri Lanka White-eye Zosterops ceylonensis ^E	quite common at Horton Plains
Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus	Udawalewe
Sri Lanka Whistling-Thrush Myiophonus blighi ^E	one male seen briefly at the Arrenga pool at Horton Plains
Pied Thrush Zoothera wardii	up to six seen at Victoria Park at Nuwara Eliya
Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina citrina	one male at Sigiriya
Spot-winged Thrush Zoothera spiloptera ^E	a couple at Kitulgala but common at Sinharaja
Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma imbricata	one at the Arrenga pool at Horton Plains; this endemic race is quite distinct and could well be deemed to have specific status in the future
Common Blackbird Turdus merula kinnisii	also seen at the Arrenga pool; this endemic race has a bluish gloss to the plumage and an orange eye-ring
Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica	Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui	Kitulagala and Sinharaj
Kashmir Flycatcher Ficedula subrubra	two at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya
Dull-blue Flycatcher Eumyias sordida ^E	one at Horton Plains, proved to be quite difficult to track down
Tickell's Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae jerdoni	a few at Kitulgala and Sinharaja
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis	Horton Plains
Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea	one each at Kitulgala, Victoria Park and Sigiriya
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis ceylonensis	widespread
White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus leggei	one at Yala; the female of this race is similar to the male
Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata leucoptera	very common in the dry zone
Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata	common at Horton Plains in open areas
White-faced Starling Sturnia senex ^E	three at Sinharaja near the research centre
Brahminy Starling Temenuchus pagodarum	a few at Yala
Rosy Starling Pastor roseus	a small flock drinking at a puddle near Udawalewe
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis melanosternus	common throughout
Sri Lanka Myna Gracula ptilogenys ^E	two at Sinharaja
Southern Hill Myna Gracula indica	Kitulgala and Sigiriya

Mammal List
Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura
Indian Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum
Flame-striped Jungle Squirrel F. layardi
Grey Langur Semnopithecus entellus
Purple-faced Leaf-Monkey Trachypithecus vetulus
Toque Macaque Macaca sinica
Ruddy Mongoose Herpestes smithii
Asian Elephant Elephas maximus
Chital Deer Axis axis
Sambar Deer Cervus unicolor
Water Buffalo Bubalas bubalis
Golden Jackal Canis aureus
Eurasian Wild Pig Sus scrofa
Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica
Common Otter Lutra lutra
Black-naped Hare Lepus nigricollis