Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History

With Blue Whales Extension Naturetrek Tour Report 2 - 21 February 2019

Asian Elephant Changeable Hawk-Eagle

Kandy Temple of the Tooth Blue Whale

Report & images compiled by Suminda Dodangoda & Jayaba Jinasena

Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Tour participants: Suminda Dodangoda & Jayaba Jinasena with 14 Naturetrek clients

Summary

A Leopard with her three cubs on top of a rock stole the show and was the highlight of the tour, amongst many other spectacular sightings of Asian Leopards in the Udawalawe National Park. We also a special visit to the Udawalawe Elehant Transit Home which works on rehabilitating orphaned Elephants before re-introducing them to the wild. Here, we enjoyed seeing young Elephant calves being fed and playing. Those on the extension also enjoyed some great sightings of Blue Whales and Spinner Dolphins.

From the cultural sites visited on this tour, the visit to the Sigiriya Lion Rock and the Polonnaruwa ancient city was enjoyed by everyone, as it gave the group such an insight in to the religion, way of life, culture, architecture, urban planning and war craft of a civilization more than 1500 years old. We also particularly enjoyed the colourful dance show we attended in Kandy.

A total of 206 bird species, 23 species of mammals and 13 species of reptiles were seen throughout the tour and extension - some of the very best Wildlife and History of this fascinating country.

Day 1 Saturday 2nd February

The tour started with an overnight flight from the UK to Sri Lanka.

Day 2 Sunday 3rd February

Anuradhapura The flight arrived at 12.20pm and we left the airport at 1.50pm. On our drive we stopped for a cup of tea and some snacks and then proceeded to our first birding stop at the Anawilundawa RAMSAR wetland sanctuary. Here sightings included Indian Pond Heron, Purple Heron, Grey-headed Swamphen (now split from Purple Swamphen), Spot-billed Pelican, Brahminy Kite, Eurasian Coot, Little Cormorant, Great Egret, Lesser Whistling Duck, Whiskered Tern, Black-headed Ibis, Indian Roller, Oriental Darter, Asian Palm Swift, Blue-tailed Bee- eater, Grey Heron, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Painted Stork, Black-hooded Oriole, Asian Openbill, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Yellow-billed Babbler, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Greater Coucal, Brown-headed Barbet, House Crow, Common Myna, Asian Koel and Orange-breasted Green Pigeon along with a Brown Mongoose.

After an hour’s birding, we headed to our first hotel at Anuradhapura. We arrived at 8pm and had dinner, followed by the briefing for the next day.

Day 3 Monday 4th February

Anuradhapura We started the day with a pre-breakfast birding session at 6.15am. We went around the hotel and the nearby lake and encountered White-rumped Munia, Jerdon’s Leafbird, Oriental Magpie-Robin, White-breasted Waterhen, Common Moorhen, Indian Swiflet, White-throated Kingfisher, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Shikra Black-rumped

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Flameback, Ashy Woodswallow, Red-vented Bulbul and Pale-billed Flowerpecker. After an hour of birding we headed back to the hotel and had breakfast.

We then visited the Sri Mahabodi Sacred Fig Tree, Ruvanveli Maha Seya Stupa, Twin Ponds, Guard Stone and many other locations. During our visit we encountered Indian Peafowl, Little Grebe, Intermediate Egret, Woolly-necked Stork, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Rock Dove, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Common Kingfisher, Coppersmith Barbet, Small Minivet and Asian Brown Flycatcher, along with Toque Macaque, Grey Langur, and Water and Land Monitors.

We returned to the hotel at 12.30pm for lunch and relaxed until 3.30pm, after which we set out to visit the Mihintale temple where we climbed to the summit and enjoyed the views. We saw Marshall’s Iora, Rose-ringed Parakeets, Deraniyagala’s Gecko and Hard-shelled Terrapin.

We returned to the hotel and did the checklist at 7.15pm, followed by dinner and the briefing for the next day.

Day 4 Tuesday 5th February

Sigiriya During our pre-breakfast bird walk we saw Ashy Woodswallow and Shikra along with many other birds seen before. After breakfast we checked out of the hotel and proceeded to Sigiriya. En route we saw Black-winged Stilt, Indian Silverbill, Crested Serpent Eagle, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Jerdon’s Bush Lark, Barn Swallow, Zitting Cisticola and Jungle Prinia. We visited the famous Avukana temple, which houses the granite Buddha statue.

We reached Hotel Sigiriya at 1.30pm, had lunch and relaxed until 4pm. We later visited the Sigiriya sanctuary and did some birding amidst a slight drizzle. Here we encountered, Orange-headed Thrush, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Brown Shrike, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon., White-browed Bulbul and Indian Robin.

We returned to the hotel at 7pm, and did the checklist followed by the briefing and dinner.

Day 5 Wednesday 6th February

Sigiriya We had early breakfast at 6.30am and then visited the Sigiriya Lion Rock. We enjoyed the different levels of this intricately designed city as we progressed to the summit. At different stages of our climb we saw the cave complexes which once housed monks and later served as a guard point, the cave that contains the frescos of the beautifully painted maidens, the Lion-paw stairway and the palace complex which was surrounded by ponds and a stone throne.

We returned to the hotel for lunch and enjoyed the hotel facilities until 2pm. Next some of us went on the Polonnaruwa ancient city excursion and enjoyed the old ruins of the once self-sufficient kingdom of Sri Lanka which was brought to its heights by King Parakramabahu. We visited the Watadage, Image House, Nissanka Latha Mandapaya and the famed Gal Viharaya. We saw a couple of Purple-faced Leaf Monkeys and Spotted Deer at the ancient city. Whilst returning from Polonnaruwa to Sigiriya we encountered some wild Asian

2 © Naturetrek

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Elephants. Then we visited a local shrine room on the bund (embankment) of Minneriya Tank, where we saw how the local villagers gained the blessings from the local deity.

We encountered Indian Junglefowl, Black Eagle, Crested Treeswift, Little Swift, Green Bee-eater, Peregrine Falcon, Indian Pitta, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Black-capped Bulbul, Sri Lanka Swallow and White-rumped Shama on our walks in the day.

We reached the hotel by 7.30pm and joined the rest of the group for dinner. Then we went for a short night drive but didn’t come across any sightings.

Day 6 Thursday 7th February

Kandy We had breakfast at 7.30am, then checked out of the hotel and proceeded to Kandy. En route we visited the Dedicated Economic Centre where we had an opportunity to see Sri Lankan vegetables and fruits, and busy local people, and had a cup of ginger tea. Later we visited the famous Dambulla Rock Cave temple which has a history spanning over 1500 years and holds various statues of the Buddha, deities and a few Kings.

Our next stop was at a spice garden in Matale. We had a delicious lunch here and thereafter enjoyed a tour of the spice garden and received a massage from the Ayurvedic masseurs. We reached the Thilanka Hotel in Kandy at 5.30pm and met for dinner at 7pm, which was followed by the checklist and the next day’s briefing.

Day 7 Friday 8th February

Kandy We had an early breakfast at 6.30am and set off to visit the Udawattakele sanctuary. During the drive to the sanctuary we saw Black-crowned Night Heron and Little Egret on the banks of the Kandy Lake. Udawattakele sanctuary was once the royal gardens of the Kandyan kingdom and served as an escape route and hunting grounds for the royalty. We encountered Southern Hill Myna, Spot-winged Thrush, Common Emerald Dove, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Pale-billed Flowerpecker, Crimson-backed Flameback, Common Tailorbird, Green Warbler, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Yellow-browed Bulbul and White-rumped Shama, along with Muntjac. We left the sanctuary at 11am and reached the hotel for lunch.

After lunch at 2.30pm we set off to visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens where, among the many different trees and plants, we saw a colony of Flying Foxes, White-bellied Drongo, Jungle Crow and Common Hawk- Cuckoo. After visiting the botanical gardens, we attended a cultural dance show which was a great highlight for many, with all the performances showcasing traditional dance and music of different parts of the island. We returned to the hotel for a quick wash and later we visited the most sacred place for all Buddhists, known as the Temple of the Tooth, which holds the left canine tooth of Lord Buddha. We were very lucky to see the golden casket where the Tooth relic was enshrined.

We returned to the hotel at 8pm for dinner.

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Day 8 Saturday 9th February

Nuwara Eliya We did a pre-breakfast birding session in the Hantane mountain range and encountered Crimson-fronted Barbet, Plain Prinia, Grey-breasted Prinia, Tawny-bellied Babbler, Cinereous Tit and very good glimpses of a Crested Serpent Eagle. We returned to the hotel at 7.15am and, after a leisurely breakfast, at 9am we checked out to proceed to Nuwara Eliya.

En route we visited a working tea factory and witnessed the process of tea manufacturing. After our tea training we enjoyed a variety of teas. We reached the next hotel, Heaven Seven, at 1.30pm and had lunch.

At 4.30pm we set off to visit the Victoria Park but due to the heavy rains that followed we ended up doing a small city-tour drive and saw the oldest Post Office in the city and a British-built church of 1855. We had time to drive along the Gregory Lake and returned to the hotel at 5.30pm and did the checklist followed by the next day’s briefing and dinner.

Day 9 Sunday 10th February

Nuwara Eliya We started the day at 4.45am with tea/coffee and set out to Horton Plains. It was a very cold but sunny morning and we were able to enter the park on the second ticket. We stopped at a pond to try to see the elusive Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush and saw them flying right in front of us. We also encountered Sambar Deer, Indian Blue Robin, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Zitting Cisticola, Pied Bush Chat and Hill Swallow, Sri Lanka White-eye and, to everyone’s surprise, were able to watch a Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush for more than 20 minutes on the way back to the exit of the park. Adding to the list, we saw Crested Honey Buzzard, Himalayan Buzzard, Dull Blue Flycatcher, Grey Wagtail and Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Paddyfield Pipit and Richard’s Pipit, as well.

We returned to the hotel for lunch and then at 4pm visited Victoria Park. Though it drizzled a bit, it did not disturb us, thereby giving us good views of Kashmir Flycatcher, Pied Thrush and Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler and many other birds. We returned to the hotel at 5.45pm and did our checklist followed by the next day’s briefing, before enjoying dinner.

Day 10 Monday 11th February

Tissamaharama We had breakfast at 7.30am and checked out of the hotel at 8.30am. En route to Tissamaharama we visited the Surrey Estate Bird Sanctuary and encountered a Brown Wood Owl, Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher and Orange Minivet along with other birds.

For lunch we stopped at Bandarawela Hotel, which is one of the colonial hotels with a history of more than 150 years. We then continued to our next destination and checked in at Rain Tree Hotel by 4pm. We did an evening

4 © Naturetrek

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

bird walk around Debara Wewa tank where we encountered Jungle Owlet, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Common Moorhen and many more birds. Back at the hotel we saw colonies of Flying Foxes flying around in the sky.

We did the checklist after dinner at 8.30pm, and after the briefing for the next day, retired to our rooms.

Day 11 Tuesday 12th February

Yala We had an early check-out at 5am and left with picnic breakfast and lunch to Yala National Park. We arrived at the park by 6am and started the safari. Once inside the park sightings included Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Jacobin Cuckoo, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Grey Headed Fish Eagle, Great Stone-curlew, Little Ringed Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Gull-billed Tern, Blue-faced Malkoha, Indian Nightjar, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Jerdon’s Bush Lark, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kestrel, Common Iora, Marshall’s Iora, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Ashy Drongo, White-browed Fantail, Ashycrowned Sparrow-Lark, Oriental Skylark, Rosy Starling, Streaked Weaver and Tricolored Munia. Then we had our lunch at a very calm quiet part of the park close to the Manik River which flows through the park. We were surrounded by many Toque Macaque trying to get at our food, but we enjoyed being there and a rested for a little while. Mammals seen today included Spotted Deer, Wild Boar and Ruddy Mongoose.

We had to leave the park at 4.30pm since one of our clients accidentally dropped her bag with valuables in it, but it was recovered by a jeep driver who was waiting to hand it over near the park entrance. We reached Cinnamon Wild Yala at 6.40pm and had a briefing for the next day and had dinner at 8pm.

Day 12 Wednesday 13th February

Yala We started the day at 5.15am, after a cup of tea with some cake, and set out in the jeeps to see more wildlife in Yala National Park. We were fortunate to come across a Leopard with her three cubs on a rock – what an amazing sight! With our spirits high we enjoyed the rest of the safari before returning to our hotel for lunch. Among the many birds encountered today we saw Eurasian Hoopoe, Brahminy Starling and Eurasian Spoonbill.

The rest of the day was at leisure and the clients enjoyed the facilities of the hotel. At 8.30pm after dinner met in the restaurant for the checklist.

Day 13 Thursday 14th February

Embilipitiya We had an early start with a packed breakfast and checked out at 5.25am. Our next destination was Embilipitiya and we proceeded to Hotel Centauria. En route we had a morning birding safari at Bundala National Park where we encountered many terns including Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Greater Crested Tern, Pacific Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Bay-backed Shrike, Watercock, Little Ringed Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope, Eurasian Collared Dove, Small

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Pratincole, Common Tern, Collared Scops Owl, Pied Kingfisher, Common Kestrel, Yellow Wagtail, and Whiskered Terns. We also saw an Indian Star Tortoise.

After the safari, we reached Hotel Centauria at 1pm. We had lunch and then we met at 7.15pm for dinner after a briefing about the next day’s programme and the checklist.

Day 14 Friday 15th February

Sinharaja After checking out, at 5.15am we left for Udawalawe National Park with a packed breakfast. We had great views of Asian Elephants, and also encountered Ashy Prinia, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Sirkeer Malkoha, and many other birds. After the morning safari we visited the Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe and saw how the baby elephants being fed. Whilst there we saw a roosting Indian Scops Owls.

After lunch in a local restaurant, we headed to Sinharaja. We reached the Blue Magpie Lodge around 5.30pm and enjoyed a delicious glass of wood apple juice, then we moved to our rooms since it was raining heavily.

In the evening we did our checklist in the hotel restaurant. We called it a day after dinner and the next day’s briefing as we had an early start to go to the rainforest.

Day 15 Saturday 16th February

Sinharaja We had a cup of tea/coffee at 5.15am and set off in jeeps with a packed breakfast to the Sinharaja Rainforest. Once there we encountered Orange-billed Babbler, Sri Lanka Drongo, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Spot-winged Thrush, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Black-naped Monarch, Squared-tailed Bulbul, Dark-fronted Babbler, Sri Lanka Hill Myna, Legge’s Flowerpecker, and many other birds. In addition to the birds, Green Vine Snake, Green Garden Lizard, Layard’s Striped Squirrel, Sri Lanka Kangaroo Lizard and Giant Wood Spider were seen.

We returned to the hotel in the afternoon and enjoyed lunch. Soon after, heavy rains hampered our evening programme. We did the checklist after dinner and said good night to each other.

Day 16 Sunday 17th February

We had early tea/coffee and set out to the Sinharaja buffer zone called Ketalapatala, where we encountered the Green-billed Coucal, along with Black-throated Munia, Oriental White-eye and many other birds at a local house next to a river. On our way back we encountered Purple-faced Leaf Monkey. We returned to the hotel for breakfast and relaxed until lunch.

After lunch the group split in to two, with few going to Katunayake for the last night of the main tour whilst the rest continued on the Blue Whale extension.

6 © Naturetrek

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

The ‘main tour’ group reached the Airport Garden Hotel at 6.30pm and checked in for their overnight stay in Colombo.

The Blue Whale extension group reached the Fisherman’s Bay Resort at 5.30pm. We had dinner at 7.30pm and after the briefing for the next day, bid good night to everyone.

Main Tour Day 17; Blue Whale Extension Day 1 Monday 18th February

After breakfast the main tour group left the hotel for the airport and caught their flight back to the UK, where the main tour ended.

Meanwhile, those on the extension left the hotel with a picnic breakfast at 5.45am for a boat trip. Before long we came upon Spinner Dolphin, and Blue Whales. We had many interesting close encounters with them, before happily returning to the hotel. After a while on the sea, a mechanical error occurred in the boat and another whale-watching boat assisted us in towing our boat to the shore and we all managed to come back to hotel by 11.30am.

After lunch in the hotel, we paid a visit to the Galle Dutch Fort on a walking tour and enjoyed a sunset beer at the Rampart Hotel in Galle. We returned to the hotel by 7pm and did our briefing for the next day which followed by dinner.

Extension Day 2 Tuesday 19th February

Weligama Once again, after a cup of tea/coffee, we left the hotel with a picnic breakfast at 6am for another boat trip. Before long we encountered a few Blue Whales along with many Spinner Dolphins. As we were returning to the pier, we also saw some Flying Fish. We were back at the hotel by 10.45am and had our lunch at 1pm.

As planned in the morning, we started the early evening drive to Matara and started our bird walk in the Kiralakele Sanctuary. We saw Western Marsh Harrier, Scaly-breasted Munia, Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow Bittern and Stork-billed Kingfisher. We returned to the hotel at 7pm and thereafter met for the checklist and dinner.

Extension Day 3 Wednesday 20th February

Weligama After breakfast we visited the Galle fort and walked around the old buildings. After a nice morning walk around the fort, we returned to the hotel for lunch. After lunch we checked out and proceeded to Katunayake.

We reached Katunayake by 5.30pm and had dinner at 7pm.

Extension Day 4 Thursday 21st February After breakfast we went to the airport and caught our flight back to the UK, where another Naturetrek adventure came to an end.

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Species Lists

Birds Key: bold = endemic; some previous/alternative names in brackets Common name Scientific name

1 Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica 2 Sri Lanka Spurfowl Galloperdix bicalcarata 3 Sri Lanka Junglefowl Gallus lafayettii 4 Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus 5 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 6 Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala 7 Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans 8 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus 9 Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus 10 Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus 11 Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia 12 Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis 13 Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 14 Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii 15 Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus 16 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 17 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 18 Great Egret Ardea alba 19 Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia 20 Little Egret Egretta garzetta 21 Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis 22 Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger 23 Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis 24 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 25 Oriental Darter (Darter) Anhinga melanogaster 26 Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus 27 Crested Honey Buzzard (Oriental Honey-buzzard) Pernis ptilorhynchus 28 Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela 29 Changeable Hawk Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus 30 Legge's Hawk-Eagle (Mountain Hawk-Eagle) Nisaetus kelaarti 31 Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis 32 Shikra Accipiter badius 33 Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 34 Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus 35 White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 36 Grey-headed Fish Eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus 37 Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus 38 White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus 39 Watercock Gallicrex cinerea 40 Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus 41 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 42 Eurasian Coot (Common Coot) Fulica atra 43 Great Stone-Curlew (Great Thick Knee) Esacus recurvirostris 44 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 45 Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus 46 Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus 47 Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva 48 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola 49 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula

8 © Naturetrek

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Common name Scientific name

50 Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 51 Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 52 Lesser Sand Plover, (Mongolian Plover) Charadrius mongolus 53 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica 54 Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 55 Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 56 Common Redshank Tringa totanus 57 Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis 58 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 59 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 60 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 61 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 62 Little Stint Calidris minuta 63 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 64 Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus 65 Small Pratincole Glareola lactea 66 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 67 Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 68 Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii 69 Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis 70 Common Tern Sterna hirundo 71 Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 72 White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus 73 Rock Dove (Common Pigeon) Columba livia 74 Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon Columba torringtoniae 75 Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 76 Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis 77 Common Emerald Dove (Emerald Dove) Chalcophaps indica 78 Orange-breasted Green Pigeon Treron bicinctus 79 Sri Lanka Green Pigeon Treron pompadora 80 Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea 81 Green-billed Coucal Centropus chlororhynchos 82 Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 83 Sirkeer Malkoha Taccocua leschenaultii 84 Blue-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus viridirostris 85 Jacobin Cuckoo (Pied Cuckoo) Clamator jacobinus 86 Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus 87 Grey-bellied Cuckoo, (Plaintive Cuckoo) Cacomantis passerinus 88 Common Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius 89 Indian Scops Owl (Collared Scops Owl) Otus bakkamoena 90 Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum 91 Sri Lanka Frogmouth Batrachostomus moniliger 92 Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus 93 Crested Treeswift (Gray-rumped Treeswift) Hemiprocne coronata 94 Indian Swiftlet Aerodramus unicolor 95 Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis 96 Little Swift (House Swift) Apus affinis 97 Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis 98 Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis 99 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 100 Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 101 Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis 102 Green Bee-eater (Little Green Bee-eater) Merops orientalis

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Common name Scientific name

103 Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus 104 Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti 105 Eurasian Hoopoe (Common Hoopoe) Upupa epops 106 Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus 107 Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill Ocyceros gingalensis 108 Brown-headed Barbet Psilopogon zeylanicus 109 Yellow-fronted Barbet Psilopogon flavifrons 110 Crimson-fronted Barbet Psilopogon rubricapillus 111 Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus 112 Black-rumped Flameback (Lesser Goldenback) Dinopium benghalense 113 Crimson-backed Flameback, (Crimson-b. Goldenback) Chrysocolaptes stricklandi 114 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 115 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 116 Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala 117 Layard's Parakeet Psittacula calthrapae 118 Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria 119 Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri 120 Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot Loriculus beryllinus 121 Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura 122 Sri Lanka Woodshrike Tephrodornis affinis 123 Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus 124 Common Iora Aegithina tiphia 125 Marshall's Iora Aegithina nigrolutea 126 Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus 127 Orange Minivet (Scarlet Minivet, Flame Minivet) Pericrocotus flammeus 128 Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus 129 Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus 130 White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens 131 Sri Lanka Drongo, (Sri Lanka Crested Drongo) Dicrurus lophorinus 132 White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola 133 Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea 134 Indian Paradise Flycatcher (Asian Paradise Flycatcher) Terpsiphone paradisi 135 Sri Lanka Blue Magpie Urocissa ornata 136 House Crow Corvus splendens 137 Indian Jungle Crow (Large-billed)- (Large-billed Crow) Corvus culminatus 138 Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis 139 Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus 140 Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix griseus 141 Jerdon's Bush Lark Mirafra affinis 142 Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula 143 Black-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus 144 Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer 145 Yellow-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus penicillatus 146 White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus 147 Yellow-browed Bulbul Acritillas indica 148 Square-tailed Bulbul Hypsipetes ganeesa humii 149 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 150 Hill Swallow Hirundo domicola 151 Sri Lanka Swallow Cecropis hyperythra 152 Green Warbler Phylloscopus nitidus 153 Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus 154 Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum 155 Sykes's Warbler Iduna rama

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Common name Scientific name

156 Sri Lanka Bush Warbler Elaphrornis palliseri 157 Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis 158 Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii 159 Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica 160 Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis 161 Plain Prinia Prinia inornata 162 Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius 163 Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus melanurus 164 Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra 165 Dark-fronted Babbler Rhopocichla atriceps 166 Brown-capped Babbler Pellorneum fuscocapillus 167 Orange-billed Babbler Turdoides rufescens 168 Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis 169 Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense 170 Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus 171 Sri Lanka White-eye Zosterops ceylonensis 172 Sri Lanka Hill Myna, (Sri Lanka Myna) Gracula ptilogenys 173 Southern Hill Myna, (Lesser Hill Myna) Gracula indica 174 Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 175 Brahminy Starling Sturnia pagodarum 176 Rosy Starling Pastor roseus 177 Pied Thrush Geokichla wardii 178 Orange-headed Thrush Geokichla citrina 179 Spot-winged Thrush Geokichla spiloptera 180 Indian Robin Copsychus fulicatus 181 Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis 182 White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus 183 Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica 184 Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui 185 Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae 186 Dull-blue Flycatcher Eumyias sordidus 187 Indian Blue Robin Larvivora brunnea 188 Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush Myophonus blighi 189 Pied Bush Chat Saxicola caprata 190 Jerdon's Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni 191 Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile 192 Legge's Flowerpecker, (White-throated Flowerpecker) Dicaeum vincens 193 Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos 194 Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica 195 Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus 196 Loten's Sunbird Cinnyris lotenius 197 House Sparrow Passer domesticus 198 Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar 199 Indian Silverbill, (White-throated Silverbill) Euodice malabarica 200 White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata 201 Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata 202 Black-throated Munia Lonchura kelaarti 203 Tricolored Munia (Black-headed Munia) Lonchura malacca 204 Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 205 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 206 Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus

Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report

Mammals Common name Scientific name 1 Toque Macaque Macaca sinica 2 Grey Langur Semnopithecus (Presbytis) entellus 3 Purple-faced Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus (Presbytis) vetulus 4 Golden Jackal Canis aureus 5 Small Indian Civet (Ring-tailed C.) Veverricula indica 6 Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii 7 Ruddy Mongoose Herpestes smithii 8 Brown Mongoose Herpestes fuscus 9 Leopard Panthera pardus kotiya 10 Asian Elephant Elephas maximus 11 Wild Boar Sus scrofa 12 Muntjac Muntiacus muntjac 13 Spotted Deer Cervus axis 14 Sambar Cervus unicolor 15 Water Buffalo Bubalus Bubalis 16 Indian Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum 17 Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura 18 Layard's Striped Squirrel Funambulus layardi 19 Dusky Striped Squirrel Funambulus sublineatus 20 Indian Hare (Black-naped Hare) Lepus nigricollis 21 Indian Flying Fox Pteropus gigantea 22 Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus 23 Spinner Dolphin Stenella mulla

Reptiles 1 Green Vine Snake Ahaetulla nasuta 2 Common Rat Snake Ptyas mucosus maximus 3 Bengal (Land) Monitor Varanus bengalensis 4 Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator 5 Oriental (Common) Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor 6 Green Garden Lizard Calotes calotes 7 Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus 8 Mugger Crocodile Crocodylus palustris 9 Soft-shelled Terrapin Lissemys punctata 10 Hard-shelled Terrapin Melanochelys trijuga parkeri 11 Deraniyagala's Gecko Cnemaspis podihuna 12 Common House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus 13 Common Skink Eutropis carinata

Receive our e-newsletter

Join the Naturetrek e-mailing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departures and new dates, tour reports and special offers. Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk to sign up.

Social Media

We’re social! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and be the first to hear about the launch of new tours, offers and exciting sightings and photos from our recently returned holidays.