Endemic Birds Species in Sri Lanka
Appearance & characteristics-Yellow-eared Bulbul is a rather shy bird.
Feeding system-They love to have fruits and when the trees are fruiting, they gather fruits in large numbers.
Habitats-It prefers mid-canopy and low bushes but moves high up where the trees are fruiting.
Breeding Season-They breed almost throughout the year with two seasons in March to May and August to October.
Nest-They build a nest which is about 10 -15 ft and it is shaped like an open cup. The nest is built with green moss and it is a thick nest.
Yellow-fronted Barbet (Magalaima flavifrons)
Appearance and Characteristics-Yellow fronted Barbet is a lovely bird species and they generally obey abode in the top of canopy. Its most characteristic trait is its call, which peaks during the breeding season. The birds start calling during the breeding season.
They start calling during the early part of the morning and continue for a few hours. They are normally silent during most of the day. But begin to call again in the evening. During these hours their call becomes the most dominant sound in the forest and carries a long distance.
Feeding system-During feeding the birds are silent; often several birds are feeding on the same fruit tree. They pick the fruit and swallow them whole. The young are fed mostly on fruits and insects, but they also eat small animal such as gekos.
Breeding Season-There are two breeding seasons in their lifetime, March to May and August to September, the first being the main period.
Nest-The nest is excavated in a medium sized dead or decayed soft-wooded tree.
It is usually dug in a vertical or near vertical stump. The nest chamber is usually 10 -20 ft above ground but there are nests located higher as well. There are no nesting materials used, both birds excavate the nest chamber.
Layard’s Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae)
Appearance & characteristics-This is a lovely and beautiful green parrot, with a bluish-gray head. There is a broad black chin stripe and the tail is blue tipped yellow. The female has an all-black beak and less green on the face than the male, Other features are same to the male one. Immature birds are mainly green, with an orange bill.
Habitats-Layard’s parakeet prefers to be in the forest, particularly at the edges and in clearings, and frequent gardens as well.
Feeding system-They love to have fruit, seeds, buds and blossoms mainly.
Breeding Season-Usually in small groups outside the breeding season and its call is a raucous chattering. It nests in holes in large trees, laying 3-4 white eggs.
Sri Lanka Junglefowl (Gallus Lafayettii)
Appearance & characteristics-The national bird of Sri Lanka. Usually, its habitats are forest and scrub. Junglefowl is strongly sexually dimorphic. The male is much larger than the female, with more vivid plumage and a highly exaggerated wattle and comb. The comb is red with a yellow Centre.
The female is smaller with dull brown plumage with white patterning on the lower belly and breast, ideal camouflage for a nesting bird.
Habitats-It spends most of its lifetime by scratching the ground for seeds, fallen fruits or insects.
Breeding Season-Lays 2-4 eggs in a nest either on the forest floor or in an abandoned nest of other birds or squirrels.
Sri Lanka Blue Magpie (Urocissa ornate)
Appearance & characteristics-These are shy but noisy birds, which usually move around in pairs or small groups. Members of the flock keep in contact by calls and lost birds are easily identified by the loud penetrating calls they make. They are active during the rainy season, especially when the rains are intermittent or soon after a shower of rain. They are incidental followers of mixed species feeding flocks in Sinharaja.
Feeding system-Blue Magpie are omnivorous, feeding on insects, beetles and lizards and rather less on fruits. However, ripe fruit of keiya (Freycinetia pycnophylia) are a favorite.
Habitats-They spend most of their time among foliage probing for morsels under tree bark and descend to the ground only in search of prey. The preferred habitat of nest building is near streams and rivers of undisturbed area.
Breeding Season-Blue Magpies breed from January to end of April. The Cluth varies from 3 to 5, with 4 being the most common.
Nest-Nest construction is accomplished by the pair, assisted by other members of the flock. Both parents incubate and tend the young sharing the chores equally.
Sri Lanka Orange –billed babbler
This bird is known as the Ceylon Rufous Babbler as well and is an inhabitant of the wet zone forests and wet hills up to the highest elevations. Often seen in adjoining home gardens and groves as well. Though similar in size and form to the Common Babbler, this species is much more attractive with its red-brown plumage and orange beak and legs.
Moves in flocks and usually a part of nucleus species of mixed feeding flocks. Food consists of both animal and vegetable matter. Has an energetic hop, but the flight is weak, confined to short spells from one patch to another. During the hot afternoons stay comparatively inactive, preening themselves or each other
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