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BIRDWATCHING ON OUTSKIRTS OF KANDY SRI LANKA

Polwaththa is Kandy’s secret haven for serious bird-watchers who are looking for birds in central Sri Lanka (see checklist below) We have been named as one of the top 2 destinations for bird watching in the Kandy region by one Sri Lanka’s leading birding experts.

 

Of the 15 endemics out of 62 species of birds, 5-9 sightings of endemics within approx 3 hours (between 6-9 am) is a common occurrence - that too within the 13 acre property within Polwaththa. Endemics mostly seen here are: the Sri Lankan (SL) Yellow-fronted Barbet, SL Hanging Parrot, SL Grey Hornbill, Layard's Parakeet, Greater Flameback, Ceylon Wood Pigeon, SL Chestnut-backed Owlet, Indian Scimitar Babbler and the SL Yellow-eared Bulbul.

BIRD CHECKLIST.

  1. ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET

  2. BAY-BANDED CUCKO (aka BANDED BAY CUCKOO)

  3. BLACK EAGLE

  4. BLACK BULBUL

  5. BLACK-HEADED ORIOLE

  6. BLACK-CAPPED BULBUL*

  7. BLACK-NAPED FLYCATCHER  (aka BLACK-NAPED BLUE MONARCH)

  8. BLUE-TAILED BEE EATER

  9. BROWN-HEADED BARBET

  10. BROWN FLYCATCHER (aka ASIAN BROWN FLYCATCHER)

  11. BROWN-CAPPED BABBLER*

  12. CHESTNUT-BACKED OWLET*

  13. CEYLON WOOD PIGEON*

  14. CEYLON GREY HORNBILL*

  15. CEYLON SMALL BARBET*

  16. CEYLON LORIKEET*  (aka SRI LANKAN HANGING PARROT)

  17. CEYLON SCIMITAR BABBLER

  18. COMMON HAWK-CUCKOO

  19. COMMON IORA

  20. COMMON TAILORBIRD

  21. COMMON MYNAH

  22. DUSKY BLUE FLYCATCHER* (aka DULL BLUE FLYCATCHER)

  23. Forest Wagtail

  24. HILL-MYNAH

  25. CRESTED SERPENT-EAGLE

  26. CREST HAWK-EAGLE

  27. CRIMSON-BACKED WOODPECKER* (aka CRIMSON BACKED FLAMEBACK)

  28. CRIMSON-BREASTED BARBET

  29. EMERALD DOVE

  30. FOREST EAGLE OWL

  31. GREEN LEAF WARBLER

  32. GREENISH WARBLER

  33. GREY TIT

  34. HOUSE SWIFT

  35. INDIAN EDIBLE-NEST SWIFT   (aka INDIAN SWIFTLET)

  36. INDIAN SCIMITAR BABBLER

  37. SRI LANKAN JUNGLEFOWL (National Bird) *+

  38. LARGE-BILLED LEAF WARBLER

  39. LAYARD'S PARAKEET*

  40. LESSER YELLOW-NAPED WOODPECKER

  41. LITTLE MINIVET

  42. LOTEN'S SUNBIRD

  43. MAGPIE ROBIN

  44. ORANGE MINIVET

  45. PIED FLYCATCHER-SHIRKE

  46. PURPLE-RUMPED SUNBIRD

  47. PURPLE SUNBIRD

  48. POMPADOUR GREEN PIGEON*   (aka SRI LANKAN GREEN PIGEON)

  49. RED-VENTED BULBUL

  50. SMALL WHITE-EYE

  51. SOUTHERN COMMON BABBLER   (aka YELLO-BILLED BABBLER)

  52. SPOTTED-WINGED THRUSH*

  53. SPOTTED DOVE

  54. TICKELL'S BLUE FLYCATCHER

  55. TICKET'S FLOWERPECKE  (aka PALE-BILLED FLOWERPECKER)

  56. WHITE-BELLIED DRONGO

  57. WHITE-BACKED MUNIA   (aka WHITE RUMPED MUNIA)

  58. WHITE-BROWED FANTAIL

  59. WHITE-RUMPED SHAMA

  60. VELVET-FRONTED NUTHATCH

  61. YELLOW-EARED BULBUL*+

  62. YELLOW-FRONTED BARBET*

  63. YELLOW-BROWED BULBUL

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* Endemic                    + seen very irregularly

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  • Checklist is made in alphabetical order for the benefit of non professionals​​

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  • Checklist done by the Sri Lanka Natural History Society and bird expert Upali Ekanayake

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