Pictorial Pocket Guide-1

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS

IN SRI LANKA

Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka

Department of Zoology University of Colombo Colombo 3. 2006

Pictorial Pocket Guide - 1 Common, Endemic & Threatened birds in Sri Lanka by Sarath Kotagama

First published 2006 All rights reserved. Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, 2006 ISBN 955-8576-19-0

Illustrations:

Sarath Kotagama K.D. Lakshman Kelum Gunasekara Pruthiviraj Fernando Kulasiri Ranaweera Indrika Kaggoda Arachchi Nirosha Munasingha

Typography:

Copy Comparison: Saman Gamage

Published by Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka Department of Zoology University of Colombo Colombo 3.

Preface
Birdwatching is a hobby that needs very little resources. It however builds character, while the conservation contribution is very high. In the past, birdwatching was confined to a few. Today thanks to the wide promotion done by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL), it is much popular. The break through came with its introduction in Sinhala and low cost publications, accessible to the average person. In this book which is an update of earlier Pictorial Pocket Guide to the Common Birds of Sri Lanka I have included new sections to cover endemic and threatened birds. I have retained the common names as in Siri Laka Kurullo (Kotagama and Wijayasinha, in press) while the scientific names as in Inskipp et al. (1996). Where changes have been made by Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) it has been indicated appropriately. Many helped in this production those at the FOGSL office, - Anoma, Shyama, Nirosha, Chinthaka and Saman have contributed in numerous ways. Indrika has done a good job in our maiden effort of doing the typography in-house to reduce cost. Finally Athula has brought the production out in good quality; as usual FOGSL remain commited to informed, scientific bird watching promotion through education and publications. This is another step in that direction. Happy birding, please send your comments so that this book can be improved further.

Professor Sarath Kotagama President Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka Department of Zoology University of Colombo Colombo 3. 2006-5-31

Contents
Practical advice for birdwatching ..................9 Significant birding sites in Sri Lanka ..................11 Abbreviations, symbols & definitions..............................................14 Key to entries .. ..............15 General topography of a bird ......................16 Common wetland birds ................19 Common forest birds & other birds ........................................43 Endemic birds ................95 Proposed endemic birds .........................101 Globally threatened birds ..105 List of nationally threatened birds..................................................112 List of globally threatened birds....................................................114 Species name changes according to Rasmussen and Anderton............................................................................................115 References ............................................................................................116 Index of common names....................................................................118 Index of scientific names...............................................................122

Practical Advice for Birdwatching

HOW TO PREPARE Clothes: Wear comfortable clothes which are not brightly coloured. Earth colours are more advisable, such as Greens or Browns. Suitable footwear is recommended. Equipments: A field guide book such as this would be most useful. A pair of binoculars will help. The recommended magnifications are 7x50 or 8x40. If you do not have one you could still do birdwatching. A small note book to make notes of field observations is essential.

HOW TO BIRDWATCH Field trips with small groups are always advisable: small groups allow better coordination and communication among participants. A good way to see birds is to find an isolated place where one can sit and hide among the scrubs. Wait for a while, then a lot of birds start showing themselves in front; this need a lot of patience. The common way to do birdwatching is to slowy walk through paths searching for birds. Stop in the road when a bird is seen. In addition, one can enjoy the beauty of nature.

HOW TO IDENTIFY BIRDS When a bird is seen how can we say which birds is which? We will give some guidelines that will help to identify them. The size: Compare the bird with the size of other known birds. (eg. Is it bigger or smaller than pigeon ?). Their shape: Are they slim, fat, large etc ? The shape of their bills, wings, tails and legs. Their feathers: The colour and marks they have. Their behaviour: The way they perch on the branches, how they fly ? if they run or jump, etc. Their song: Bird songs are characteristic from one species to another. Learn these. It will help to recognise them apart. A lot of birdwatchers identify birds more through their songs than through their sight.
COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

Bear in mind all these details, look at the guide book (remember that some species are very similar to others), so all details will be useful to identify them. An advice from expert ornithologists or a guide will always help. Dont get discouraged if it cannot be identified. This is not innate knowledge. The more birdwatching trips one takes, it will be more fun and learning. So, venture to know the birds in the neighbourhood. We are sure it will be an enjoyable experience. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR BIRDWATCHER When birdwatching, please remember the following codes for good conduct. The welfare of birds must always come first. Do not disturb or disrupt any habitat. Respect the customs and rights of local people, land owners and villagers. Be courteous to local people, they will help. When watching with binoculars, take precaution not to point it at houses and places of activity- Some people do not like this. Silence is golden. Share experiences- it always helps the cause. Avoid tape lures. Leave nests alone, do not watch them directly at close range-a naughty cat, predator may be around.

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS OF SRI LANKA

10

Significant Birding Sites in Sri Lanka

7 44 21 98 1 68 54 97 29 47 74 55 20 36

100 81 86 70 66 5 8 95

6 62 84

40

93

59

61 43 63 87 79

94 56 78 96

103

85 53

12

46 71 67 13 15 77 89 101 50 27 49 3 45 92 99 72 76 31 35 69 51 60 28 9 4

26

2 75 33 30 80 19 58 90 11 83 24 10 14 32 42 102 64 25 82 91 52 38 88 22 107 106 34 23 104 17 37 41 18 57 65 39 48 16 105 73

Provincial boundaries

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Adams Bridge Agarapatana-Bopattalawa PR Amanawala-Ampane PR Ampara S Anavilundava S Anuradapura S Araly South-Punale: Jaffna peninsula West end Arankele AR Arugam (=Aragam) Lagoon Ayagama PR Bambarabotuva FR Batticaloa Lagoon Beira Lake Belihuloya (Pambahinna)Samanalawewa Dam area Bellanvila-Attidiya S Beraliya (Akuressa) PR Beraliya (Kudagala) PR Bundala NP Buttala University Park Chale Lagoon Chundikulama S Delgoda-Kudumiriya PR Dellawa/Diyadawa PR/FR Delmella-Yatagampitiya PR Delwala/Panilkanda/Walankanda PR/FR Dikoya area Ingiriya (DombagaskandaBodinagala) FR Galoya Complex NP/S Giants Tank S Gilimale-Eratna FR Hakgala/Mipilimana Botanical Garden/ SNR/FR Haldummulla Herbal Garden Haputale FR Haycock/Habarakada FR/PR Horton Plains/PattipolaAmbewela/Ohiya. NP/PR/FR Jaffna Lagoon Kanneliya/Dediyagala/ Nakiyadeniya FR/PR Kalugala FR

39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78
12

Kalametiya-Lunama Lagoons S Kantale Tank Karagan Levaya/Maha Levaya Karawita PR Kaudulla NP Kayts (Kanativu) /Mandativu Kitulgala: Kelani Valley FR/PR Knuckles CF Kokilai (=Kukulava) Lagoon S Kombala-Kottawa PR Kurulukele (Kegalle) S Labugama-Kalatuwawa FR Lahugala-Kitulana NP Lunugamvehera NP Maduruoya NP Maha (=Periya) kalapuva-Vangala kalapuva-Mannar Causeway Maha (=Periya) karachchi-Hin karachchi Lagoons Mahaweli Flood Plains NP Malambure FR Maligavila AR Manampeliyawa Tank Maragalkanda (Monaragala) Medirigiriya AR Mihintale S Minneriya-Giritale NP Morapitiya-Runakanda PR Mulatiyana FR Mundal Lake Muturajawela S Nayara Lagoon Namunukula PR Navadankulama (Periyakadawala Tank) Nevugalkanda PR Nuwara Eliya: Victoria Park/ Galways Land S Oliyagankele FR Padaviya Tank S Peak Wilderness S Pidurutalagala/Kandapola-Sita Eliya PR/FR Pilikuttuwa AR Pimburattewa Tank

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107

Polonnaruwa S Pompakele (Ratnapura) F Puttalam Lagoon Rammalakanda (Ratnapura) FR Rassagala area Ritigala SNR/AR Rugam Tank Seguvantivu mud-flats Sigiriya S Sinharaja NHWA Talangama Tank Tangamale S Udawalawe NP Udawattakele S/FR Ullakele Lagoon Upara Lagoon Usgala-Siyambalangamuwa Tank Vandeloos Bay-Elephant PointTenadi Bay Vidataltivu Lagoon Iranativu Islands-Devils Point Victoria-Randenigala-Rantembe S Vilpattu NP Waga FR Waratalgoda PR Wasgomuwa NP Wiravila-Tissa S Welihena FR Yagirala FR Yala (Ruhunu) Complex NP/
SNR/S

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

13

Abbreviations, Symbols & Definitions

Ad. AR Br. BrR CF DZ F FR HC IUCN Juv LC LCDZ LCWZ Loiterer Migrant Adult Archaeological Reserve Breeding plumage Breeding resident Conservation Forest Dry Zone

Other forest Forest Reserve Hill Country International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources Juvenile Low Country Low Country Dry Zone Low Country Wet Zone Migrant birds that stay behind in the months June-August. Birds that come regularly by end August and leave in April-May of the following year. NBr Non-breeding plumage NHWA National Heritage Wilderness Area NP National Park PR Proposed Forest Reserve Re Habit Restricted habitat species: A bird known to inhabit a specific habitat. Re Loc Restricted location species: A bird known to inhabit a specific small location. Re Range Restricted range species: A bird known to inhabit a small area/range. S Sanctuary SNR Strict Natural Reserve WZ Wet Zone Endemic bird Proposed endemic bird Male Female * Species name changes according to Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) Globally threatened bird Nationally threatened bird

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

14

Key to Entries
Plate number PLATE 34 Common English name Scientific name

6. PURPLE-RUMPED SUNBIRD Nitamba Dam Sutikka 10cm. ks;U o iQlald

Nectarinia zeylonica Sinhala systematic name Identification characters BrR. Breeding status

Slightly decurved, short bill.

Gardens, cultivations, forests. Very Common. All zones but, less common in higher HC. Vulnerable

Distribution Threatened status Abundance Sinhala systematic name in Latin script Straight line length from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail. Illustration number Distribution map or Migrant map

Habitat

Zonal Boundaries
Dry Zone

Provincial Boundaries
Hill Country
NP NCP NWP CP WP SAB SP UVA EP

Wet Zone

Low Country 500m. contour line

Standard line for 1900mm. annual rainfall

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

15

Crest Supercillium Auriculars Lower mandible

Chin

Crown Lore Forehead Upper mandible

Secondaries Primaries

Back Nape Occrput

Scapulars
Breast

Malar Throat

Commissure

Upper tail coverts

Upper wing coverts

Side

General Topography of a Bird

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

16

Rectrices Thigh Tarsus Toe

Under tail coverts

Flank Alula Belly

Crest Scapulars

Crown Forehead Lore Rictal bristles Tertials Scapulars Rump

Commissure Throat

Upper tail coverts

Marginal coverts
11 10

COMMON, ENDEMIC & THREATENED BIRDS IN SRI LANKA

17

Middle secondary coverts 9

8 7 6

Greater secondary coverts

5

Alula
3 4

Greater primary coverts

2 11 2 3 4 5 6 10 7

Secondaries Rectrices

Primaries