BLACK BITTERN

Subspecies flavicollis, March 2017

(*   716)              BLACK BITTERN                Dupetor flavicollis 

SRI LANKA             94

Found in roadbeds, marshes and waterside vegetation, favours dense tangles. 58 cm. fairly rare breeding resident in lowlands; fairly common winter migrant to lowlands and less so up to mid hills.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON

Subspecies nycticorax, March 2017

(*   864)               BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON                   Nycticorax nycticorax

SRI LANKA              93

found in marshes, mangroves, and other vegetation at edges of rivers, tanks and lagoons, and tree-covered islands. 58-65 cm. fairly common breeding resident throughout the lowlands up to the lower hills, occasionally in higher hills.

LARGE-BILLED CROW

Subspecies culminatus, March 2017

(*  984)                  LARGE-BILLED CROW                Corvus macrorhynchos

SRI LANKA               92

Also known as Indian Jungle Crow. Found in villages and towns adjoining forest. 46-59 cm. Fairly common breeding resident throughout Sri Lanka.

SPOT-BILLED PELICAN

March 2017

1086                     SPOT-BILLED PELICAN                     Pelicanus philippensis

SRI LANKA                  91

Found in tanks, lakes, lagoons and marshlands. 140 cm. Rather common breeding resident in dry lowlands, and introduced breeding population in and around Colombo (in wet zone).

SRI LANKA HANGING PARROT

March 2017

1085                 SRI LANKA HANGING PARROT                   Loriculus beryllinus

SRI LANKA               90

Endemic. Found in forests and wooded areas. 14 cm. Fairly common locally in wet lowlands to mid hills, restricted to the foothill areas in the dry lowlands.

SRI LANKA SCIMITAR BABBLER

March 2017

1084                SRI LANKA SCIMITAR BABBLER                Pomatorhinus melanrus

SRI LANKA              89

Endemic. Found in forest, well-wooded areas and adjoining scrub and gardens. 22 cm. Uncommon and local throughout the country, but rare in dry lowlands.

BAR-WINGED FLYCATCHER-SHRIKE

Subspecies leggi, Marc h 2017

1083               BAR-WINGED FLYCATCHER-SHRIKE           Hemipus picatus

SRI LANKA              88

Also known as Pied Flycatcher-shrike. Found in forest and wooded areas. 15 cm. Uncommon breeding resident locally throughout Sri Lanka.

VELVET-FRONTED NUTHATCH

Subspecies frontalis, March 2017

1082              VELVET-FRONTED NUTHATCH                   Sitta frontalis

SRI LANKA               87

Found in forests and adjoining wooded areas. 10 cm. Locally common breeding resident throughout Sri Lanka. 

BANDED BAY CUCKOO

Subspecies waiti, March 2017

1081                BANDED BAY CUCKOO             Cacomantis sonneratii

SRI LANKA            86

Found in forests, forest edges and open forest. 24 cm. Fairly uncommon breeding resident from lowlands to mid hills, more in dry lowlands.

CHESTNUT-BACKED OWLET

March 2017

1080           CHESTNUT-BACKED OWLET                   Glaucidium castanotum

SRI LANKA               85

Endemic. Mainly crepuscular to diurnal. Found in forest, wooded areas and adjoining gardens. 19 cm. Rather uncommon locally from lowlands to high hills of wet zone.

ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET

Subspecies eupatria, March 2017

(*   1032)              ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET                  Psittacula eupatria

SRI LANKA             84

Found in forests and wooded areas by villages and towns. 53 cm. Uncommon breeding resident from lowlands to lower hills, locally more common in some areas.

LESSER YELLOWNAPE

Subspecies wellsi, March 2017

1079               LESSER YELLOWNAPE               Picus chlorophus

SRI LANKA                 83

Found in forests and wooded areas. 27 cm. Uncommon breeding resident from wet lowlands and adjoining drier areas up to mid hills; occasionally ascends higher.

BLACK-CAPPED BULBUL

Subspecies melanicterus, photographed March 2017.

1078             BLACK-CAPPED BULBUL                Pycnonotus melanicterus

SRI LANKA              82

Found in forest fringes, open forests, wooded areas and adjoining gardens. 19 cm. Local and uncommon breeding resident from lowlands up to mid hills, more plentiful in wet zones.

SPOT-WINGED THRUSH

Photographed March 2017

1077                    SPOT-WINGED THRUSH                Zoothera spiloptera

SRI LANKA          81

Endemic. Found in forest and well-wooded areas. 27 cm. Local and rather uncommon from wet lowlands up to high hills.