9001 BIRDS

Sunday, April 16, 2017

GREY-BELLIED CUCKOO

Photographed March 2017

1063 GREY-BELLIED CUCKOO Cacomantis passerinus

SRI LANKA 438

found in open forest, gardens and scrub. 23 cm. Rather uncommon migrant, to lowlands to mid hills, rarer in wet lowlands and hills.

BLACK-NAPED MONARCH

Subspecies ceylonensis, photographed March 2017

(* 870) BLACK-NAPED MONARCH Hypothymis azurea

SRI LANKA 37

Found in forest, wooded areas and adjoining home gardens. 16 cm. Uncommon breeding resident in lowlands to mid hills, comparatively more in wet zone.

INDIAN PEAFOWL

Photographed March 2017

(* 263) INDIAN PEAFOWL Pavo cristatus

SRI LANKA 36

Found in scrub and open country. M 180-230 cm; F 90-100 cm. Common breeding resident in dry zone lowlands and uncommon in adjacent intermediate zone, small scattered feral populations in southern part of wet zone.

COMMON KINGFISHER

Subspecies taprobana, photographed March 2017

(* 885) COMMON KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis

SRI LANKA 35

Found in wetlands in open country and forest. 16 cm. Rather uncommon breeding resident almost throughout Sri Lanka, but rare in higher hills.

Saturday, April 15, 2017

JERDON’S BUSHLARK

Subspecies ceylonensis, photographed March 2017

1062 JERDON’S BUSHLARK Mirafra affinis

SRI LANKA 34

Found in open country. 15 cm. Fairly common breeding resident dry lowlands; rare and local in wet lowlands.

GREEN BEE-EATER

Subspecies ceylonicus, photographed March 2017

(* 987) GREEN BEE-EATER Merops orientalis

SRI LANKA 33

Found in open country. 16-18 cm. Common breeding resident from dry lowlands up to drier low hills; really visits the wet zone.

BROWN SHRIKE

Photographed March 2017

(* 928) BROWN SHRIKE Lanius cristatus

SRI LANKA 32

Found in open country with trees or bushes. 18-19 cm. Brown (L c cristatus) is a common winter migrant; 'Philippine' (L c luciorensis) is a rare but regular winter migrant.

SRI LANKA JUNGLEFOWL

Photographed March 2017

1061 SRI LANKA JUNGLEFOWL Gallus lafayetii

SRI LANKA 31

Endemic. Found in forests and dense scrub. M 66-72.5 cm; F 35 cm. Fairly common from lowlands to high hills.

SHIKRA

Subspecies badius, photographed March 2017

(* 1008) SHIKRA Accipter badius

SRI LANKA 30

Found in both open country and dense forest. 30-36 cm. Common breeding resident throughout Sri Lanka.

COMMON IORA

Subspecies multicolor, photographed March 2017

(* 819) COMMON IORA Aegithina tipha

SRI LANKA 29

Found in forests, wooded areas, and scrub with scattered trees. 14 cm. Fairly common breeding resident throughout lowlands and up to mid hills.

GULL-BILLED TERN

Subspecies nilotica, photographed March 2017

(* 737) GULL-BILLED TERN Gelochelidon nilotica

SRI LANKA 28

Found on coast, lagoons, salt-pans, sand spits, tidal flats and tanks. 35-38 cm. Fairly common winter migrants mainly to dry coastal areas, uncommon in wet coastal areas, and rare on inland wetlands; possibly few pairs breed on offshore islands of northern coast.

PURPLE SWAMPHEN

Subspecies poliocephalus, photographed March 2017

(* 83) PURPLE SWAMPHEN Porphyrio porphyrio

SRI LANKA 27

Found in roadbeds, marshes, paddy fields and weedy tanks. 45-50 cm. Locally common breeding resident in the lowlands.

PURPLE HERON

Subspecies manilensis, photographed March 2017

(* 261) PURPLE HERON Areda purpurea

SRI LANKA 26

Found mainly in the vegetation of marshes, paddy fields and tanks; in reedy swamps and mangroves around lagoons. 78-90 cm. Rather common breeding resident in lowlands and ascends up to lower hills, but rare in hills.

MALABAR PIED HORNBILL

Photographed March 2017

1060 MALABAR PIED HORNBILL Anthracoceros coronatus

SRI LANKA 25

Found in forests and wooded areas. 65 cm. Fairly common breeding resident locally in dry lowlands up to lower hills; occasionally ascends higher.

LITTLE EGRET

Photographed March 2017

(* 558) LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta

SRI LANKA 24

Found in marshes, paddy fields, lagoons, tanks and tidal mudflats. 55-65 cm. Fairly common breeding resident in lowlands and up to lower hills, uncommon up to high hills.

LITTLE CORMORANT

Photographed March 2017

(* 983) LITTLE CORMORANT Phalacrocorax niger

SRI LANKA 23

Found near lakes, tanks, marshes, paddy fields, streams, rivers and lagoons. 51 cm. Very common resident, mainly from lowlands to upper hills; less common in higher hills.