Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The bird life of Sri Lanka is very rich for its size, and about 433 species have been recorded. In addition to the many resident birds, a considerable number of migratory species winter in the country to escape their northern breeding grounds.
233 species are resident, of which the most important are the 26 endemics. The other resident species are also found in the adjacent Indian mainland, but over 80 have developed distinct Sri Lankan races. Some of these races are very different in their plumage characteristics from the related forms in India.
Bird distribution in Sri Lanka is largely determined by its climatic zones. The dry zone is largest of the three, covering more than half of the area of the island, with a prolonged dry and hot period and only one monsoon (the northeast monsoon from October to January).
The wet zone, with two monsoons, is in the southwestern quarter of the island, where the few remaining rain forests are found and humidity is high.
The central hill zone rises to over 2450 m (8-10,000 ft) and has a cool temperate climate. Most of the 26 endemic species are confined to the wet and the hill zones, with only a few extending into the dry zone as well.
Species List
PODICIPEDIFORMES
Podicipedidae: grebes
Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
PROCELLARIIFORMES
Procellariidae: shearwaters and petrels
Cape Petrel, Daption capense
Barau's Petrel, Pterodroma baraui
Bulwer's Petrel, Bulweria bulwerii
Streaked Shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas
Flesh-footed Shearwater, Puffinus cameipes
Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus
Sooty Shearwater, Puffinus griseus
Short-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus tenuirostris
Audubon's Shearwater, Puffinus lherminieri
Hydrobatidae: storm petrels
Wilson's Storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus
Swinhoe's Storm-petrel, Oceanodroma monorhis
PELECANIFORMES
Phaethontidae: tropicbirds
Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus
White-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
Pelecanidae: pelicans
Spot-billed Pelican, Pelecanus philippens
Sulidae: gannets and boobies
Masked Booby, Sula dactylatra
Red-footed Booby, Sula sula
Brown Booby, Sula leucogaster
Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants
Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
Indian Cormorant, Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
Little Cormorant, Phalacrocorax niger
Anhingidae: Anhinga and darters
Oriental Darter, Anhinga melanogaster
Fregatidae: frigatebirds
Christmas Island Frigatebird, Fregata andrewsi
Great Frigatebird, Fregata minor
Lesser Frigatebird, Fregata ariel
CICONIIFORMES
Ardeidae: herons and bitterns
Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea
Goliath Heron, Ardea goliath
Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
Great Egret, Egretta alba modesta
Intermediate Egret, Egretta intermedia
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta
Western Reef Egret, Egretta gularis
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Indian Pond Heron, Ardeola grayii
Chinese Pond Heron, Ardeola bacchus
Striated Heron, Butorides striatus
Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Malayan Night Heron, Gorsachius melanolophus
Yellow Bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis
Cinnamon Bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Black Bittern, Dupetor flavicollis
Eurasian Bittern, Botaurus stellaris
Ciconiidae: storks
Painted Stork, Mycteria leucocephala
Asian Openbill, Anastomus oscitans
Black Stork, Ciconia nigra
Woolly-necked Stork, Ciconia episcopus
White Stork, Ciconia ciconia
Black-necked Stork, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
Lesser Adjutant, Leptoptilos javanicus
Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills
Black-headed Ibis, Threskomis melanocephalus
Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
Common Spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicopteridae flamingos
Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber