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 more than 460 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.
A total of 35 bird species are confirmed as endemic, the latest addition being the Sri Lanka shama, which previously considered as a subspecies of the white-rumped shama. The other resident species are also found in the nearby Indian mainland, but over 80 have developed distinct Sri Lankan subspecies. Some of these subspecies are very different in their plumage characteristics from the related forms in India. Of the 35 endemic species, 26 species are globally threatened.
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 island, with a prolonged dry and hot period and only one monsoon, the north east monsoon from October to January.
The wet zone, with two monsoons, is in the south western quarter of the island, where the few remaining rain forests are found and humidity is high.
The central hill zone rises to over and has a cool temperate climate. Most of the 35 endemic species are confined to the wet and the hill zones, with only a few extending into the dry zone as well.
Recent updates and sighting information can be obtained through the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka website.Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (Currently unavailable) The following list is prepared according to An Illustrated Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka on 2010 by Sarath Kotagama and Gamini Ratnavira, with updates from the Ceylon Bird Club's List of Sri Lankan Birds, which follows the AviList global taxonomy.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Sri Lanka (E) Endemic - a species native or restricted to Sri Lanka (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Sri Lanka as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNFulvous whistling duckDendrocygna bicolorLeast concern(A)Lesser whistling duckDendrocygna javanicaResidentLeast concernCotton pygmy gooseNettapus coromandelianusResidentLeast concernBar-headed gooseAnser indicusLeast concern(A)Greylag gooseAnser anserAnser anser rubrirostrisLeast concern(A)Ruddy shelduckTadorna ferrugineaLeast concern(A)Knob-billed duckSarkidiornis melanotosLeast concern(A)Tufted duckAythya fuligulaLeast concern(A)GarganeySpatula querquedulaLeast concernNorthern shovelerSpatula clypeataLeast concernGadwallMareca streperaMareca strepera streperaLeast concern(A)Eurasian wigeonMareca penelopeLeast concernIndian spot-billed duckAnas poecilorhynchaAnas poecilorhyncha poecilorhynchaLeast concernNorthern pintailAnas acutaLeast concernEurasian tealAnas creccaLeast concern
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump and have broad, relatively short wings.
Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNIndian peafowlPavo cristatusResidentLeast concernSri Lanka spurfowlGalloperdix bicalcarataEndemicLeast concernSri Lanka junglefowlGallus lafayettiiEndemicLeast concernGrey francolinOrtygornis pondicerianusOrtygornis pondicerianus pondicerianusLeast concernPainted francolinFrancolinus pictusLeast concernKing quailSynoicus chinensisLeast concernRain quailCoturnix coromandelicaLeast concern(A)Jungle bush quailPerdicula asiaticaLeast concern
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNLesser flamingoPhoeniconaias minorNear threatened(A)Greater flamingoPhoenicopterus roseusLeast concern
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-sized diving birds. They breed on fresh water, but often visit the sea whilst migrating and in winter. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers; however, their feet are placed far back on their bodies, making them quite ungainly on land. Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNLittle grebeTachybaptus ruficollisTachybaptus ruficollis albescensResidentLeast concern
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Many are brood parasites.
Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNGreen-billed coucalCentropus chlororhynchusEndemicVulnerableGreater coucalCentropus sinensisCentropus sinensis parrotiResidentLeast concernSirkeer malkohaTaccocua leschenaultiiLeast concernRed-faced malkohaPhaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalusEndemicVulnerableBlue-faced malkohaPhaenicophaeus viridirostrisLeast concernChestnut-winged cuckooClamator coromandusLeast concernJacobin cuckooClamator jacobinusClamator jacobinus jacobinusLeast concernAsian koelEudynamys scolopaceaEudynamys scolopacea scolopaceaLeast concernAsian emerald cuckooChrysococcyx maculatusLeast concern(A)Banded bay cuckooCacomantis sonneratiiCacomantis sonneratii waitiLeast concernGrey-bellied cuckooCacomantis passerinusLeast concernFork-tailed drongo-cuckooSurniculus dicruroidesLeast concernCommon hawk-cuckooHierococcyx variusLeast concernLesser cuckooCuculus poliocephalusLeast concernIndian cuckooCuculus micropterusLeast concernCommon cuckooCuculus canorusCuculus canorus bakeriLeast concern
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNSpotted doveSpilopelia chinensisSpilopelia chinensis ceylonensisResidentLeast concernRed collared doveStreptopelia tranquebaricaLeast concern(A)Oriental turtle doveStreptopelia orientalisLeast concernEurasian collared doveStreptopelia decaoctoLeast concernSri Lanka woodpigeonColumba torringtoniaeEndemicVulnerablePale-capped pigeonColumba puniceaVulnerable(A)Rock doveColumba liviaColumba livia intermedia (resident) Columba livia "domestica" (feral pigeon; introduced)Resident + IntroducedLeast concernCommon emerald doveChalcophaps indicaChalcophaps indica robinsoniLeast concernOrange-breasted green pigeonTreron bicinctaTreron bicincta leggeiLeast concernSri Lanka green pigeonTreron pompadoraEndemicLeast concernYellow-footed green pigeonTreron phoenicopteraLeast concernGreen imperial pigeonDucula aeneaLeast concern
Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and moorhens. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNBrown-cheeked railRallus indicusLeast concern(A)Corn crakeCrex crexLeast concern(A)Slaty-breasted railLewinia striataLeast concernCommon moorhenGallinula chloropusCommon moorhen Gallinula chloropus chloropusLeast concernEurasian cootFulica atraLeast concernGrey-headed swamphenPorphyrio poliocephalusLeast concernWatercockGallicrex cinereaLeast concernWhite-breasted waterhenAmaurornis phoenicurusAmaurornis phoenicurus phoenicurusLeast concernSlaty-legged crakeRallina eurizonoidesLeast concernRuddy-breasted crakeZapornia fuscaLeast concernBaillon's crakeZapornia pusillaLeast concern
Stone-curlews Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
Stone-curlews and thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNGreat stone-curlewEsacus recurvirostrisResidentLeast concernIndian stone-curlewBurhinus indicusResidentLeast concern
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNPied avocetRecurvirostra avosettaResidentLeast concernBlack-winged stiltHimantopus himantopusHimantopus himantopus meridionalisResidentLeast concern
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNEurasian oystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNear threatened
Plovers and lapwings Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNGrey ploverPluvialis squatarolaLeast concernPacific golden ploverPluvialis fulvaLeast concernCommon ringed ploverCharadrius hiaticulaCharadrius hiaticula tundraeLeast concernLittle ringed ploverThinornis dubiusLeast concernYellow-wattled lapwingVanellus malabaricusLeast concernGrey-headed lapwingVanellus cinereusLeast concern(A)Red-wattled lapwingVanellus indicusVanellus indicus lankaeLeast concernSociable lapwingVanellus gregariusCritically endangered(A)Caspian ploverAnarhynchus asiaticusLeast concern(A)Oriental ploverAnarhynchus veredusLeast concern(A)Tibetan sand ploverAnarhynchus atrifronsLeast concernGreater sand ploverAnarhynchus leschenaultiiLeast concernKentish ploverCharadrius alexandrinusLeast concern
Painted-snipes Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Rostratulidae
Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.
Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNGreater painted-snipeRostratula benghalensisLeast concern
Jacanas Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae
The jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. Name Binomial Subspecies Status IUCNPheasant-tailed jacanaHydrophasianus chirurgusLeast concern
Sandpipers and allies Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.