birds

Sri Lanka is a remarkable country for birds. Although it is small in land size, it has a wide range of climate and habitat and over 475 species of birds. Out of these, 235 are resident and these include the most important 34 species that are recognized as endemic to the country. A further 240 species have been recorded as migrants to the country. Majority of these migrate to Sri Lanka during the northern winter and present from about August/September to April/May. In contrast, pelagic species of seabirds like Shearwaters, Petrels, Storm-Petrels etc migrate to Sri Lankan waters from southern oceanic islands during the southern hemisphere`s winter. Of the migrants, about 100 species regularly visit the country. The rest are occasional visitors and vagrants. Sri Lanka is usually divided into two zones, the dry plains of the north and the mountainous, wet, central region including the coast around the Colombo, comparable to the Western Ghats and sharing many species with the southwestern Indian region. Recent political trouble and the loss of habitat have resulted in several species coming under threat, particularly the Green-billed Coucal and the Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush. Recent supplanting of natural forest with monoculture tree species has not helped although, remarkably new species continue to be discovered; the most recent was a new owl, found in the Wet zone.( Sri Lanka Serendib scops-owl- Otus thilohoffmanni ).