Bird Watching

Sri Lanka is a birder’s paradise, and home to 439 species of birds of which 236 are breeding residents, 203 migrants and the rest vagrants. In addition, there are close to 200 seasonal migratory birds both terrestrial and aquatic, moving away from the Northern winter travelling from as far as Siberia, Scandinavia and Western Europe, arriving around August /September and leaving around April/May. Since Sri Lanka is situated at the farthest southern point away from the south of India with no other landmass until the South Pole, the migrating birds end their long journey in Sri Lanka, making it a regular wintering ground. A variety of birds can be seen across the island, but the main bird sanctuary is Kumana National Park which is considered one of the most important nesting and breeding grounds in Sri Lanka. The Bundala national Park situated in the southernmost tip of the bird migratory route is a favorite birding ground where flocks of flamingos, herons and storks are a regular sight. Other places of interest to birders are the Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary, Sinharaja Rain Forest, Bodinagala Forest Reserve, Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, Kitulgala Forest Reserve, Yala, Wilpattu, Udawalawe, Wagamuwa, Minneriya and Horton Plains National Parks.

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