Serendib Scops Owl is one of the most sought-after birds on the Sri Lanka tour. Photo: Paul Holt
Early travelers romantically named Sri Lanka “the teardrop of India.” Just 270 miles long and 140 miles wide, this small island does indeed look like a tear that has fallen from the face of the subcontinent to become petrified in the Indian Ocean. Having in reality risen from the sea millions of years ago and since then been subjected to much geological upheaval, Sri Lanka has developed into a magical land of mountains, gently undulating hills, open plains and lush valleys. Running through the landscape are countless rivers dotted with beautiful waterfalls, many hidden beneath a dense cloak of rainforest.
For the birdwatcher, islands have the added attraction of endemic species that have evolved through centuries of isolation. With 33 unique birds Sri Lanka is no exception and we’ll hope to encounter them all during our visit, something we’ve accomplished on a number of previous tours. A large number of northern migrants winter on the island, joining many resident species that are difficult or impossible to see on our usual birdwatching circuits of northern India. Add to this a rich cultural history and the world-famous hospitality of the Sri Lankan people and you have the recipe for a perfect birdwatching holiday.
Day 1: The tour begins with an overnight flight from London to Colombo, the island’s capital. We’ll arrive in the early hours of the morning on day 2 and drive straight to an airport hotel for the rest of the night.
Day 2: The calls of the ubiquitous Asian Koel are sure to awaken us, and after an early lunch we’ll drive to Kitugala on the banks of the River Kelani (it was here that The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed). We’ll arrive in time for some birding on the grounds of our hotel where our first birds might include Green Imperial and Ceylon Green-pigeons, Layard’s Parakeet and White-throated Flowerpecker. Night in Kitugala.
Day 3: It was here that Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed and in the early morning we’ll cross the river by dug-out canoe to bird in tropical forest for such birds as Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Ceylon Grey Hornbill, a variety of woodpeckers including Lesser Yellownape, Rufous, Brown-capped and the recently split Crimson-backed Flameback, Malabar Trogon, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Black-crested Bulbul, Spot-winged Ground-thrush, Tickell’s Blue and Brown-breasted Flycatchers, and Black-naped Monarch. We’ll return to our guest house for lunch and a midday break but will re-enter this bird rich woodland in the later afternoon. We’ll remain in the forest after dark to look for the strange Sri Lankan Frogmouth and the magical Serendib Scops Owl, a new species discovered in 2001 by our co-leader Deepal and seen by our groups every year since. Night at Kitulgala.
Day 4: After another morning in and around Kitulgala we’ll drive to the town of Ratnapura in the heart of the island’s gem-mining region. Night in Ratnapura.
Days 5-6: These two days are set aside for exploring Sinharaja and other rainforest sites in the heart of the wet zone. Because our hotel, which is the nearest suitable accommodation, is some distance away, we’ll need to make a very early start to reach the forest by first light. The park’s extensive birdlist includes all but one of the country’s endemics and we have a good chance of seeing the majority of them although some are easier to find than others. The ground-dwelling Sri Lanka Junglefowl require stealth and sharp eyes whereas roving flocks of Ashy-headed Laughingthrush and Orange-billed Babblers are much more obliging. Ceylon Hill-mynas call loudly and clearly from exposed positions while Ceylon Hanging Parrots shriek past.
The exquisite Ceylon Blue Magpie is a real gem and with luck we’ll see several here. We’ll also keep a sharp eye open for Red-faced Malkoha cavorting around the tangled vines and creepers. White-faced Starling may appear high up in the trees and the very elusive Chestnut-backed Owlet haunts the dense canopy. Multi-colored butterflies the size of saucers float in and out of the warm humid forest that at times echoes with the excited calls of mixed-species flocks. Sinharaja will undoubtedly be a rewarding experience and possibly the highlight of the tour. Nights near Ratnapura.
Day 7: Before we leave the forested wet zone we’ll still have one other special bird to look for, the extremely shy Green-billed Coucal. We’ll have to leave very early, arriving at the small forest reserve at Ingiriya just as dawn is breaking. The undisturbed forest surrounds a Buddhist retreat and as we follow the path up to the sanctuary we’ll listen carefully for the distinctive call that will betray the presence of this remarkable bird.
After a break for tea and coffee and with luck Indian Scops Owl, we’ll continue to Udawalawe National Park. Established to protect the forest catchment of a large reservoir, this park is home to good numbers of waterbirds and mammals. We’ll switch to open-topped jeeps and drive around the park in search of the distinctive endemic forms of Crested Hawk-eagle and Barred Buttonquail as well as Malabar Pied Hornbill, Plum-headed Parakeet, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Brown Fish Owl, Forest Wagtail and Blyth’s Pipit. We can also expect close encounters with some of the many wild Indian Elephants that inhabit the Park. Night at Embilipitiya.
Day 8: After breakfast we’ll visit an extensive area of marsh and coastal lagoons to look for Black and Yellow Bitterns, Watercock, Ruddy-breasted Crake, a variety of waders including Pacific Golden Plover and Pintail Snipe and hordes of stunning Blue-tailed Bee-eaters. We’ll then travel east to the village of Tissa, famous for its large tank (or lake) and ancient domed dagoba (Buddhist shrine). After lunch we’ll visit Yala National Park where we’ll encounter drier forest and open grasslands. These habitats are still very rich in birds and we’ll look for Lesser Adjutant, Asian Openbill, Spot-billed Pelican, Great Thick-knee and Ashy- crowned Sparrow-Lark among others. Yala is also home to many mammals including Indian Elephant, Wild Boar, Tufted Grey Langur, Sambar, Spotted Deer and, while we would be lucky to see one, Leopard and Sloth Bear.When dusk comes we’ll linger to search for Jerdon’s Nightjar and the commoner Indian Nightjar. Night at Tissa.
Day 9: This morning we’ll explore the wader-rich pools of Bundala Sanctuary where Small Pratincole breeds. There will also be multitudes of waders to search through and we’ll see good numbers of Mongolian Sandplover as well as a few wintering Red-necked Phalarope. Mixed flocks of roosting terns will hold Caspian, Great Crested, Lesser Crested and with luck Saunders’s Terns. We’ll end the day by searching a coconut plantation for the elusive White-naped Woodpecker. Night at Tissa.
Days 10-11: We’ll depart early for Nuwara Eliya in the heart of Sri Lanka’s hill country and tea-growing region. We’ll pause on our way to sample some of the tea and also to look for the massive Brown Wood Owl. Over the next few days we’ll visit many sites including the beautiful and elegant Hakgala Botanical Gardens to look for Sri Lanka Woodpigeon and Kashmir and Dull Blue Flycatchers. Among the formal shrubbery of Victoria Park we should see Indian Pitta and Pied Thrush, and on the Horton Plains we’ll search for Jerdon’s Baza, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Ceylon Scimitar-babbler, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Ceylon White-eye among others. But the real prize of our visit to this region will be the Arrenga or Ceylon Whistling-thrush, one of the rarest and most magical birds on the island. Nights in Nuwara Eliya.
Day 12: After leaving Nuwara Eliya we’ll call in at a tea factory to see just how the delicious tea we have been enjoying is made. We’ll then continue to Kandy, home of traditional Sri Lankan culture and famous for the temple that houses a sacred tooth rescued from the Buddha’s funeral pyre in 543 B.C. We’ll visit the temple as well as the splendid Royal Botanical Gardens which contain a surprising number of birds. Night in Kandy.
Day 13: After breakfast we’ll visit Uda Wattekele Nature Reserve on the very edge of Kandy, where we might encounter the colorful Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher. We’ll then continue north to have lunch in the shadow of perhaps the most striking sight on Sri Lanka, the 600-foot sheer-faced rock rising out of the jungle at Sigiriya. After lunch we’ll spend some time birdwatching around the base of the rock looking for more Indian Pittas which can be numerous here, Grey-bellied and Banded Bay Cuckoos, Indian Blue Robin, White-rumped Shama and Large-billed Leaf Warbler before continuing to Polonnaruwa. Night in Polonnaruwa.
Day 14: Polonnaruwa was the island’s capital from the 11th to the 13th centuries. Today, with its abandoned, intricately carved buildings and brooding Buddha image, it exists as a place of rare beauty and one that we’ll take time to visit. The adjacent huge man-made lake and the surrounding forest are rich in birds and we’ll search for Grey-headed Fish-eagle, Greater Painted-snipe, Blue-faced Malkoha, Black-headed Cuckooshrike, Streaked and Baya Weavers and Purple-rumped Sunbird. After lunch we’ll drive back to Columbo. Night in Colombo.
Day 15: We’ll transfer early to the airport to catch our flight back to London, where the tour concludes.
Updated: 03 April 2007
Prices
- 2009 price about $4,000
- Single Occupancy Supplement $290
Notes
Participants who prefer to meet the group in Colombo should contact the WINGS office. Maximum group size 14 and two leaders. Both leaders will accompany the tour regardless of group size.
This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird.