Winged Wonders of Paradise – 13 Days of Birding in Sri Lanka
On arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be warmly greeted by your Jetwing Eco Holidays representative and driven through the scenic countryside to Kithulgala, a lush tropical rainforest alive with birdsong. In the afternoon, your birding adventure begins.
This emerald paradise is home to endemic treasures such as the Yellow-fronted Barbet, Spot-winged Thrush, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, and the striking Blue Magpie. Watch the Earless Lizard skitter across the forest floor as bulbuls and drongos call above. It’s a perfect first immersion into Sri Lanka’s vibrant biodiversity.
Cross the Kelani River in a dugout canoe to reach the enchanting Kelani Valley Forest Reserve, a hotspot for lowland endemics. Scan the canopy for Sri Lanka Myna, Green-billed Coucal, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, and Brown-capped Babbler. Keep your binoculars ready for Black Eagles, Crested Drongos, and a chorus of bulbuls and nuthatches. As twilight falls, a special guest may appear; The Sri Lanka Frogmouth, an elusive subcontinental endemic whose haunting call signals the night.
Ascend to the misty hills of Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka’s “Little England.” Afternoon birding at Victoria Park unveils Himalayan migrants such as Kashmir Flycatcher, Indian Pitta, Pied Thrush, and Indian Blue Robin, alongside endemic Yellow-eared Bulbul and Sri Lanka Hill White-eye. A nearby wetland rewards the sharp-eyed with Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, Black-throated Munia, and Pintail Snipes foraging in the reeds.
At Horton Plains National Park, dawn reveals the scarce Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush along crystalline streams. Keep your eyes peeled for Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Bush Warbler, Dull-blue Flycatcher, and Yellow-eared Bulbul. By afternoon, visit Hakgala Botanical Gardens, where flowering ferns and rose gardens provide an idyllic backdrop and a chance to spot garden-loving species.
Descend from the cool highlands to Yala’s sun-baked wilderness, where dry forests meet the Indian Ocean. After settling in, enjoy the lodge’s natural surroundings. Perhaps a Peacock or Malabar Pied Hornbill will greet you at sunset.
Today, immerse yourself in Yala National Park, famed for its high leopard density—one of the best places in Asia to spot these elusive cats. Alongside leopards, the park hosts Sloth Bears, Elephants, Mugger Crocodiles, and grazing Spotted & Sambhur Deer. Birding highlights soar too: Malabar Pied Hornbill, Painted Stork, Lesser Adjutant, and the regal Black-necked Stork dominate the skyline.
Explore the wetland trio of Yoda Kandiya, Debarawewa, and Pannegamuwa, rich in aquatic birds. Expect sightings of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Cotton Pygmy Geese, Watercock, Stork-billed and Black-capped Kingfishers, and elusive marsh dwellers like Baillon’s Crake. Each stop offers a new tableau of waterfowl, weavers, and waders.
Journey to Udawalawe, where open grasslands and shimmering reservoirs form a dry-zone sanctuary. Settle into your lodge and prepare for a landscape where raptors circle above and elephants graze in the distance. Relax and unwind by the pool in anticipation for the adventures ahead.
Udawalawe is a paradise for birds of prey. Scan the skies for Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Shikra, Common Kestrel, and even the majestic White-bellied Sea Eagle. The forests and scrub reveal Malabar-pied Hornbills, Sirkeer & Blue-faced Malkohas, Barred Buttonquail (ssp. leggei), and migrant jewels like Orange-headed Thrush and Black-capped Purple Kingfisher.
Arrive at Sinharaja Rainforest, the island’s last great lowland rainforest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Let the forest’s cool, misty air and chorus of cicadas and bulbuls be your evening welcome.
Step into birding paradise. Sinharaja’s mixed-species flocks, averaging 42 birds per flock, are the largest and longest-studied in the world. Follow the flutter of Red-faced Malkohas, Sri Lanka Blue Magpies, White-faced Starlings, and the secretive Scaly Thrush. Every bend in the trail promises a new call, flash of color, or endemic encounter.
Conclude your journey in Colombo, but first, explore the Talangama Wetland, a haven for dragonflies, pond herons, and common butterflies amidst its tranquil paddy fields and canals. This serene finale lets you absorb the last glimpses of Sri Lanka’s avian diversity.
As your journey ends, carry with you the symphony of birdcalls, rustling rainforests, and golden savannahs – a paradise for every birder. Until next time, Ayubowan!
