Sri Lanka is fortunate in having a rich diversity of a fauna, in fact one of the richest in any comparable area of South Asia.Of all animals, birds probably give the greatest pleasure to mankind. Their graceful forms, beautiful colours, soft plumage, songs, power of flight, and the ease with which they may be watched, combine to make them objects of joy and admiration throughout the world. A tropical climate, isolation from the mainland and a diversity of habitats are the main factors behind such abundance. Indeed, the island boasts over 400 bird species. There are 227 residents of which 26 are endemic. It is these endemics that many birdwatcher-visitors to Sri Lanka want to see. 

There are some endemics that are particularly striking. The Sri Lanka blue magpie, for instance, has a turquoise chest and back, white-barred blue tail, and a chestnut head. The red-faced malkoha has a glossy black back, wings and tail, while in contrast, a white front, red head and a green beak. Then there is the Sri Lanka hanging parrot, which has a red cap, yellow nape, and bright green wings and breast. In addition to the endemics, 95 migrants, 24 pelagic (sea birds), and 75 incidental species have been recorded in the island. Of the many migrant birds, the waders (stints, sandpipers, plovers, terns, etc) are the most remarkable, some of them travelling annually from their breeding grounds as far away as the Arctic tundra. The most flamboyant of the visitors, however, is the greater flamingo, which flies in from the Rann of Kutch, India. 

Sri Lanka is an excellent bird watching destination because a great variety of birds can be viewed within a relatively short space of time. Indeed, due to the island's small size birdwatchers can visit virtually all of the good sites in a fortnight. Furthermore, the visitor on a limited schedule can combine sites of endemic species with sites of general wildlife interest as well as archaeological sites. In order to obtain a good coverage of the endemic species, a visit to a lowlands rainforest/jungle site such as Sinharaja, Kitulgala, or Bodhinagala, will need to be combined with a visit to a montane site such as Horton Plains or Hakgala. For the shorebird enthusiast, Bundala, Hambantota and Kalametiya are good sites in the south. If you are limited by time, there is the Bellanwila Attidya sanctuary, a marshy site on the outskirts of Colombo, which is good for observing water birds. 

You do not have to be a serious birdwatcher or need to travel long distances to bird sanctuaries and birding hot spots in order to enjoy Sri Lanka's avifauna. Almost every garden - even in urban areas - and almost every patch of natural vegetation along the roadside has a rich diversity of bird life. You need nothing more than a good pair of eyes to observe some of the more common birds.

Nice post! Thanks for your information about birds in Sri Lanka!