Common.Found at all elevations in the southern half of the island;rare in the north.Takes part in migrations.Sometimes seen resting in the small numbers in the shade of the forest during the heat of the day.Flight slow and lazy.Female mimicked by the Dark Wanderer.
Black rumped Flameback(Dinopium benghalense psarodes) 26-29cm
Probably the most familiar woodpecker in Sri Lanka.Its song,a rattlin scream ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-...kikikiki which first rises,falls in pitch and accelerates,gives away its presence although it is otherwise unobtrusive and many city dwellers are unware that this striking bird is found in residential areas.Sometimes also utters a slow ki-ki note.The red back and back and white on head and neck is distinctive,and can only be confused with Greater Flameback(Chrysocolaptes lucidus).The latter has an ivory-coloured,not dark,beak and a white 'island' on the chin.Female has black on forecrown rather than red.In the dry lowlands north-wards of North Central Province, a golden-backed race of this woodpecker occurs.
White breasted Waterhen(Amaurornis phoenicurus)32cm
The commonest rail on the island,found in marshes,where its harsh kwaar,kwaar...korowak,korowak.. call is frequently heard.Overall blackish upperparts contrast sharply with white face,throat and breast,and chestnut belly an vent.Generally shy and usually in pairs.It occasionally erupts from tangled vegetation to fly short distances,before dropping into cover again.Can be seen in open areas, even in home gardens.Juvenile small and black;older immature nearly as large as adult and mostly blckish with some dusky white on breast.
A stunningly-coloured migrant from nothern India.Female differs from mail in having olive upper back, blue-grey in male,otherwise resembles male.A rare but regular winter visitor to the lowlands and lower hills.Solitary birds take up territory mostly close to human settlement.This can be home gardens in towns,Villages or in forests.Male has sweet,varied rather soft song which is somewhat reminiscent of sub-songs of Oriental Magpie-Robin(Copsychus saularis).Usually starts singing on and off from February,before it finally leaves around April.
A common gardenbird found throughout the country.Both sexes have a striking red eye.Male all-back with pale beak,long tail and slimmer build that distinguishes it from both crows.Female heavily barred and spotted in brown and white.It is not uncommon to see this bird being purused by crows.Local traditionn has itthat the koel's incessant calling heralds the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April and it is known as 'New Year Cuckoo'.The male has two loud songs:a rapidly-repeated,rising hweeyu-hweeyu-hweeyu... and a pleasant,slow,rising ku-oo-u,ku-oo-u.. with the middle syllable higher.Female's call is a quick,rising yelp kik-kik-kik.
By far the commonest parakeet in the low-lands.It is one of the few birds which is not protected as it is considered an agricultural pest.The birds often alight atop tall trees before vanishing,betrayed only by their shrill screaming kyeeuk,kyeeuk contact call.It has a similar-toned chattering call uttered at length.Small flocks can often be heard screeching overhead.It nests in tree burrowsand competes for nest sites with barbets.Only the male has the rose collar.His face has a powder blue tinge.
(m)- Very common.Found throughout the island in open woodlands and gardens;rare in the high hills.Takes part in migrations.Flight fast and close to the ground;male settles on damp earth.When mimicking,the female copies the leisurely flight of the host.The female has 3 main forms;one mimics the male ,another mimics the Common Rose,and the third which is considered the typical form,resembles the Crimson Rose.
Quite unmistakable in its two-tone plumage.The white rump contrasts strongly with the blackish-brown upperparts and wings.The juvenile is duller but shares the two-tone pattern of the adult.It is found throughout the country,except for the dry northern-most areas,and ascends up to the mountains.It usually travels in small flocks,foraging in grasslands and paddy fields.It often visits home gradens.The calls are a clear tweet,tweet, usually uttered in flight,and a soft trrp.
