Sri Lanka is a birds paradise with 435 resident species of which there are 26 endemic birds. Most of them are found in the wet zone. The winter migrants come from distant Siberia and Western Europe. The reservoirs attract vast number of water birds. The forests attract many other species. There are many bird sanctuaries across the little island 270 km by 140 km in size. Kumana is situated in east Coast, Bundala, Kalamatiya are in the southern coast, Sinharaja Rain Forest, Udawatta Kale, Bellanwila, Muthurajawela, Minneriya, Kitulgala and Minipe are other important Bird watching locations. In additions you can see birds through out the country in pockets of forests, lakes, lagoons and river sides during your travels.
Low Land Dry Zone Birds Include Malabar Pied Hornbill (Psittacula kraman), Drongo (Dicrurus adsmilis), Racquet Trailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradieus), Little Green Bee Eater (Merops Orientails) and the Peafowl (Pavo Cristata)
The Dryzone Tanks are shallow man made reservoirs forms very important habitat for birds. The large Pot-billed Pelican (Pelicanus Philippensis), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Cattle Egret (Babulcus ibis), Red Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus), Peasent Tailed Jacna (Hydrophasianus Chirurgus)
The Wet and Highland zone birds have rich variety of birds only found in these areas other than common birds. Many of the 26 Endemic birds including two members of the parrot family are found in Sinhraja, Kitulgala, Udawatta Kale. The Ceylon Lorikeet (Loriculus Berilinus), The endemic Layard Parakeet (Psitticula calthorpae), The Gackel or Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa), The Ceylon Grackel (Gracula ptilogenys), The endemic Yellow Eared Bullbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus)
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