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Category: SRI LANKA
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SINHARAJA FOREST RESERVE NATIONAL PARK

SRI LANKA

Deniyaya (Sabaragamuwa, Western and Southern Provinces) ()

Lat:  06°20′22′′N 80°33′30′′E (), 8864 ha, 1350 m ()

Protected/registered status 
Best Time for visit; anytime (January 2017)

 

Birding Site Guide

The entrance gate where you pay a small entrance fee is located at the town of Deniyaya. Forest Department accommodation includes places on the edge of the reserve which must be booked through them. Morning Side bungalow, Pitadeniya rough accommodation, Kudawa dormitory accommodation. Other places to stay, however can be found nearby. The reserve is mostly tropical lowland evergreen and deciduous rainforest up to 35m tall with emergent giants up to 50m. All the forest endemics (20) occur here. Around 282 bird species have so far been recorded.

 

Species seen

Striated Heron Butorides striatus javanicus, Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii grayii, Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis, Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia intermedia, Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis perniger, Legge's Hawk Eagle Nisaetus kelaarti, Sri Lanka Junglefowl Gallus lafayettii, Sri Lanka Spurfowl Galloperdix bicalcarata, Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus, White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus phoenicurus, Rock Pigeon Columba livia intermedia, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon Columba torringtonii, Spotted Dove Stigmatopelia chinensi ceylonensis, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon Treron pompadora, Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea pusilla, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot Loriculus beryllinus, Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria eupatria, Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala, Layard's Parakeet Psittacula calthropae, Layard's Parakeet Psittacula calthropae, Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea scolopacea, Red-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus, Green-billed Coucal Centropus chlororynchus, Green-billed Coucal Centropus chlororynchus, Sri Lanka Frogmouth Batrachostomus moniliger, Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata, Indian Swiftlet Aerodramus unicolor, Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis balasiensis, Malabar Trogon Harpactes fasciatus fasciatus, White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis fusca, Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops phillippinus phillippinus, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti leschenaulti, Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica zeylanica, Yellow-fronted Barbet Megalaima flavifrons, Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus wellsi, Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense psarodes, Sand Martin Riparia riparia, Sri Lanka Swallow Hirundo hyperythra, Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea, Orange Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus, Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus, Black-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus, Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer haemorrhous, White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus insulae, Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea, Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis ceylonensis, Spot-winged Thrush Zoothera spiloptera, Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum, Bright Green Warbler Phylloscopus nitidus, Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris, Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui muttui, Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea ceylonensis, Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus melanurus, Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra phillipsi, Dark-fronted Babbler Rhopocichla atriceps nigrifrons, Orange-billed Babbler Turdoides rufescens, Orange-billed Babbler Turdoides rufescens, Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis taprobanus, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush Garrulax cinereifrons, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis frontalis, Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica zeylonica, Legge's Flowerpecker Dicaeum vincens, Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos ceylonense, Sri Lanka White-eye Zosterops ceylonensis, Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus ceylonensis, White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens leucopygialis, Sri Lanka Crested Drongo Dicrurus lophorinus, White-faced Starling Sturnia albofrontata, Sri Lanka Myna Gracula ptilogenys, Lesser Hill Myna Gracula indica, House Sparrow Passer domesticus indicus, White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata striata, Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata punctulata.

 

Other species seen

Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura, Tufted Grey Langur Semnopithecus priam, Otter Lutra lutra, Yellow-striped Chevrotain Moschiola kathygre. Water Monitor Varanus salvator.

Also present are Indian Elephants, which are very few, as are Leopards. Endemic reptiles found here are Green Pit-Viper and Hump-nosed Viper, and of amphibians, many species of tree frogs.

Flora

Up to 90% of Dipterocarps are endemic. Of the 211 woody plants 66% are endemic as are 13 genera of lower plants.

Our guide was Amila Salgado : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Author: BSG

 

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