House Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

Probably the most common toad of Sri Lanka, usually found in anthropogenic habitats throughout the island, both in wet and dry zone excluding Jaffna peninsula, from sea level up to hills about 1800m a.s.l. Not prefer to live in natural forest floors though sometime found close to forest edges and degraded forest areas (Above right hand side picture was taken at Fishing hut eco lodge situated in the buffer zone of Peak Wilderness sanctuary. I have also observed it in a tributary to Maha oya of Pussella in knuckles range, close to an anicut of an irrigation channel). Active during night and terrestrial, though not uncommon close to water bodies. 

Oriental White-Eye/හීන් මල්කුරුල්ලා/පෙරදිගු සිතැසියා [Heen Malkurulla/Peradigu Sithasiya] (Zosterops palpebrosa)

Common resident bird of forests, well wooded gardens and cultivations of lowlands to hills about 1200m in wet zone and 1800m in the drier Uva hills. Keeps in pairs or small parties and arboreal in habitats, but descend to ground for bathing in usually small streams running through undergrowth of forests. Fly from tree to tree in search of its food which mainly consists of nectar, insects, caterpillars and berries. Breeding season is from April to May and probably again in September. Lay 2-3 pale blue eggs in a small cup shape nest slung between two twigs.

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ඇත් හොඬ[Eth-Honda]/ Indian turnsole(Heliotropium indicum)

A common and introduced annual herb of wastelands and roadsides of low country - especially in dry zone. 

Taraka Ibba/Mevara Ibba/Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans)

A Land tortoise of low-country dry zone up to about 300m, usually found in shrub jungles, grasslands, chena cultivations and teak plantations. It feeds mainly on plant matters such as flowers of varies plants, but also scavenges on animal matters. Though illegal it is widely collected for pet trade. 

පොළොස් කොට්ටෝරුවා[Polos Kottoruwa]/Brown-headed Barbet (Megalaima Zeylanica)

Very common breeding resident of all zones while becoming less common at higher hills. Much prefer to village gardens and open lands than dense forests. It lives in pairs or sometime in small loose feeding parties, usually keep in touch by means of its loud monotonous call. Its food consist mainly of varies kind of berries and fruits. It also feed on insects such as beetles taken by fly, since being an arboreal bird it never descending to the ground. The main breeding season is from February to July while secondary season may be possible in August to September. Nest, a hole in a soft-wooded dead stem or branch of a tree pecked out by birds themselves.

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වල්සූරියකාන්ති/වටසූරිය[Wal-Suriyakanthi/Wata Suriya]/Wild Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia)

 A native plant of South America and introduced to many countries including Sri Lanka as an ornamental plant and now considered as an invasive. It is a common weed along roads and on waste grounds particularly at mid elevations (1000-5000ft).

Conjoined Swift (Pelopidas conjunacta)

W. Ormiston while describing of this Swift in 1924 wrote - “It is not rare at Haldummulla, but is difficult to catch in first class condition. I have also taken it at Haputale, Madampe and Galle, and have specimens from Ratnapura” – (The Butterflies of Ceylon). Ironically above ‘First class specimen’ was also ‘caught’ in a plantation of Pines in Haldummulla (6º 45´ 923˝ N, 80º 52´ 986˝ E). It is considered as an uncommon butterfly of all elevations of wet and intermediate zones up to 900m (An Illustrated guide to Butterflies of Ceylon – Rajika Gamage – 2007). However contrary to that above location is 1231m above sea level. Larva of Conjoined swift feeds on Ischaemum timorense, Coix lacryma-jobi, Panicum maximum, Saccharum officinarum and Sorghum bicolor

තිත් පොළඟා/දාර පොළඟා[Thith Polonga/ Dhaara Polaga]/Russell’s viper(Daboia russelii)

Russell’s viper is a highly venomous ground-dwelling snake with wide distribution from sea level to mid-hills of about 1500m a.s.l. But relatively common in dry zone shrub lands and grass lands. It is responsible for large number of human mortalities in agricultural districts since they are common in such anthropogenic habitats due to abundant of its main prey (i.e. rats).Other than small mammals like rodents its diet consists also of lizards, frogs and sometimes birds. Russells’s viper has very remarkable loud hiss emitting through its nostrils when threatened. P.E.P.Deraniyagala(A colored atlas of some vertebrates from Ceylon – Vol 3) mentions that wild specimens have a strong odor resembling that of crushed bed bugs (S: Makunu ganda) or of the flowers of the Mi tree(Madhuca longifolia) but does not emit when in captivity. He also records that it is frequently killed and eaten by the cobra (Naja Naja). This snake can be easily identified by having a light pink or white V shaped mark on head and a row of sub circular dark brown blotches of about 22-24 along vertebral region and two similar but with smaller blotches of rows beside lateral one.
Colour Guide to the Snakes of Sri Lanka

කෝවක්කා[Kowakka]/Ivy gourd(Coccinia grandis)

A common perennial climber grows in woodlands, forest borders and open areas from sea level to about 800m in low country, especially in dry zone. Indigenous and flowering from June to September. Leaves edible and both fruit and leaves are used in snake-bite treatments. 

A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon - Volume 10 (v. 10)

කැහිබෙල්ලා/කන්කෑරැස්සා[Kahibella]/Blue Magpie (Urocissa ornate)

An endemic bird inhabits only primary forests and near by home gardens in wet zone and foot hills. Uncommon and declared as a vulnerable bird in IUCN red list of threatened fauna and flora of Sri Lanka (2007). However feeding flocks consisting of up to 6-10 birds are not uncommon in buffer zone villages of Peak Wilderness (Sri Pada sanctuary) and Sinharaja forest. Though gregarious, pairs or solitary individuals are sometimes met with. It feed on insects [grasshoppers, leaf insects, beetles, etc.], caterpillars, shrub frogs, lizards and also some plant matter such as fruits. It is very noisy bird especially while hoping from branch to branch at all levels of trees from ground to canopy in search of foods. It is referred by a very interesting name of Kankaarassa by villagers in some areas around peak wilderness (Udamaliboda, Dikelikanda..etc) due to its  loud crakrakrakrak  call. Breeding season is from January to March and usually nest builds at the top of slender trees in forest and sometime even in home gardens. Once I have found a nest with eggs about 4-5 m above ground in top of small tree growing near a stream in a village. Group of three birds used to visit that during my observation period (only 2 days). Nest is some what similar to crows nest

Common Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor)

The most common and widespread agamid lizard of Sri Lanka inhabiting all over the island up to about 1400m above sea level. It is uncommon in forest areas and much common close to human habitations. It is arboreal and diurnal while usually seen on low shrubs and tree trunks waiting for its prey, which primarily consist of insects. It is also feed on juveniles of other agamid, geckos and some plant matters, such as seeds, leaves and buds. Cannibalism also reported among larger individuals of this lizard. 

Elusive Adjutant (Aethriamanta brevipennis)

Uncommon dragonfly. De  Fonseka (The Dragonflies of Sri Lanka – 2000 ) mentioned that “it is unrepresented in the Museum collection and has not been recorded from here since first mentioned by Selys in 1897”. Fraser says that it is very local and rare. It is also said that it breeds in small weedy tanks surrounded by forest. However I have observed it in fair numbers during most of the months of the year at Anavilundhawa sanctuary -a  wet land Ramsar site in North-Western province - and also once at Girithale tank of Polonnaruwa district. 

Four-claw Gecko (Gehyra mutilata)

Most abundant house gecko of Sri Lanka found in both anthropogenic habitats and forests of the island up to 1500m a.s.l. But so far not recorded from the northern part of the island and also rare in thick forest areas. It can be easily distinguished from other geckos by having characteristic carrot-shaped smooth tail and the absence of a claw on the inner digit. Four-claw gecko can changed its body color from white to dark and spotted to plain rapidly according to the inhabiting micro environment. Nocturnal in habit and feed on varies type of insects. Its foraging grounds are most of the time around artificial lights of houses and they are often competing with each others for better such places.

Crimson Rose (Pachliopta hector)

Crimson rose is a common butterfly of all over the low country up to mid hills of about 1000ft a.s.l. However it is much plentiful in dry zone than in other areas, even during driest of seasons. They fly close to the ground and flight is fast and straight. Female can be distinguished from the male (see above picture) by having much duller yellowish color spots on the upper side of the hind wing. Also female is generally larger than males. It take part in migrations and Ormiston recorded of seeing fair number of crimson rose butterflies “far out to sea, off the Indian and Ceylon coasts” in November 1914 and stated further that several of them came on board the ship. Its feeding plants in larval stage are Aristolochia bracteolata, Aristolochia indica (සප්සඳ) and Aristolochia ringens (තාරාමල්) of the family Aristolochiaceae.

අන්දර[Andara] (Dichrostachys cinerea)

Common tree found in dry and arid zones of the country. It is very drought resisting and flowers and fruits can be seen in varies time of the year according to localities. Leaves use as a fodder and tender shoots and roots have medicinal value. 

දඬු ලේනා[Dandu Lena]/Giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura)

Giant squirrel is distributed throughout the island in suitable habitats as three different subspecies.  Wet zone and highland subspecies have blackish brown to jet black above with totally black or ‘frosted with white’ tail, while dry zone subspecies has grizzled grey or brown upper parts with heavily frosted tail. They are diurnal and arboreal, always live in forests or near by villages with some trees. Its diet consists of leaves, barks and young twigs and shoots of trees and also wild fruits, berries and nuts in their seasons. It is said that insects, grubs and occasionally bird eggs are also included in its food. They build their nests among branches of tall tree within its territory demarcated by a solitary squirrel or a pair, using small branches and twigs. Usually they build 3-4 nests and use them both for sleeping and bringing forth young.

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Common bronze-back/තුරු හාල්දණ්ඩා/මූකලන් හාල්දණ්ඩා[Thuru/Mookalan Haal Danda] (Dendrelaphis schokari)

Non–venomous arboreal snake inhabiting forest and open areas of all climatic zones of island from lowlands to about 750m a.s.l. Diurnal and though a tree snake it is observed of foraging on land as well in searching of its prey which consist of frogs, lizards, geckos, skinks, insects and also eggs of small birds. It can make long jumps among trees if necessary while chasing its prey. It can be distinguished easily from other Dendrelaphis species by having a cream color spotted line on its olive green dorsal from neck to mid fore body along the spine. 

Spotted tree frog (Polypedates maculatus)

Spotted tree frog is widely distributed in both low country dry and wet zones including arid zone up to 460m above sea level. It is commonly encountered in anthropogenic habitats and during day time it use to hides in cool places such as inside bath rooms and banana groves.  This frog can change its color up to certain extent and dorsal color may vary from light brown and yellow to reddish brown. Dark brown patches on dorsal surface can be seen sometimes and hence the name maculatus, since maculatus in Latin is the one who bear spots or patches on its body.  Loreal region is dark brown and dark cross bars can be seen on dorsal side of limbs. 

කිතලා[Kithala]Purple Swamphen/Purple coot(Porphyrio porphyrio)

Common resident bird of low country tanks, swamps and reed-beds of both wet and dry zones. Usually keeps in small parties of less than 10 birds and can be seen walking over floating vegetation or stalking through the reed beds. However bigger congregations are not uncommon. Though it can swim well does not often do so unless compelled.Flight is fast and also can make long flights. It keeps its feet extending beyond tail in flight. Feed mainly on vegetable matters and some insects. Nesting on heap of vegetation in reed-bed during the first half of the year while peak is from March to May. It is very noisy and quarrelsome especially during the breeding season and birds chasing one another are frequently occurred at that time. 

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Green Garden Lizard (Calotes calotes)

Green garden lizard or Pala Katussa is a common lizard with wide distribution from low lands plains to mid hills. It is highly arboreal and found in both forest and anthropogenic habitats such as home gardens, plantations, etc... However it is rare in Northern part of the country and higher hills (Not recorded of above 1500m a.s.l). It has very characteristic long tail and it can be considered as the largest Calotes species in the country. It feeds mainly on insects but may also take plant materials such as tender buds and flowers. Several color variations has been recorded of this species and it has been observed a quite distinct population from Kachchativu Island.