ගිරිතිල්ල[Giri-tilla] (Argyreia kleiniana [Syn: Argyreia populifolia])

An indigenous and very common liana often growing over garden fences and along roads in the wet zone. Fruit a yellow berry are occasionally eaten by some people.  Flowering from March to June. 

පාදිලි මානාවා[Padili Manawa]/Wooly-necked Stork/Indian White-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus)

An uncommon breeding resident inhabiting tank edges, marshes, open grasslands, paddy fields etc. of low country dry zone. Usually seen as pairs though large aggregation of birds can be occurred when large water bodies are drying up. It feeds on fish, frogs, snails and insects such as large grasshoppers and some water insects. It breeds in February to March. The isolated nest (Unlike breeding colonies of some other storks and herons) is a large mass of sticks place high in a tree in the heart of the jungle. 

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තිත් මුවා[Thith Muwa]/Spotted deer(Axis axis)

Due to the lose of habitats and of extensive poaching, nowadays Spotted deer is confined to the protected national parks and forest reserves of the dry lowlands.  It lives as herds of few individuals to a hundred or more.  These herds mostly have single dominant male while some large herds may have several sexually matured stags. Only the males of spotted deer develop antlers and young stags shed antlers annually but later in life the shedding occurs irregularly.  They feed in grasslands in the morning and evening, resting during the heat of the day in the shade of trees.  Man, leopards and occasionally crocodiles and pythons are the enemies of the Spotted deer while jackal also kill fawns and injured animals. It feeds mainly by grazing on grasses though occasionally browse on low hanging branches and also very fond of the fruits and flowers  that falls from the trees.

වල් පොල්කිච්චා[Wal Polkichcha]/White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)

White-rumped Shama  is a common breeding resident of jungles from lowlands to mid hills. It is fairly common in dry lowland forest areas and uncommon and locale in wet zone forests. Shama feeds on insects and probably jungle berries. It lives as pairs and  breeds from March to May . The nest is a pad of fibres placed in a tree hole where it lays 3 or 4 eggs.

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හැළ කිඹුලා[Hala Kimbula]/Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)

Mugger crocodile is a freshwater crocodile inhabiting tanks, rivers, villus, reservoirs and also sometime in saltpans of dry lowlands.  Mugger Juveniles feeds on insects and small vertebrates such as fish and frogs while adults hunt mammals as large as deer as well as small mammals, water birds, fish, turtles, snakes etc. It is said that when capturing fishes it remains with its jaws open until one swims by and then seize with a snap (Deraniyagala P.E.P. 1939). Occasionally it attacks humans. It aestivate in the jungle during the drought until rainy season comes. It is estimated that total population of Mugger in Sri Lanka is perhaps around 1200 individuals (Das Indraneil and de Silva Anslem 2005)

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Great Thick-knee/Great Stone Plover (Esacus recurvirostris)

Great Thick-knee is an uncommon breeding resident in the dry lowlands. It inhabits large tank edges, lagoons and estuaries. It is nocturnal and crepuscular in habit while resting in open areas during the day time. Usually it encounters as pairs or small flocks. It feeds on insects, crabs, worms and mollusks. Breeding season lasts from January to August  and  lays one or two eggs on ground generally not far from water.

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කුළු හරකා/වල් මීමා[Kulu Haraka/ Wal meema]/Wild buffalo(Bubalus arnee)

It is believed that wild buffalos now inhabiting in the dry zone forests and grasslands are decedents of feral domestic stock that have gone wild with the abandonment of Anuradhapura and Polonnaru kingdoms, since no wild buffaloes are to be found in the south of central provinces of Indian mainland. Above theory further says that it was originally imported from plains of Ganges by ancient Sinhalese for the agricultural purposes. Buffalo of true wild state nowadays found only in remote dry zone areas such as Yala and Wilpattu national parks, while in other areas it easily mix and mate with feral populations. Herds seen in grasslands are compose entirely of cows, their carves and young bulls while old and sexually matured bulls lives solitarily in its own demarcated territory defending it from other intruder bulls.

Lesser Adjutant/තට්ට මාන කොකා/හීන් බහුරු මානාවා [Tatta Mana Koka/ Heen Bahuru Manawa] (Leptoptilos javanicus)

A globally threatened rare breeding resident found in marshes, ponds, tanks and villus usually in or vicinity of dry lowland jungles. Lesser Adjutant is the largest bird of Sri Lanka though not tall as very rare Black-necked stork. It feeds on frogs, crabs, fish, lizards, small mammals and snakes stalking on dry edges of water usually as individual birds. But sometime small groups can be seen around drying water bodies. Unlike most other storks it flies by holding its neck drawn backward between the shoulders. Although it is confirmed as a breeding resident of Sri Lanka nest has rarely been found though juvenile birds are seen during and after its breeding season which happen to be March to April and again September. Nest is a huge file of sticks place on a big tree. 

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කිරි ඉබ්බා/අළු ඉබ්බා/දිය කුකුලා[Kiri Ibba/Alu Ibba/Diya kukula]/Flapshell Turtle (Lissemys punctata)

Kiri Ibba is a common turtle from lowlands to mid hills up to about 1200m. It inhabits paddy fields, rivers, salt marshes, tanks, ponds and even canals in some urban areas. It feeds on frogs, fish, crabs, snails, worms, insects and water plants. Flapshell turtle also scavenges on dead animals. One of the major threats to it in Sri Lanka is killing large numbers for food.

Jerdon’s Bushlark/Rufus-winged Lark (Mirafra affinis)

Common breeding resident of the low country dry zone. Local and uncommon in wet lowlands. It lives in pairs and inhabits open country such as paddy fields, scrublands etc. Jerdon’s Bushlark has a remarkable courting behavior of parachuting down with wings open and legs dangling after rising about 20-30 ft in the air. It feeds on several ground insects like grasshoppers. Unlike the Oriental skylark, Jerdon's Bushlark often perches on bushes, fences, dead tree branches and such places and utters its song. Breeding season is from March to July and it builds a well concealed nest in a small hollow at the base of a tussock of grass and lays 2-3 eggs.

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Monkey-puzzle (Rathinda amor)

An uncommon butterfly found in most parts of the island up to about 1000m asl. However it is much plentiful at low country forested areas. The larva feeds on buds of  Ixora coccinea (රතඹලා/රත් මල්) flowers of family Rubiaceae and Immature leaves of බෝ-කෑර/ගෝ-කෑර [Bo-Kera] (Gomphia serrata). Ixora macrothyrsa, Ixora pavetta (මහ රතඹලා/Torch Tree) , Lepisanthes tetraphylla (දාඹු)

Mischodon zeylanicus, Dimorphocalyx glabellus (වැලිවැන්න), Dimocarpus longan, Scutia myrtina, Mangifera indica (අඹ/Mango), Antidesma ghaesembilla and Drypetes sepiaria are also identified as its larval food plants.

Lesser Sand Plover/Mongolian Plover/Heen Wali Oliviya (Charadrius mongolus)

Common winter migrant to the lowlands while more common in dry zone and locale in the wet zone. It feeds on small insects and crustaceans in shores, salterns, mud-flats, wet grasslands etc. as small to large flocks. Lesser Sand Plover breeds in Central Asia. 

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බැබිල[Bebila] (Hibiscus micranthus)

An indigenous herb common along roads, forest edges, rocky hillsides and open scrublands of the dry zone.

Little Orange Tip (Coltis etrida limbata)

Rather rare butterfly inhabits coastal areas of north of Chilaw and Tangalla to Hambantota of extreme south. However sometimes it occurs further inland in north. Those from southern areas are larger, darker and very richly colored. Its only known larval food plant in Sri Lanka is Maerua arenaria of the family Capparaceae. W. Ormiston noted of a specimen taken at cart road at Haldummulla, at least 50 miles from its usual haunts and he believed that it had pupated on a Hambantota salt cart and hatched out on the way to Haputhale. Similarly he doubted of specimens of etrida race might brought over from India on the native boats because in Mannar district specimens that are very close to typical etrida  may be taken in company with typical limbata.

බමුණු පියාකුස්සා/බ්‍රාහ්මණ උකුස්සා/Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

Common breeding resident mainly in coastal areas and large marshes and man-made tanks/reservoirs of the lowlands. Also an occasional visitor to the hills. Its food consist of any animal which it can capture such as lizards, young or wounded birds, fish, crabs, large insects etc. Its breeding season is from October to April and the nest made of sticks and twigs in the tree top where it lays 2-3 eggs. 





                                          Juvenile-->

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Single Branded Crow/Common Crow (Euploea core)

Very common butterfly found all over the island in all the year round. It takes part in migrations. Larva feeds on Adenium obesum (Desert Rose) ,Aganosma cymosa, Allamanda cathartica (වෙල් රුක් අත්තන/Golden trumpet/Yellow allamanda), Anodendron paniculatum,  Asclepias curassavica (කන් කුඹල/Wild Ipecacuanha/Mexican milkweed/Blood flower), Carissa spinarum (හීන් කරඹ), Cryptolepis dubia, Gomphocarpus physocarpus (Balloon Cottonbush), Hemidesmus indicus (ඉරමුසු/හීන්-ඉරමුසු), Ichnocarpus frutescens (ගැරඬි වැල්/ගෝපි/ප්‍රියවර්ණ), Leptadenia reticulata (ජීවන්ති), Mandevilla boliviensis, Nerium oleander (කනේරු/Oleander), Ochrosia oppositifolia, Parsonsia alboflavescens (කිරි අඟුණ/වල් අඟුණ), Pentalinon luteum (Wild allamanda/Hammock viper's tail/Sundial), Pentatropis capensis,  Ficus arnottiana (පතන බෝ/කවුඩු බෝ/කපුටු බෝ),  Ficus benghalensis (මහ නුග/නුග/Banyan/Krishna bo/Krishna's cup), Ficus benjamina (වලු නුග/Weeping Fig/Benjamin Fig), Ficus exasperata (බූ තෙදිය/සෙවන් මැදිය/Furniture Leaf), Ficus microcarpa, Ficus nervosa, Ficus pumila,  Ficus racemosa (අට්ටික්කා),  Ficus religiosa(බෝ) , Ficus tinctoria, Secamone emetica and Streblus asper, Egg laying also observed on Plumeria rubra (අරලිය/Frangipani/Temple tree)

  

Sri Lanka Swallow (Hirundo hyperythra)

Common resident bird recently split from Red-rumped swallow (Hirundo daurica) adding another endemic bird to Sri lankan list. It is common all over the island in open areas of forests, plantations, paddy fields and scrublands. Often encounters as pairs and sometime as small flocks. It flies usually close to the ground and food consists mainly of small insects captured on the wing. Sri Lanka Swallow built bottle like nest with mud on roof of a cave, under a bridge or sometime even under a  roof of a building or a house. Main breeding season is from April to July. 

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Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)

A very common butterfly found all over the island in all the year round while commonest in the dry areas of the country. Its female occurs in two forms; one similar to the male and other with nearly all orange wings with dark margin and few discal spots only on the hind wings. Both forms of female are mimicked by the Danaid Eggfly. Larva feeds on Calotropis gigantea (එළවරා), Ceropegia elegans, Cynanchum alatum, Vincetoxicum cordifolium, Vincetoxicum iphisia, Vincetoxicum bracteatum, Asclepias curassavica (කන් කුඹල/Wild Ipecacuanha/Mexican milkweed/Blood flower), Gomphocarpus physocarpus (Balloon Cottonbush), Pentatropis capensis and Pergularia daemia (විස්සනි/මහමැදහන්ගු/Langali )

Star of Bethlehem, Madamfate (Hippobroma longiflora [Syn: Laurentia longiflora])

Native plant of West Indies. Introduced and naturalized in moist places such as roadside ditches, paddy fields, dilapidated walls and bases of coconut trees from wet lowland to midland hills. Also cultivated in home gardens.  Flowering throughout the year. 

Plumbeous silverline (Spindasis schistacea)

Rare butterfly of the low country open areas while plentiful in the hills. Its early stages and food plants are not yet recorded.