Redspot (Zesius chrysomallus)

Common butterfly found all over the island from lowlands to mid hills up to about 2500ft. Larvae of Red spot has symbiotic relationship with large red ants. Red ants feed on liquid exuded by the larvae and in turn are attended by them. The larva feeds on Terminalia bellirica, Bridelia retusa (කැටකෑල), Canthium coromandelicum, Terminalia catappa (කොට්ටම්බා/කොට්ටන්/Indian almond/Country almons),  Terminalia arjuna (කුඹුක්), Falcataria moluccana (මාර), Symplocos acuminata, Cassia fistula (ඇහැළ/Indian Laburnum/Shower of Gold), Psidium guajava (පේර/Guava), Dendrophthoe falcata (පිලිල),  Cassia roxburghii (රතු වා/Ceylon cassia/Red cassia),  Senna auriculata (රණවරා/Matara Tea/Tanner's Cassia), Grewia damine (දමිණිය), Acacia longifolia, and Sesbania grandiflora (කතුරු මුරුංගා/Agati/Vegetable hummongbird).

කබර රදනකයා(Kabara Radanakaya)/ඉරි කරවලා(Iri karawala)/Shaw’s Wolf Snake/ (Lycodon striatus)

Shaw’s Wolf Snake is a small (100-400mm) terrestrial and nocturnal snake distributed mostly in wet zone though occurs rarely also in intermediate and dry zone areas. It is a non venomous and inoffensive snake, which balls itself and hides its head underneath these coils (See right bottom picture) when disturbed.  It preys mainly on geckos and skinks during the night and stay under decaying logs, loose soil, earth cracks and leaf litter during the day time. Parental care of eggs is observed among these snakes and it lays 2-3 eggs.

බෙරු - දියනිල්ල/Beru-diyanilla/Creeping water primrose (Ludwigia adscendens)

An indigenous common herb with prostrate floating stems, grows in water margins of ponds, tanks and flooded paddy fields in the low country. 

නිල් කටරොළු/Nil Katarolu/Blue butterfly pea/Butterfly bean (Clitoria ternatea)

An indigenous (Introduced ? >>) slender vine found along roadsides and scrub lands in the dry low lands while cultivated in home gardens of the moist regions. Flowering throughout the year and sometime white forms and much longer flowers occurs in cultivation. 

Apefly (Spalgis epeus epeus)

Rare butterfly distributed in the low country to mid hills of about 500m a.s.l. As per Woodhouse Larva of Apefly unlike with other butterflies feeds on scale insects (Coccidae) especially “Mealy bug” and is never known to eat vegetable food (Woodhouse L.G.O. 1950) But de’Abrera stated that it is just a keeping company with Mealybugs (de’Abrera B., 1998). Pupa is remarkably like the head and face of an ape. Hence its vernacular name Apefly. 

Tree Nymph (Idea iasonia)

An endemic and rare butterfly found in wet forests from lowlands to higher hills. Occurs rarely also in some Northern and Eastern dry zone forests. It is usually found near water streams and easily notice by its floating and sailing like slow flight, often high among tree tops. Its only known larval food plant is Parsonsia alboflavescens (කිරි අඟුණ/වල් අඟුණ)

වතු-සුද්ද/Sri Lanka Jasmine/Grape-Jasmine/Wathu-Sudhdha (Tabernaemontana divaricata)

Large shrub flowering throughout the year. Native to the Southern Himalayas and cultivated in Sri Lankan gardens since ancient time as an ornamental plant.  Variety with broad corolla lobes also exist. 

ගස්-ලබු/පැපොල්/Papaya (Carica papaya)

Small tree with usually unbranched stem of about 5 to 7 m tall.  Native to tropical America and cultivated throughout the island. Fruits edible. 

නමිනම්/Nam-Nam (Cynometra cauliflora)

Native tree of Malaysia introduced into Sri Lanka apparently before mid 18^th century. Fruits edible.

පිළිල/Pilila (Dendrophthoe falcata)

An indigenous common half-parasite growing on the branches of trees. Widespread throughout the country except higher montane zone and common in the dry zone. Flowering throughout the year. 

ගම්-පිල/කටු-පිල/Gam-Pila/Katu-Pila/Wild Indigo/Fishpoison (Tephrosia purpurea)

Common indigenous herb found along roadsides, waste lands and near seacoast in the low country. 

හීන් කරඹ/Heen-Karamba (Carissa spinarum)

A very common indigenous small shrub with spines on the node, distributed throughout the low country dry zone in jungles, roadsides, along forest edges and especially in disturbed vegetation. Flowering throughout the year. 

Blue Percher (Diplacodes trivialis)

A very common dragonfly of the lowlands up to mid hills. It inhabits rice fields, weedy tanks, streams beaches and footpaths, often far from the water unlike most other dragonflies. 

කටු පතොක්/Katu Pathok (Opuntia dillenii)

Native to the South America. Introduced as an ornamental plant and now naturalized common weed in sandy places of dry and arid zone especially in Bundala and Yala national parks.  Fruit edible.

Forget-me-not (Catochrysops strabo)

Common butterfly occurs all over the dry lowlands up to about 3500ft, especially in abandoned paddy fields and chena lands.  Its larva feeds on Cajanus cajan (රට තෝර/Dhal/Pigeon Pea/Chick Pea/Red Gram), Flemingia lineata, Phyllodium pulchellum, Rhynchosia cana, Tephrosia purpurea (ගම්-පිල/කටු-පිල/Wild Indigo/Fishpoison), Tephrosia villosa (බූ පිල/Hoarypea) and  Indigofera linnaei (බිං අවරි)

Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)

Common breeding resident in low country and lower hills especially where palm trees such as Palmyras or Talipots are available.  It keeps in flocks and spends its time flitting about in open areas in search for small flying insects. It breeds probably year round and the nest is a small cup of feathers and cotton, glued with its saliva under fan-palm leaf or occasionally the fronds of the Areca or Betetnut palm (Only if no fan-palm is available). 

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Cingalese Bushbrown (Mycalesis rama)

An endemic and rare butterfly occurs in forested areas with bamboo in the low country wet zone.  The larva is believed to be feed on Ochlandra stridula (Bamboo/බට).

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)

An uncommon breeding raptor in open areas, grasslands paddy fields and Patana lands in dry lowlands and hills.  Occasional visitor to the wet lowlands. It encounters mostly as solitary birds or in pairs. It has a habit of hovering frequently when hunting on grasshoppers, lizards, rats and young birds in open country.  The breeding season is from December to March and sometime again from July to October. The nest – untidy mass of sticks – is placed at top of a tree in fairly open area.  

කොහා[Koha]/Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)

Common breeding resident in home gardens, cultivation and other wooded areas avoiding dense forests from lowlands to mid hills.  It feeds almost entirely on fruits including berries of some ornamental garden plants.  Mating call of male bird can be heard frequently during Sinhala new year season which happen to be start of its breeding season which last from April to August. It is a parasitic bird and  female bird lays eggs mainly on two species of crows (Jungle Crow and House Crow) and sometime of babblers nests.

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Oriental Skylark/කොණ්ඩ ගොමරිට්ටා/පෙරදිගු අහස්රිට්ටා[Konda Gomaritta/Peradigu Ahasritta] (Alauda gulgula)

Locally common breeding resident, inhabiting grasslands, dry paddy fields and open country mainly in dry zone lowlands. Visits wet zone and breeds rarely in the hills.  It lives on ground in pairs or as small flocks and never perching on trees but on low stumps, stone walls etc. It feeds on insects like grasshoppers and also seeds of grasses and weeds.  The small crest on fore crown, which normally down and erects when excited can be used to distinguished Oriental skylark from bit similar but stockier and browner Jerdon’s Bushlark.  The breeding season is from March to July and it lays 1-3 eggs in a nest made out of grass and fibers in a small hollow on ground usually under a small tuft of grass or shrub.

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Brown Hawk Owl (Ninox scutulata)

Common breeding resident distributed throughout the country in forests, cultivation and wooded areas of cities and villages while becoming uncommon in higher hills. Sights of Brown Hawk Owls sitting on lamp or telephone posts, TV antennas during nights are not uncommon in most urban and suburban areas with some trees even in and around Colombo. Brown Hawk Owl can be easily identified by its distinctive loud call which sounds like koo-ook, koo-ook heard especially on moonlit nights. It is a nocturnal bird and feeds on insects takes on the wing.  The breeding season is from March to April and again in November. It lays 2-3 eggs in a tree cavity.

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Common migrant and summer loiterer to lagoons, brackish lakes and salt-pans of Northern, Eastern and Southeastern coastal areas. Mainly occurring in Jaffna, Mannar and Bundala salterns usually as large flocks of several hundreds or sometimes in thousands.  Greater Flamingo mainly feeds on vegetable substances and small aquatic animals. Even though breeding of it has not been recorded from Sri Lanka nest mounds build up of mud were observed in Bundala national park several times.  The nearest breeding site from where Sri Lankan migrants probably come situated in the Rann of Kutch on the west coast between India and Pakistan. 

Common Lanka Skink (Lankascincus fallax)

Rather common skink widely distributed throughout the country from sea level to about 1050 m altitude in all climatic zones. It can be found among leaf litters or under logs and stones during the night and become active in the morning and evening. It is said that Common Lanka Skink forages in morning around 7.30 and in the evening around 5- 6 Pm on insects (Das, I. & De Silva, A., 2005). Throat color of male varies from blackish to reddish during the breeding season and always has some white spots on the throat. This skink can be easily distinguished from other member of the genus Lankascincus by having fused frontoparietals instead of distinct divided frontoparietals of others.

මොණරා [Monara]/Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)

Indian Peafowl is a common breeding resident of dry lowlands and some areas in the intermediate zone. It inhabits mainly open country, chena lands and scrub lands avoiding dense forests.  Its food consists of grains, leaves, grasshoppers, termites, and also small reptiles.Its usual feeding times are in the early morning and hour or so before sunset.  It roosts on trees during the night. Indian peafowl usually lives as small groups and spends their time mostly on ground walking great distances in search of food.  It flies mostly to cross an obstacle like rivers or to escape from sudden danger.  The breeding season is from December to May and male attains its long train during the mating season.  The peahen lays 3 to 5 eggs in a slight hollow on ground well hidden in dense shrubbery.

Little Egret(Egretta garzetta)

Very common breeding resident found in swamps, paddy fields, lagoons, canals, tanks and mangroves from lowlands to lower hills while uncommon in higher hills. It feeds mainly on fish and other aquatic animals often associating with other egrets and herons. The breeding season is from December to May and it builds a nest –A platforms of sticks - in trees usually near water, colonially with other water birds.  

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Paddyfield Parasol (Neurothemis intermedia intermedia)

An uncommon dragonfly found in lowland forested areas, paddy fields, plantations and vicinity of tanks in the dry zone (bedjanic, M., K. Conniff & G. de Silva Wijeyeratne, 2007). Rare in the hills. 

Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)

Locally common winter visitor and occasional summer loiterer to lagoons, salt-pans, sand spits and estuaries of most coastal areas. It keeps in small to large flocks usually with other terns and gulls. Lesser Crested Tern feeds on fish, plunging from some height at espied fish while flying above the water surface, and the fish is swallowed on the wing. 

Wall’s Grappletail (Heliogomphus walli)

Wall’s Grappletail is a rare endemic dragonfly inhabiting fast flowing forested streams. Earlier records only exist from Morningside estate of Rakvana, Balangoda and Nalanda (de Fonseka T., 2000). 

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Garganey is probably the most abundant of our migratory ducks.  It is very common winter visitor as large flocks to the coastal lagoons, large tanks and marshes of dry lowlands. Small flocks can be found rarely in inland tanks and wet lowlands.  It is highly gregarious bird and often associating with other migratory ducks such as Northern Pintail, Common Teal and Northern Shoveler. It feeds on grain such as rice and also insects, crustaceans and mollusks, mostly during the night.  During the day time it spends far from the shore floating in a close flock (Henry G.M. 1998).  However diurnal feeding sometime up-ending in lagoons and large water bodies can be observed nowadays probably due to lack of ‘Duck shooting’ as it prevailed during Henry’s time.  

Brook Hooktail (Paragomphus henryi)

Locally common dragonfly inhabiting fast flowing streams and rivers in submontane areas according to the de Fonseka (de Fonseka T., 2000) and hills and mountain regions as per bedjanic, M.,  et.al., 2007. However F.C. Fraser in 1933 noted that it is the commonest Gomphine in the island found in everywhere at all elevations (Fraser F.C. 1933). Probably what he meant is in suitable habitats as he elaborated further that it is a jungle insect usually found sunning itself on rocks in mid streams. With the recent distribution data of Brook Hooktail in the island M. Bedjanic concluded that P. henryi is not so common anymore, being known from around 70 localities concentrated in central and southwestern part of Sri Lanka (Bedjanic M., 2013) Above picture was taken at lowland rain forest stream of southwestern Sri Lanka (Indikada Mookalana – A heavily degraded secondary forest) with about 40m height above sea level (6°54.072'N, 80°09.724'E). Males Brook Hooktail can be easily distinguished from all others of the family by having long hook like down-curved anal appendages (insert). Female lack that expansion.

Fraser F.C. 1933 The Gomphines of Ceylon (Order Odnata), F.C. Fraser, Ceylon Journal of Science (B) Vol. XVIII, Pt 1 December 22, 1933 page 33 

bedjanic, M.,  K. Conniff & G. |de Silva Wijeyeratne, 2007, Gehan's photo guide: Dragonflies of Sri Lanka. Jetwing Eco Holidays, Colombo 248p.

de Fonseka, T. (2000). The dragonflies of Sri Lanka. Wildlife Heritage Trust: Colombo. 304 p. 

bedjanic, M. 2013 Paragomphus Campestris Spec.Nov., A New endemic dragonfly from Sri Lanka (Ansoptera:Gomphidae) Odonatologica 42(1): 45-53 March 1, 2013 (http://www.rufford.org/files/Odonatologica%2042(1)%2045-53%20March%201,%202013.pdf)

Stork-billed Kingfisher/Manathudu Maha-pilihuduwa/Maha Pilihuduwa(Pelargopsis capensis capensis)

Stork-billed Kingfisher is the largest of the Kingfisher family in Sri Lanka. It is an uncommon breeding resident in rivers, streams tanks, marshes, paddy fields, and lagoons - usually adjoining wooded areas- from lowlands to lower hills. It is more common in dry zone. Stork-billed Kingfisher lives as pairs or solitary birds.  It mainly feeds on fish, frogs, crabs and other small animals. The breeding season is from January to May and probably again from August to September. The nest is a well concealed hole on the banks of rivers or tank-bunds.

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Angled Pierrot (Caleta decidia)

Angled Pierrot is an uncommon butterfly more partial to the jungle habitats of wet lowlands up to mid hills. De’ Abrera noted that Angled Pierrot is neither a ‘mud-puddler- nor a creature of open countryside (de’Abrera B., 1998). However mud-puddling individuals are not uncommon and also it inhabits open areas but always close to the jungles such as jungle foot paths (Above picture was also taken at such a habitat and it was mud puddling on a muddy foot path though it has flew away and settled on a near by shrub where picture was taken). It is frequent in jungle clearings and in shady streams (Banks J&J, 1999). It is a swift  flying insect which takes part in migrations.  The larva feeds on Maha-Eraminiya plants (Ziziphus rugosa) and Gouania microcarpa.

Crimson-fronted Barbet (Megalaima rubricapillus)

Common breeding resident found in forests, open wooded areas, gardens and cultivation from wet lowlands to mid hills, and locale in the dry zone.  As all other barbets it is a fruit eater and out of the breeding season forms scattered flocks especially in the neighborhood of fruiting trees such as Bo, Nuga, etc. Otherwise it is mostly encounters as solitary birds or as pairs. The breeding season is from January to June and it lays 2-3 white eggs in a tree hole dug into the lower surface of a sloping branch rather than into an upright post. Some ornithologists consider Crimson-fronted Barbet as an endemic bird to Sri Lanka while others believe it as a proposed endemic which need to be verify taxonomically.

Mosaic plant (Ludwigia sedoides)

Mosaic plant is a very recent addition to the flora of Sri Lanka. It is a native plant of tropical central and South America. It was introduced as an ornamental plant and now naturalized in some Sri Lankan wetlands. It was originally recorded from Southwest Sri Lanka (De Vlas J. & J. 2008) and spreading. Above picture was taken at Pahuru Ela marsh of Kelani basin close to the Malvana town.

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark (Eremopterix griseus)

Locally common breeding resident in dry lowlands, especially in coastal areas. Occasionally visit wet zone and hills.  It inhabits arid open country, dry paddy fields and grasslands where it can be seen as pairs or - if it is outside the breeding season - as smaller to larger flocks. Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark mainly feeds on small seeds. It also takes insects and young are largely fed on them. It is a strict ground dweller and never perches on trees. The breeding season is from March to July. The nest a small hole dug on open ground lined with grass sometime with decorated environs with small stones, lumps of clay etc. 

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark female is very much like to Female House Sparrow but grayer.

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Amazon Lily (Urceolina × grandiflora [Syn: Eucharis grandiflora])

Native to Andes of Columbia and Peru. Cultivated in low and mid country home gardens as an ornamental plant. Flowering from March to May.

Flying Fox/Maa wawula (Pteropus giganteus)

Flying Fox or Maa Wawula in Sinhala is the largest bat in Sri Lanka with about 1.2m wingspan. It is distributed throughout the island excluding higher hills though it is a visitor to the higher hills during fruiting seasons. However  W.W.A Phillips noted that it appears to be absent, during the greater part of the year, from the Hambantota district (Phillips, 1980). Flying fox is a nocturnal mammal and has excellent night vision though it doesn't have echolocation like some other bats. During the day time it roosts communally in tall trees. Such a colony - usually located close to human habitations- may comprises hundreds or may be thousands of individuals. Flying fox exclusively feeds on soft pulp and juice of flowers and fruits (Excluding all citrus fruits) after solids are discarded having chewed the flesh. It covers immense distance in a night in foraging, ranging from 2 to 20kms. Often before feeding, it is said that they visit a river or lake to quench thirst, lapping up water as they glide over the surface (Phillips, 1980). Even though it is treated as a pest it also an invaluable pollinator of most fruit plants.

Scarlet firespike (Odontonema tubaeforme)

Native plant of South America. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in Sri Lankan home gardens and parks. 

Darter/Snake-Bird (Anhinga melanogaster)

An uncommon breeding resident of tanks, lagoons and large river habitats of dry lowlands. Rare in wet lowlands and hills. When swimming on the water surface it swims with only the head and neck exposed and hence its vernacular name snake-bird. It feed on fish and catches them with its needle-sharped bill while swimming under water. Darter often associates with other cormorants when feeding though solitary birds are not uncommon. It is expert diver as well as a powerful flier. It keeps neck fully extended during the flight. The breeding season is from December to March and it breeds in colonies often with other water birds, building a nest in trees near water.

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Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

An uncommon breeding resident in the northernmost part of the country supplemented with winter visitors to the same area during migrate season. Occasionally found in other areas of the island. It is mostly restricted to the coastal areas, especially to the coastal cities where it inhabits as small groups or solitary individuals. Black Kite is a scavenger and living mainly on scraps of food-refuse cast out from human habitations. It breeds from December to April and build a nest - an untidy mass of sticks – in the canopy of a tree or at the base of coconut frond. 

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Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)

A common breeding resident of coastal wet lands and inland tanks mainly of dry zone and visitor to the wet zone. It is the smallest of the terns inhabiting Sri Lanka. Little Tern mainly lives on fish and prawns. It is   probably some aquatic insects are also taken. It usually encounters as solitary birds though sometime widely scattered flocks are fishing in the same area. Little tern breeds in small colonies on  beaches, dry mud-flats and tank edges etc. from May to August. The 2-3 eggs are laid in a shallow scrape on open ground.

Little Stint/පුංචි සිලිවටුවා/පුංචි හින්නා[Punchi Siliwatuwa/Punchi Hinna] (Calidris minuta)

Little stint is a very common winter visitor to the coastal areas, lagoons, mud-flats, tank edges and salt pans mainly of the dry zone. Rare in wet zone. It lives in smaller to large flocks. When feeding at the water edges it runs actively on the mud, bill pointing downward and picking small aquatic animals time to time.

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Pallied Harrier (Circus macrourus)

An uncommon winter visitor to the marshes, paddy fields, Patana lands and open areas throughout the island. However It is more frequent in dry lowlands.  It is also an occasional loiter of the island and according to the Henry probably the commonest harrier that visit Sri Lanka which arrives August to November and spread all over the island, hills and low country alike (Henry G.M., 1988). Its food consists of lizards  grasshoppers  frogs and small birds etc. Above picture is of a juvenile bird and adult males have pale grey upper parts and females are brownish.

Black-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

Common winter migrant to marshes, lagoons, paddy fields, tanks and salt-pans of dry lowlands. Rare in wet lowlands. It keeps singly or in small to large flocks often in association with Whiskered Terns to which it closely resemble and difficult to distinguished in non-breeding plumage though former is slightly smaller that latter. In breeding plumage Black-winged Tern become black head, body and under wing-coverts (Picture – spring moult). 

Great Egret/සුදු මහ කොකා/මහ සුදු කොකා[Sudu Maha Koka/Maha Sudu Koka] (Casmerodius alba)

Great Egret is a common breeding resident of dry lowlands and uncommon bird in wet zone while occasional visitor to the hills. It inhabits paddy fields, tanks, rivers, lagoons and mangroves mostly as solitary birds or few individuals sometime associates with other egrets. It feeds on fish, prawns, and other such aquatic animals as well as ground insects like grasshoppers. The breeding season is from December to May and it builds a nest – a shallow platform of sticks- placed in a tree by water, usually in company with other herons, egrets, cormorants etc. Breeding birds have black bills and bright bluish green lore and in non-breeding plumage bill yellow and lore dull pale green.

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Amber-winged Glider (Hydrobasileus croceus)

A very rare dragonfly recorded only once in Sri Lanka from the Kandy according to the Terrence de Fonseka (de Fonseka T., 2000). However 2012 National red list listed it under Near Threatened category probably due to records of more occurrences of it in the island than previously thought. Both sexes are similar and it can be easily identified by the amber color patch on the hind-wing. It is said that it breeds on weedy tanks and where males can be found waiting for females( de Fonseka T., 2000 quoting Fraser ). I have encountered two specimens on 16th February 2013 close to the Kalu River at Dombagaskandha forest reserve in Ingiriya. First one was flying about 2-3 m above the ground (Time - Around 1PM) close to a tributary of Kalu River. Second one was resting on a road side shrub during the evening (Time - Around 4 PM). 

Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)

An uncommon breeding resident of lagoons, tanks and marshes in low country dry zone.  It usually lives as small flocks and feeds communally in shallow water on small aquatic animals such as tadpoles, dragonfly larva, etc and also some vegetable matters. It is more active at dusk and during the day time it spends resting either on an islet in a marsh or perch on a branch of a tree. The breeding season is from December to March and it nests in colonies in association with other large herons and egrets, on top of bushes or on a low branch of a tree near water in a lagoon or swamp. The nest is a pile of sticks where it lays 2-5 eggs. 

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Indian Silverbill/White-throated Munia (Lonchura malabarica)

An uncommon breeding resident found in grasslands, paddy fields and cultivation  mainly in arid coastal areas of low country dry zone in Mannar, Jaffna and Hambantota districts. Localized colonies sometimes also occur in other parts of the dry zone. It feeds on grass seeds, paddy etc. and usually occurs as small flocks of 10-12 birds but sometimes in larger numbers.  Its breeding season is from December to March. The nest is a ball of grass as that of other munias and where it lays 4 to 6 pure white eggs. 

Western Reef Egret (Egretta gularis)

Rare but regular winter migrant to the coastal lagoons, mangroves, estuaries and shores, mainly in the north. There is a 19^th century record of breeding of Western Reef Egret near Chilaw in May and June by Layard. But since then no such records and now it is considered as exclusively a winter visitor to the country. Western Reef Egret occurs as two color morphs: dark morph with dark ashy grey plumage and pale morph with pure white plumage [Closely resemble to the Little Egret but can be distinguished by shape and color of the bill] or white plumage with grey patches. It is usually a solitary bird or lives in pairs, but sometimes associates with flocks of Little Egrets.