හීරළුවා/හිකනලා[Heeraluwa/Hikanala]Dotted Garden Skink (Lygosoma punctatum)

A subfossorial skink with wide distribution in all climatic zones of the island. Relatively much common in the dry zone plains although occurs in wet lowlands and mid-elevations. There are records even from Colombo gardens and under coral stones in some offshore islands (Delft, Nagadeepa). it sometime enters houses. Dotted Garden Skink is frequently seen among leaf litters and when disturbed burrowed swiftly into loose sand or leaf litter. Diurnal and feed on small insects. Characteristic scarlet tail of young and subadults becoming brown or pink with age and faded out completely in adults. This highly fragile tail of young let them to escape from predators while attacker would be satisfied with seized brighter tail part. Both adults and juveniles can be diagnosed by having 4 to 6 longitudinal lines of black spots bordered by two cream color broad strips on dorsum.

පිළිහුඩුවා[Pilihuduwa]/White -Throated Kingfisher(Halcyon smyrnensis)

Very common breeding resident of all zones though less abundant at higher elevations. Usually perch on roadside telephone wires or similar vantage point in open areas, often well away from water and pounce upon its prey which basically consists of grasshoppers, small lizards, frogs, earthworms, beetles, mantises, etc. It is said that fish only a secondary food item of this kingfisher unlike other members of its family. Its call note which is a loud rattling scream somewhat like red-backed woodpecker’s flight call, uttered when it takes wings and short chick often uttered when waiting on a post or an exposed branch for its prey. Nesting burrow of this kingfisher is a dug in a river bank, a tank bank or even road side cutting (again not closer to water) and sloping upward tunnel ends in a widened egg chamber. Nesting period extends from December to June while peak season is March -April. It is observed that to feed its young white-throated kingfisher take small birds such as sunbirds, Munias and tailor birds.

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Common Mormon (Papilio Polytes)

Common butterfly occurs all over the island though becoming scarce at higher elevations above 2000ft. There are three varieties of female of this butterfly. One similar to the male and known as cyrus and second one mimic Crimson Rose (Pachliopta hector) and has been named as Romulus. Third one is known as Stichius and which mimic Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae). Food plants of Common Mormon larva are Toddalia asiatica (කුඩු මිරිස්ස/Kudu-mirissa) Atalantia ceylanica (වල් දෙහි/යකිනාරන්/‍යක් දෙහි) , Murraya paniculata (ඇට්ටේරියා/Orange jasmine), Glycosmis pentaphylla (දොඩම් පනා), Glycosmis mauritiana, Glycosmis angustifolia, Micromelum minutum (වල් කරපිංචා), Limonia acidissima (දිවුල්) and Pleiospermium alatum when it occurs in jungles. It also favored all type of citrus trees such as Citrus aurantiifolia (දෙහි/True Lime/Lime), Citrus limon, Citrus maxima, Citrus sinensis and also Murraya koenigii (කරපිංචා). Common Mormon is considered as a migratory species and joins the flights in great numbers usually in November to December.

සිවුරු හොරා/සුදු-රෙදි හොරා[siwuru hora/ sudhu redhi hora ]Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi)

Two distinct races T.P.paradisi a winter visitor to island during North-East monsoon from India and resident race T.P.ceylonensis occurs in Sri Lanka. It is also believed that resident race which is confined to the low country dry zone during its breeding season, has local migrations in other months of the year. Migrant race with white phase of male popularly known as Sudu redi hora (Sudu redi - white cloth, Hora - thief) can be seen all over the island up to 1700m in forests and garden habitats but only in migratory season. Endemic sub species with orange brown males got its vernacular name Siwuru hora( Siwuru - robes of Buddhist monks) due to its plumage color which is very much similar to color of robe of Buddhist monks is a bird of low country dry zone though move into the wet zone during the migratory season. Female of both races and juveniles like brown phase male but lack the streamers. Food consists entirely of insects taking on the wings.

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