Birding Tour Sri Lanka: Island Endemics and Wintering Jewels

This exclusive small-group birdwatching tour of Sri Lanka explores the picturesque continental island situated at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent where we go in search of the country’s mouthwatering endemic birds and wintering specialties.

Serendib Scops Owl was discovered only in 2001 and is one of over 30 endemic target birds on this tour.

Sri Lanka is home to 35 currently recognized IOC endemic bird species, with some of the most impressive ones including the rare Sri Lanka Spurfowl, the gaudy Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, the shy, thicket-dwelling Red-faced Malkoha, the tiny Chestnut-backed Owlet, the common Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Crimson-fronted Barbet, and Yellow-eared Bulbul, the spectacular Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, the cute Sri Lanka White-eye, and the tricky, but worth-the-effort trio of Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, Sri Lanka Thrush, and Spot-winged Thrush. We will also look for the relatively recently discovered (2001), Endangered (IUCN), range-restricted, and endemic Serendib Scops Owl, which we will hopefully find on its day roost, as we hope to do with the shy and secretive Sri Lanka Bay Owl too.

Sri Lanka Frogmouth can often be found during the daytime.

This tour is also timed to coincide with the presence of several overwintering species in the country that are difficult to find at their breeding grounds; these include the boldly patterned and highly skulking Pied Thrush, the pretty Kashmir Flycatcher, and the simply stunning Indian Pitta. There are also plenty of other exciting species possible, such as Lesser Adjutant, Indian Blue Robin, Indian Peafowl, Legge’s Hawk-Eagle, Orange Minivet, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Forest Wagtail, Malabar Trogon, and Sri Lanka Frogmouth (surprisingly not a Sri Lankan endemic, given its English name; it also occurs in southern India in the Western Ghats, as do a couple of the other birds listed above, such as the trogon). Furthermore, Sri Lanka is the westernmost representative of Indo-Malayan flora, and its abundant birdlife also shows many such affinities.

This tour also offers plenty of wildlife-viewing opportunities with Asian Elephant, the Sri Lankan endemic subspecies of Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya), and Sloth Bear all being possible, along with a range of monkeys, squirrels, and deer. This itinerary covers a variety of habitat types, including lowland, monsoon and cloud forests, grasslands, lagoons, coastal mudflats, fresh and brackish waterbodies, imposing riverine woodland, and forest, and uses comfortable accommodation throughout the tour.

Found only in Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats (in India), Malabar Trogon is sure to delight.