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Wildlife Diaries by Ovin De Silva, Kumana (2026)

14/09/2026

Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres)
රත් ගල්පෙරලියා

The ruddy turnstone is a robust, highly migratory shorebird belonging to the sandpiper family Scolopacidae. Breeding in the high Arctic tundra across northern Eurasia and North America, it undertakes epic long-distance migrations each year to winter along rocky shores, tidal flats, coral reefs, and sandy beaches worldwide, including the coastal regions of Sri Lanka.

Measuring about 21 to 25 cm in length, birds in breeding plumage display an unmistakable mosaic pattern: a harlequin-like black-and-white head and breast pattern, rich calico-chestnut and black tortoiseshell upperparts, a clean white belly, and vivid bright orange-red legs. True to their common name, they forage with remarkable determination, using their slightly upturned, wedge-shaped black bills to actively flick and roll over stones, shells, drift debris, and mats of seaweed to seize hidden amphipods, crabs, mollusks, insects, and worms.

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08/09/2026

White-Rumped Munia (Lonchura striata)
නිතඹ සුදු වීකුරුල්ලා

The white-rumped munia is a small, gregarious passerine native to tropical southern Asia, ranging from India and Sri Lanka east through Southeast Asia to southern China. Measuring roughly 10 to 11 cm in length, it is characterized by its heavy, conical bicolored bill (with a silvery-grey lower mandible), dark chocolate-brown head and breast, finely pale-streaked upperparts, and a clean white belly that contrasts sharply with its dark breast and flanks. True to its name, a distinct white band across the lower back and rump becomes visible in flight. Highly social and granivorous, these birds typically move in lively flocks through grasslands, scrub, secondary forests, paddy fields, and garden edges, feeding primarily on grass seeds and grains. They are also known for building large, domed grass nests, which are used both for breeding and as communal roosts during cooler nights.

05/09/2026

White-Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)
ළයසුදු පිළිහුඩුවා

The white-throated kingfisher is a common, strikingly colored tree kingfisher widely distributed across open plains, cultivated farmland, wetlands, lakeshores, and urban gardens throughout southern Asia. Measuring around 27 to 28 cm in length, it is distinguished by a large, deep reddish-orange bill, rich chocolate-brown plumage on its head, shoulders, and lower belly, and a brilliant, iridescent turquoise-blue mantle, wings, and tail. A crisp, prominent patch of pure white covers its throat and center of the chest, creating a sharp contrast with the surrounding deep brown feathers.

Unlike more strictly aquatic kingfishers, it is highly versatile and frequently hunts far away from open water. Perching upright on exposed branches, telephone wires, or fence posts, it surveys the ground before swooping down to seize large insects, lizards, frogs, earthworms, small rodents, and occasionally fish, making it one of the most adaptable and vocal birds across its range.

03/09/2026

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
පුංචි ගෙඹිතුරුවා

The little grebe is a small, compact water bird found across freshwater lakes, lowland tanks, marshes, and vegetated wetlands throughout Europe, Africa, and southern Asia, including Sri Lanka. Measuring roughly 23 to 29 cm in length, it is readily recognized during the breeding season by its dark brown-black crown and mantle, rich chestnut-rufous neck and cheeks, golden-yellow eyes, and a distinctive bright yellow-green skin patch at the base of the bill (gape).

Remarkably adapted for life on the water, its legs are set far back on its body with lobed toes rather than webbed feet. An accomplished swimmer and diver, it frequently vanishes beneath the surface without creating a ripple—a trait reflected in its old colloquial name, "dabchick"—to forage for small fish, water beetles, crustaceans, and aquatic larvae. Little grebes construct floating nests woven from aquatic vegetation anchored to reeds, carefully covering their clutches with wet weeds to conceal them whenever they slip away to feed

11/08/2026

Spot-Winged Thrush (Geokichla spiloptera)
ශ්‍රි ලංකා තිත් පිය තිරාසිකයා / පුල්ලි වල් අවිච්චියා

The spot-winged thrush is an endemic resident breeder confined primarily to the wet-zone rainforests, hill country, and dense bamboo thickets of Sri Lanka. Measuring about 21 to 27 cm in length, adults feature rich brown upperparts, distinct rows of white spots across their wing coverts, two dark vertical facial stripes across a paler face, and off-white underparts heavily covered with blackish, fan-shaped spots. Highly terrestrial and typically solitary, these secretive birds spend much of their time foraging quietly on the shady forest floor, turning over damp leaf litter to hunt for insects, earthworms, snails, and fallen berries. Despite their elusive nature in the undergrowth, they are well known among birdwatchers for their exceptionally rich, melodic, and flute-like whistling song.

01/08/2026

Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
කොණ්ඩ කුරුල්ලා

The red-vented bulbul is one of the most familiar, vocal, and lively songbirds found across home gardens, urban parks, open forests, and cultivated fields throughout Sri Lanka and the wider Indian subcontinent. Measuring about 20 cm in length, adults are easily identified by their black head with a prominent tufted crest, scaly dark-brown body plumage, white rump, and the signature bright crimson-red patch beneath the tail coverts (the "vent") from which the bird derives its common name.

23/07/2026

Pheasant-tailed jacana(Hydrophasianus chirurgus)
බළල් සේරා / සැවුල් පෙඳ දියසෑනා

The pheasant-tailed jacana is an elegant aquatic wader inhabiting tropical freshwater lakes, marshes, and lily ponds across South and Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka. During the breeding season, adults undergo a dramatic plumage transformation: they develop a clean white head and foreneck, a rich golden-yellow stripe down the sides and back of the neck, deep dark-brown upperparts, and long, dark, sickle-shaped tail feathers that extend up to 25 centimeters. Equipped with remarkably elongated toes and claws, these specialized wetland birds can spread their body weight evenly over floating vegetation, effortlessly "walking" across lily pads to forage for aquatic insects, snails, invertebrates, and seeds. They are also notable for their polyandrous breeding behavior, where females lay multiple clutches of eggs and leave the males to incubate the eggs and raise the chicks independently.

18/07/2026

Black-hooded Oriole(Oriolus xanthornus)
කහ කුරුල්ලා

The black-hooded oriole is a striking, vibrant passerine bird resident across tropical southern Asia, ranging from India and Sri Lanka east toward Indonesia. Measuring roughly 23 to 25 centimeters in length, adults are unmistakably distinguished by their brilliant golden-yellow body plumage, which contrasts dramatically against a solid jet-black head and throat, dark flight feathers with yellow markings, crimson-red irises, and a stout, pinkish-red bill. Typically inhabiting open woodlands, deciduous forests, urban parks, and cultivated home gardens, these arboreal canopy-dwellers spend their days gleaning beetles, caterpillars, and other insects from upper foliage while foraging heavily on soft fruits, berries, and wild figs. Although the dappled yellow-and-green sunlight of the forest canopy can make them surprisingly stealthy and difficult to spot, their presence is readily revealed by their loud, rich, and melodious flute-like whistling calls that carry over long distances.

16/07/2026

White-bellied drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens)
කවුඩා

The white-bellied drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens) is a striking, agile passerine native to the open forests, scrublands, and well-wooded landscapes of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Measuring around 24 to 25 centimeters in length, adults are easily identified by their matte blackish-grey upperparts, reddish irises, deeply forked tail, and contrasting white belly and vent—though the extent of this white plumage varies geographically, becoming more restricted to the vent in certain island subspecies. Renowned as aerial acrobats, these insectivores typically sally from upright vantage points on exposed canopy branches or utility wires, launching into rapid, twisting flights to capture moths, dragonflies, and winged termites on the wing. Beyond their hunting prowess, they are famous for their bold, fearless temperament; despite their modest size, they aggressively mob and drive away much larger raptors and predators that threaten their territory or cup-shaped nests. Their vocal repertoire is equally remarkable, combining clear, melodic whistles with sharp staccato calls and uncanny vocal mimicry of other wildlife, ranging from the alarm calls of squirrels and birds of prey like the shikra to the mewing of a cat.

24/06/2026

Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
කොහා
Female and male

The Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) is a widespread, medium-sized, brood-parasitic cuckoo found across tropical southern Asia, easily recognized by its distinctive sexual dimorphism—males exhibit glossy bluish-black plumage with red irises, while females are brown with white spotting. Primarily frugivorous, these birds are critical seed dispersers in their habitats, yet they are best known for their reproductive strategy of laying eggs in the nests of other species, particularly corvids, rather than building nests themselves. Highly vocal during the breeding season, the male’s rising, resonant koo-Ooo call is a quintessential sound of urban and woodland environments, reflecting the species' remarkable adaptability to both natural and human-altered landscapes.

Wildlife Diaries by Ovin De Silva

14/09/2026

08/09/2026

05/09/2026

03/09/2026

11/08/2026

01/08/2026

23/07/2026

18/07/2026

16/07/2026

24/06/2026

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