Sri Lanka has an abundance of wild birds. These are just a just a few examples. They have a plentiful suply of food as there are plenty of mosquitoes and other insects, fish in the sea, rivers, tanks and irrigation ditches and of course crops in the paddy fields and chena.
Green Parrots - Up to the mid 1990s flocks of green parrots would congregate in and around the paddy field areas of Hambantota District to feed on the rice grains. Sadly this is now a very rare sight - lucky for the rice producers!- but probably due to the increased use of pesticides to increase crop yields and promote more self sufficiency in rice production.
This green parrot had made her nest in a coconut tree trunk in an area of these paddy fields where the families had all agreed to be organic producers of rice, thus not using chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
The mother feeds her chick
Baby parrot wants more, he ended up toppling out of the nest but was rescued by the family who replaced him carefully in his nest.
Peacocks are a common site all over the more rural areas of Sri Lanka. Early morning and evening their familiar call is heard .
Mynah birds are common and feed on the grubs and insects.
Birds common both to gardens and the Jungle
Hornbills - like feeding on the ripening coconut seeds
Various water Birds
The wildlife game rangers who accompany all visitors around the National Parks are very knowledgeable and train locally in the Parks. (Photographs mainly taken in Yala East National Park)
Egrets are common and help clear ticks from water buffalo
