List of Endemic birds Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is the world famous bird living place which had recorded 427 species, 250 species are resident and 26 species are endemic to the island. Most of endemic birds are living in the wet zone at sinharaja forest which is published as world heritage. List of the endemic birds is given bellow.

	English Name	Scientific Name	SinhalaName
1	Ceylon Junglefowl	Gallus lafayettii (Phasianidae)	Wali Kukula
2	Ceylon Spurfowl	Galloperdix bicalcarata (Phasianidae)	Lanka Haban Kukula
3	Layard's Parakeet	Psittacula calthorpae (Psittacidae)	-
4	Green-billed Coucal	Centropus chlororhynchos (Cuculidae)	-
5	Sri Lanka Woodpigeon	Columba torringtoni (Columbidae)	Mailagoya
6	Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot	Loriculus beryllinus (Psittacidae)	Lanka Giramalitta
7	Chestnut-backed Owlet	Glaucidium castanonotum (Strigidae)	-
8	Red-faced Malkoha	Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus (Cuculidae)	Wataratu Malkoha
9	Sri Lankan Gray Hornbill	Ocyceros gingalensis (Bucerotidae)	Kendetta
10	Sri Lankan Bush Warbler	Elaphrornis palliseri (Sylviidae)	-
11	Yellow-eared Bulbul	Pycnonotus penicillatus (Pycnonotidae)	Oluwa Rathu Kottoruwa
12	Sri Lanka Blue Magpie	Urocissa ornata (Corvidae)	-
13	Ashy-headed Laughing-thrush	Garrulax cinereifrons (Timaliidae)	-
14	Orange-billed Babbler	Turdoides rufescens (Timaliidae)	Ratu Demalichcha
15	Sri Lanka White-eye	Zosterops ceylonensis (Zosteropidae)	Lanka Sithasiya
16	Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush	Myophonus blighi (Turdidae)	-
17	Sri Lanka Myna	Gracula ptilogenys (Sturnidae)	Lanka Salalihiniya
18	White-faced Starling	Sturnus albofrenatus (Sturnidae)	-
19	Spot-winged Thrush	Zoothera spiloptera (Turdidae)	Lanka Thithpiya Thirasikaya
20	Dull Verditer Flycatcher	Eumyias sordidus (Muscicapidae)	-
21	Legge's Flower pecker	Dicaeum vincens (Dicaeidae)	-
22	The Black-capped Bulbul	Pycnontus melanicterus	Hisakalu Kondaya

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SInharaja Forest

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is situated in the south-west lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka, within Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces. It is bounded on the

• north by the Napola Dola (stream) and Koskulana Ganga (river),

• south and south-west by the Maha Dola and Gin Ganga,

• west by the Kalukandawa Ela and Kudawa Ganga

• east by an ancient footpath near Beverley Tea Estate and by the Denuwa Kanda. Geographic location can be describe as latitude 6°21'-6°26' and , 80°21'-80°34'.
  
  
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Forest was notified as a heritage wilderness area on 21 October 1988 by the Gazette, no 528/14.  Before this act, most of the land of this area has been protected by Waste Land Ordinance on dated 3rd May 1875.  According to the act, total area of this reserve is 18899 acres and 12 perches and those areas are owned by government.

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a one of the world famous rainforest in Sri Lanka. It’s a one of the world heritage. It was notified as a biosphere reserve as 1978 and notified as world heritage in 1988.  Sinharaja has huge biodiversity. Large numbers of animals, floras, birds and other kind of animals are living in Sinharaja. Among those, lot of floras and animals are endemic to Sri Lanka or Sinharaja. More than twenty endemic birds can be shown in this area.

• Ceylon Lorikeet

• Layard's parakeet

• Jungle and Spur Fowl

• Ceylon Wood Pigeon

• Grey Hombill

• Spotted wing Thrush

• Laughing Thrush

• Ceylon Blue Magpie

• White Headed Starling

Sinharaja is based  on cool climate and it recorded rainfall has reanged from 3600mm to 5000 mm and average temperatures from 18o C to 34 o C according to department of climatology.  Mainly rainfall is based on south west monsoon during May to July months and north – east monsoon during November to January.

Lot of kind of  fauna are living within this forest.  Preliminary list of the those,

• Mammals

• Birds

• Reptiles

• Amphibians

• Fishes

• Butterflies

Percentage of endemism is high among those all kind of faunas. When the consider of the birds, 20 of species can be seen in the forest out of 23 species endemic to Sri Lanka. Endemism among mammals and butterflies also greater than 50% . when the consider about threatened animals, those are leopard, Indian elephant .

According to the studies did by the Silva, 1985, there are two villages inside the forest. Those are situated in the south west area and north western sector of the reserve. Currently more than 5000 peoples are living in those villages. Their main occupation is related for the forest. Small number of peoples cultivate tea or rubber. At present visitors are few in numbers, mostly they are naturalists. Small entrance fee is charged for a person and it valid for a 6 pm of this day. Currently entrance  fee for a local visitor, 40 rupees, for a foreigner, 200 rupees. Accommodation facilities are made for the visitors and currently farther developing.

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Environment of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a small island economy with a land area of 65,525 sq km, and located between 5. 54'and 9.52' north latitude of the equator and 79 39' and 81 53' east longitude. The climatic pattern of Sri Lanka is determined by the generation of monsoonal wind patterns in the surrounding oceans. Four basic seasons based on rainfall exist. These are, the south - west monsoonal period during May to September; an inter-monsoonal period during October–November; the north-east monsoonal period from December to February; and another inter-monsoonal period lasting from March to April.

Rainfall is monsoonal, convectional and digressional. 55% of the island's rainfall comes from the monsoons. The mean annual rainfall ranges between 900mm to 6000mm, with an island wide average of about 1,900 mm, which is about two and a half times more than the world annual mean of 750mm. The average rainfall varies from below 1000 mm in the arid regions of the dry zone (North West area and the southeast corner of the island), to over 5000 mm in the wet season in south west of the country. Thus on the basis of the rainfall regimes, the country is divided into three broad climatic zones

These are designated as the Wet Zone, Dry Zone and the Intermediate Zone. Sri Lanka is further divided into 24 agro-ecological regions based on rainfall expectancy, altitude, soil class, and landform.

The physiography of Sri Lanka comprise of three pen plains or erosion plains made up of a central highland massif, rising in tiers from a low gently undulating plain surrounding it and extending to the sea, (the lowest peneplain). Rising from the inner edge of the lowest peneplain, in a steep step of about 300 meters is the middle peneplain with a maximum elevation of about 800 m above sea level. Within it and rising from it in another step of 1000 to 1300 m is the highest peneplain at a general level of about 2000 m above mean sea level, but rising in places to 2300 to 2700 m (P.G. Cooray, 1984, Introduction to the Geology of Sri Lanka). 

A major part of the country is made up of Precambrian crystalline rocks, which constitute 90% of the land area (i.e., the Highland Complex, Vijayan Complex and Wanni Complex), with Miocene limestone sedimentary deposits extending from Puttalam to the Jaffna Peninsula. There are Jurassic deposits in Tabbowa and Andigama of the North-western province, and quaternary deposits in the coastal area (i.e., sand, sandstone, clay and gravels, and coral reef). Inland deposits of coral debris and gem-bearing gravels are mainly found in Sabaragamuva Province

There are 103 natural river basins with catchments ranging from 9 to 10,448 sq. km. Seventeen river basins have catchment areas of over than 1000 sq. km. The Mahaweli river, which is the longest river (3352 km), has the largest catchment area (10448 km ). Out of the 103 river basins, some are perennial flowing continuously throughout the year. The ephemeral rivers flow only during or immediately after periods of precipitation, and their flow is less than 30 days per year. The flows of the intermittent streams occur during certain times of the year and their seasonal flow usually lasts longer than 30 days per year

The mean annual temperature is approximately 27.5 C in most parts of the island's low-lying areas, while it 0 is around 18 C in the higher altitudes of the central part of the country. The average relative humidity varies from 70% during day to 95% in the night. Sri Lanka's varied climatic conditions and topography have given rise to a unique biological diversity. Biodiversity, which means diversity of life forms and the variety of systems in which life exists, is defined at three levels, namely, species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity. It is significant that more than 35% of the flora are endemic to the country, while more than 65% of those found in the wet zone are endemic. Standing out among the fauna are 59 endemic species of land/fresh water crabs, while more than 50% of land snails, amphibians, and reptiles are endemic. The majority of the endemic species are found in the wet zone.

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Waterfalls of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is one of waterfall paradises of the world. Sri Lanka has many waterfalls. Majority of them include to Nuwaraeliya district and Badulla Districts. Maximum number of waterfalls is available in central province. Highest waterfall of Sri Lanka is Bambarakanda Waterfalls(241m). Bambarakanda, Diyaluma, Dunhinda, Ravana, Bomburu Falls, Ravan Falls, Mana Falls and such several waterfalls at Badulla district. Garandi Falls, Abardeen Falls, St. Clair falls, Devon Falls, Kurundu Oya falls, Ramboda falls and several beautiful falls at Nuwaraeliya District. Bopath Ella falls, Kalthota Duwili Falls and Sinharaja Falls are available at Rathnapura district.

Highest five waterfalls of Sri Lanka    

1. Bambarakanda falls(241m)

2. Kurundu Oya falls (189m)

3. Diyaluma falls (171m)

4. Lxapana falls (115m)

5  Raththna falls (111m)

Details of 100 waterfalls in Sri Lanka

Waterfall Name	Height in meters	Height in feet
Aberdeen Falls	98	322
Ahupini Ella	30	101
Aggara Falls	25	83
Aggara Sub Falls	25	83
Alagiyawanna Falla	4	13
Alawala Devin Panna Falls	45	149
Alawatthagoda Falls	11	37
Alakola Falls	60	205
Allapita Falls	30	100
Ahas Bokku Falls	30	100
Alupola Falls	80	264
Ambanganga Falls	12	40
Anagimala Falls	46	151
Andawala Falls	40	132
Athamala Falls	52	171
Baba Pallam Falls	6	20
Baker's Falls	20	66
Bandura Falls	12	40
Ballamala Falls	52	171
Bambarakanda Falls	263	863
Bomburu Ella Falls	50	166
Bandigewatta Falls	24	80
Bopath Ella Falls	30	98
Dambora Falls	10	34
Dansinanshin Falls	100	341
Delta Falls	60	197
Dessford Falls	20	66
Devon Falls	97	318
Dehena Falls	74	244
Dehigala Falls	30	100
Dehikada Falls	12	40
Dehigolla Falls	30	100
Diyaluma Falls	220	722
Dellawa Dooli Falls	30	100
Demali Falls	105	348
Devagiri Falls	90	297
DivithuraFalls	10	34
Diyakerella Falls	45	149
Dotulu Falls	83	273
Doturugala Falls	30	100
Diyawini Falls	60	205
Doovili Ella	40	131
Dunhinda Falls	63	207
Dun Falls	125	413
Eli Hatha Falls	100	341
Ellepola Falls	18	60
Elgin Falls	25	82
Galdola Falls	100	328
Garandi Ella	100	200
Gartmore Falls	20	66
Galwala Falls	23	76
Gerandi Gini Falls	100	341
Helboda Falls	60	205
Huluganga Falls	75	247
Glassaugh Falls	20	66
Galoruwa Falls	30	100
Glain Falls	10	33
Handapan Ella	200	656
Handun Ella	30	98
Hunnas Falls	60	197
Illumbekanda Doowili Falls	40	132
Jodu Falls	45	149
Kalupahana Falls	10	33
Kirindi Ella	116	381
Kothmale Mahakandura Falls	10	33
Kurunduoya Falls	206	676
Kaluwala Falls	38	125
Kotapola Falls	54	178
Kaluwawetuna Falls	30	100
Laxapana Falls	129	423
Lihinihela Ella	200	656
Lankagama Doowili Falls	23	75
Lankagama Kekuna Falls	11	37
Lankagama Uran Wetuna Falls	20	66
Lovers Leap	30	98
Madanagiri Falls	70	230
Mahakandura Falls	120	394
Mannakethi Ella	60	197
Mapanana Falls	148	486
Meemana Ella	60	205
Mapalalla Falls	45	149
Nakkawita Falls	100	328
Nalagana Falls	40	132
Nanuoya Falls	60	197
Okandagala Falls	63	207
Oolu Ella	200	656
Puna Falls (Ganandi Falls)	100	328
Pandioya	45	149
Pundalu Oya Falls	100	328
Ramboda Falls	109	358
Ranmudu Falls	45	149
Rathna Falls	101	331
Ravana Falls	25	82
Sampath Ella	30	98
St. Clair's Falls	80	262
Surathali Falls	60	205
Seetha Kotuwa Falls	57	197
Sri Pada Falls	75	246
Yaka Andu Ella	60	197

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