Bulwer's Petrel - Bulweria bulwerii

Bulwer's Petrel  Bulweria bulwerii 

       

The Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) is a small petrel in the family Procellariidae, and is one of two species in the genus Bulweria (Bonaparte, 1843). This bird is named after the Scottish naturalist James Bulwer.

        This very long-winged petrel is 25–29 cm in length with a 78–90 cm wingspan. It has mainly brown plumage and a long pointed tail. It has a buoyant twisting flight as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface. Bulwer's petrel is migrant or vagrant birds in Sri Lanka.

Barau's Petrel - Pterodroma baraui

       

      Barau's petrel is around 40 cm long, and has white undersides and forehead. Its bill is black and its upper parts are dark, with a moderately distinct "M" pattern across the wings and back. Barau's petrel is migrant or vagrant birds in Sri Lanka.

Cape petrel - Daption capense

        The Cape petrel is a unique looking petrel. It has a black head and neck, and a white belly, breast, and its underwing is white with a black border. Its back, and upperwings are black and white speckled, as is its tail which also has a band of black. When fully grown, their wings span 86 cm (34 in) and they are 39 cm (15 in) long. Cape petrel is a migrant or vagrant birds in Sri Lanka.

Little grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis

       The little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), also known as dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. At 23 to 29 cm (9.1 to 11.4 in) in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range. little grebe is breeding resident birds in Sri Lanka.

       The little grebe is a small water bird with a pointed bill. The adult is unmistakable in summer, predominantly dark above with its rich, rufous colour neck, cheeks and flanks, and bright yellow gape. The rufous is replaced by a dirty brownish grey in non-breeding and juvenile birds. From East Kolkata Wetlands, Bengal, India

          Juvenile birds have a yellow bill with a small black tip, and black and white streaks on the cheeks and sides of the neck as seen below. This yellow bill darkens as the juveniles age, eventually turning black in adulthood.

          In winter, its size, buff plumage, with a darker back and cap, and “powder puff” rear end enable easy identification of this species. The little grebe's breeding call, given singly or in duet, is a trilled repeated weet-weet-weet or wee-wee-wee which sounds like a horse whinnying.

Ceylon Grey Hornbill - Ocyceros gingalensis

Ceylon Grey Hornbill Ocyceros gingalensis 

(Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill)
(Endemic bird in Sri Lanka)   

Sinhalese - Kedetta 
Tamil       - Irattai - kondu- kuruvi  

            The Grey Hornbill is a bird of forest and well wooded areas. It is found both in the wet and dry zones and ascends the hills up to about 1300 metres. In the Dry zone it favours riverine forests though in the Wilpattu National Park it inhabits forest close to the villus as well. It is a grotesque looking bird with an enormous decurved beak, long neck and long tail. Both sexes have similar plumage but the beak of the female is dark with a long cream patch on the upper mandible in contrast to the mostly pale yellow beak of the male. Young are similar to adults but have shorter beaks which are pale yellow, completely devoid of any black colour. Their irides too are grey in contrast to the red irides of adults. The Grey Hornbill generally occupies mid levels of forest and moves about in pairs, though flocks too are met with near fruiting trees. The food consists mostly of fruit but animal matter is also captured especially when young have to be fed. The call is a loud kaa, kaa, kaa. At times a continuous kak,kak,kak, kak,kak call is uttered. 

      Hornbills are well known for their remarkable nesting habits. The female chooses a natural cavity in a tree generally about six to ten metres from ground level and incarcerates herself by walling up the entrance with possibly her own droppings and sediment from the nest floor, leaving only a small vertical slit. The vertically flat beak is admirably suited to be used as a mason’s spoon to plaster the opening. The bird moves it up and down, vibrating it sideways at the same time to add and smoothen the walling up material. She moults her flight and tail feathers while inside.