Spend a morning in Sinharaja and you will notice a pattern: long, quiet spells, then a sudden rush of calls and movement as a flock sweeps through. These mixed-species feeding flocks are one of the forest’s great spectacles.
Who leads the flock?
Noisy groups of Orange-billed Babblers usually form the core. Drongos act as sentinels, and many other species join in: Sri Lanka Blue Magpies, Red-faced Malkohas, flycatchers, warblers and even squirrels.
How to watch a flock
- Stay still and let the flock come to you.
- Scan different heights: canopy, mid-storey and undergrowth.
- Ask your naturalist to point out the less obvious species.
