Sri Lanka’s national bird. Males are brilliantly coloured and call loudly at first light; both sexes are regularly seen along forest tracks and edges.
Species guide
Sri Lanka Junglefowl
Gallus lafayettii
Status
Endemic
Habitat
Forest floor and edges
When to look
Year-round · early morning
Field notes
Photography note
Photos on this page are placeholders and will be replaced with the lodge’s own photography. Ask our naturalists about ethical photography of this species.
Keep exploring
More from the species guide
Endemic
Glaucidium castanotum
A small owl that hunts by day as well as by night, often found close to the lodge.
Forest edge and tall trees
Endemic
Otus thilohoffmanni
Only described to science in 2004, this tiny owl is a prize for any visiting birder.
Dense lowland rainforest understorey
Specialty
Batrachostomus moniliger
Perfectly camouflaged pairs roost by day in the undergrowth; guides know where to look.
Dense, shaded thickets
Resident
Bubo nipalensis
A huge forest owl, linked in Sri Lankan folklore to the eerie call of the “devil bird”.
Mature forest