Joanna James
As one of the country's foremost birding hotspots, the Kurunegala Bird Park is home to a host of attractive winged beauties. Here's a list of some of the sanctuary's more prized inhabitants.
Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the fowls and quails occupying the Kurunegala Bird Park will be pleased to find out that Indian Peafowls and Jungle Bush Quails are not the only species calling the park home. The Blue-breasted Quail and the Grey Francolin are equally sought after bird types while the Sri Lanka Spurfowl and the Sri Lanka Junglefowl are endemic species found only in the island.
When it comes to duck species at Kurunegala Bird Park, this includes Indian Spot-billed Ducks, Lesser Whistling Ducks and Northern Pintails while Asian Pygmy Geese, Northern Shovelers, Eurasian Wigeons and Garganeys. Common Teals are also known to occupy the landscape. Visitors based at hotels in Kurunegala or any other accommodation in Birds Park Polgahawela will find that most of these bird species are not found in natural terrains after the park.
The Red-faced Malkoha, Blue-faced Malkoha and the Sirkeer Malkoha are some of the endemic Coucals found in the bird sanctuary. Green-billed Coucals and Greater Coucal are also frequently spotted in addition to Banded Bay Cuckoos, Chestnut-winged Cuckoos, Jacobin Cuckoos and Grey-bellied Cuckoos. Common Hawk Cuckoos, Common Koels and Drongo Cuckoos are also on-site while Lesser Cuckoos, Indian Cuckoos and Common Cuckoos are also known to fly around the park.
Doves are some of the most majestic bird species visible in any bird park and the Kurunegala Bird Park is no different as the lush, green landscapes of the sanctuary is home to more than a handful of doves and pigeons. The Eurasian Collared Dove, Rock Dove and Spotted-necked Dove are perhaps the most commonly seen dove varieties at the park while the Oriental Turtle Dove and the Sri Lanka Pigeon also put in an appearance daily. The Pompadour Green Pigeon, the Yellow-legged Green Pigeon and the Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, on the other hand, are more elusive although along with Emerald Doves and Green Imperial Pigeons are part of the park's ecosystem.
Although Bitterns are not as famous or as beloved as doves, they are none the less one of the most interesting species known to inhabit the venue. Cinnamon Bitterns, Yellow Bitterns and Black Bitterns are the only three species of Bitterns visible at the Kurunegala Bird Park. When it comes to Herons, however, the park is home to more than 5 varieties. The Indian Pond Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Purple Herons and Malaysian Night Herons are among the leasing heron types at the park while Striated Herons and Grey Heron are also known to cross the paths of birders exploring the sanctuary. Egrets are also part and parcel of the park's ecosystem and visitors can catch more than a fleeting glimpse of Western Reef Egrets, Great Egrets and Little Egrets in addition to Intermediate Egrets and Cattle Egret.
Kurunegala Bird Park explorers may be pleasantly surprised to find that Spoon-billed Sandpipers, Broad-billed Sandpipers and Terek Sandpipers. Other types of sandpipers at the wildlife hotspot include Green Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpipers and Wood Sandpipers.
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