Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus)

English: Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Binomial Name: Merops philippinus
Sinhala: නිල්පෙඳ බිඟුහරයා

Resident breeder and a migratory bird lives in Asian countries including Sri Lanka. Feed on bees and other insects. The chances are higher to see this bird in Sri Lanka during winter (August - May) as many bee eaters migrate to Sri Lanka to spend the winder.

Spine-tufted Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysis)

English: Spine-tufted Skimmer
Binomial Name: Orthetrum chrysis 

 

Widely distributed dragonfly in Asian countries including Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka it lives mostly in lowland wet-zone and mid hills. They live close to pools and marshes.

Tiny Grass Blue (Zizula hylax)

English: Tiny Grass Blue
Binomial Name: Zizula hylax

Z. hylax is a widely distributed butterfly in Asia, Africa and Australia including Sri Lanka. Food plants belong to Acanthaceae family.

Frogmouth (Batrachostomus moniliger)

English: Frogmouth Binomial Name: Batrachostomus moniliger Sinhala: මැඩිමුහුණා[Madimuhuna] B. moniliger is a nocturnal breeding resident bird of Sri lanka. Another sub species of this bird (ssp. roonwali) can be seen in India. Habitat is dense forests and forest edges. More common in wet-zone. Body color resembles the dried leaves to make it difficult to identify at once. Male is bigger in size and body color is gray-brown. Female is has the body color of chestnut brown. They feed on insects by catching in flight.

Gordonia speciosa

Binomial Name: Gordonia speciosa
Sinhala: රතු මිහිරිය/රත් මිහිරිය[Rathu mihiriya  / Rath mihiriya]

Gordonia speciosa is an endemic tree that can be found in montane zone of Sri Lanka. All the species of Gordonia found in Sri Lanka are endemic and restricted to central hills.

Satyrium nepalense

English: Hyacinth orchid
Binomial Name: Satyrium nepalense
 
Satyrium nepalense is a ground orchid that grows in montane zone of Sri Lanka. Common in Pathana grasslands such as Horton National Park. This orchid can be seen in other Asian countries such as India and China.

Common paddy field frog (Fejervarya limnocharis)

English: Common paddy field frog/Indian cricket frog/Boie's wart frog/rice field frog/Asian grass frog  
Binomial Name: Fejervarya limnocharis
Sinhala: වෙල් මැඩියා[Wel madiya]

Fejervarya limnocharis is a widely distributed frog lives in South Asian countries including Sri Lanka. This frog can be seen in both wet zone and dry zone close to water bodies.

Conchidium muscicola

Binomial Name: Conchidium muscicola/Eria muscicola/Dendrobium muscicola

Widely distributed species of orchid in Asian countries. Flowers are light green. Grows on stems of trees and stones. In Sri Lanka this orchid can be seen in low-land wet zone and montane zone.

Indian blue robin (Luscinia brunnea)

English: Indian blue robin
Binomial Name:Luscinia brunnea
Sinhala: ඉන්දු නිල් සිටිකිච්චා[Indu nil sitikichcha]

Luscinia brunnea is a migratory species of bird that can be seen mostly in highland forests of Sri Lanka. They breed in Himalayan mountain range and visit Sri Lanka during winter. This bird feeds on insects.

Sri Lanka blue magpie (Urocissa ornata)

English: Sri Lanka blue magpie/Ceylon magpie
Binomial Name: Urocissa ornata
Sinhala: කැහිබෙල්ලා/කන්කෑරැස්සා[Kehibella/Kankeressa]

An endemic bird of Sri Lanka. Its population has been restricted to the undisturbed wet-zone forests. Live as groups of six to seven members. They are carnivorous and mainly feed on frogs, lizards and insects. But sometimes feed on fruits. Common in wet-zone dense forests such as Sinharaja.

Shaw’s Wolf Snake (Lycodon striatus sinhaleyus)

English: Shaw’s Wolf Snake
Binomial Name: Lycodon striatus sinhaleyus
Sinhala: ඉරි කරවලා/කබර රදනකයා[Iri karawala/Kabara radanakaya]

Shaw’s Wolf Snake is a non venomous colubrid snake found in Sri Lanka. Sub species sinhaleyus is endemic. Other sub species of this snake has been distributed in other Asian countries. More common in wet-zone compared to dry zone. Feed on geckos. Most of the time it is misunderstood with venomous Kraits.

Red Helen (Papilio helenus)

English: Red Helen
Binomial Name: Papilio helenus

Red Helen is a butterfly distributed across Asian countries. In Sri Lanka it can be seen in forests and difficult to find close to human habitats. More common in wet zone. It looks similar to Papilio polytes, but large in size. Larval food plants belong to Rutaceae family.

Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

English: Grey wagtail
Binomial Name: Motacilla cinerea/Motacilla melanope/ Calobates melanope
Sinhala: අළු හැලපෙන්දා [Alu helapenda]

Grey wagtail is a migrant bird distributed across many parts of the world including Asia, Europe and Africa. In Sri Lanka it lives in all environmental regions and can be seen near water- paddy-fields, forest openings and running streams. They mainly feed on variety of aquatic invertebrates including adult flies, mayflies, beetles, crustacea and molluscs.

The Commander (Moduza procris calidasa)

English: The Commander
Binomial Name: Moduza procris calidasa / Limenitis procris

Moduza procris is a common butterfly lives in forests of Sri Lanka. Most of the time this butterfly can be spotted near stones of stream beds inside forests. More abundant in low land wet zone. Apart from Sri Lanka it has been distributed across other Asian countries such as India. Sub species found in Sri Lanka is M. p. calidasa. Their host plants belongs to Rubiaceae family.

Aponogeton jacobsenii

Binomial Name: Aponogeton jacobsenii
Sinhala: කෙකටිය[Kekatiya]

A. jacobsenii is an endemic species of aquatic plant that grows in the highlands of Sri Lanka, where the elevation above sea level is greater than 1650 meters. It is common in the streams of Horton National Park.

Kelaart's dwarf toad (Adenomus kelaartii)

English: Kelaart's dwarf toad/Kellaarti's pygmy frog/Kelaart's toad
Binomial Name: Adenomus kelaartii/Bufo kelaartii/Adenomus badioflavus
Sinhala: කෙලාර්ට්ගේ කුරු ගෙම්බා[Kelaartge kuru gemba]

Kelaart's dwarf toad is an endemic species of frog lives in wet zone of Sri Lanka. It is semi arboreal and can be found in south-west of the island. Body is covered with tiny warts. It is considered as an endangered species in IUCN red list due to Habitat modification from deforestation, Logging related activities, Habitat fragmentation, Local pesticides, fertilizers and pollutants.

Ceylon Balsam (Impatiens repens)

English: Ceylon Balsam/Ceylon Jewelweed/Yellow Balsam
Binomial Name: Impatiens repens
Sinhala: ගල්දෙමට [Gal Demata]

Impatiens repens is a rare and endemic creeping herb grows in wet-zone rain forests of Sri Lanka. Grows well in shaded and moist places. Now this plant can be seen cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant. Parts of this plant are used in Sri Lankan traditional medicine for treating epilepsy.

Painted Waxtail (Ceriagrion cerinorubellum)

English: Painted Waxtail / bi-coloured damsel
Binomial Name: Ceriagrion cerinorubellum

Painted Waxtail is a widely distributed dragonfly found in countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. This dragonfly can be identified by bright brick red colored abdomen. In Sri Lanka it can be seen in low country wet zone close to water streams, lakes and paddy fields.

Sonerila silvatica

Binomial Name: Sonerila silvatica

Sonerila silvatica is an endemic shrub that grows in low-land wet zone forests of Sri Lanka. Belongs to Melastomataceae family. This plant can be identified easily by three petaled pink flowers, usually in the undergrowth of the forest.

Gan's Lanka Skink (Lankascincus gansi)

English: Gan's Lanka Skink
Binomial Name: Lankascincus gansi
Sinhala: Gansge lakhiraluwa / ගාන්ස්ගේ ලක්හීරළුවා

Lankascincus gansi is an endemic skink lives in wet climatic zones of Sri lanka. And it’s all members of the genus Lankascincus is endemic to Sri Lanka. It has been reported in elevation of 30-700m above the sea level. Can be seen in home gardens and forests. Lives under stones and leaf litter. They feed on insects.

Pheasant-tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus)

English: Pheasant-tailed jacana
Binomial Name: Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Sinhala: සැවුල්-පෙඳ දියසෑනා/බළල් සේරා [Sawulpenda diyasena/Balal sera]

This bird lives in lowlands marshes and aquatic plant-covered tanks of Sri Lanka. Feet and claws of the bird have been adopted to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes. Its population has been distributed in many Asian countries including India, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. They feed on insects and other invertebrates living in floating vegetation or the water's surface.

Common Sailer (Neptis hylas)

English : Common Sailer
Binomial Name : Neptis hylas

This butterfly lives in South Asia and Southeast Asia including all environmental regions of Sri Lanka. Can be identified by the three white color lines in the upperside. Larval food plants belong to Fabaceae family. Two forms can be seen based on dry and wet seasons.

Dark-branded Bushbrown (Mycalesis mineus)

English : Dark-branded Bushbrown

Binomial Name : Mycalesis mineus

Wildly distributed butterfly around Sri Lanka and other Asian countries. Two forms exist and they are namely dry season form and and wet season form. Uperside of the wings is dark in Wet-season form and paler in Dry-season form. Larval food plant is grasses belongs to Poaceae family.

Oriental Scarlet (Crocothemis servilia servilia)

Male

Female

English : Oriental Scarlet
Binomial Name : Crocothemis servilia servilia

Oriental Scarlet is an extremely widespread species of dragonfly that can be seen in many geographical regions of the world including Sri Lanka. Male is totally red colored and female is olivaceous brown in color. It lives everywhere near stagnant water reservoirs such as tanks, ponds and paddy fields.

Marsh Skimmer (Orthetrum luzonicum)

Male

English : Marsh Skimmer

Binomial Name : Orthetrum luzonicum 

Widely distributed dragonfly throughout Asian countries including Sri Lanka.Breeds in marshy habitats. It is a Least-Concerned spices in red data list and no threats have been identified.

Sri Lankan Hedge Hopper (Baracus vittatus vittatus)

English : Sri Lankan Hedge Hopper

Binomial Name : Baracus vittatus vittatus

Baracus vittatus is an endemic butterfly of Sri Lanka. It can be seen mostly in hill country were its larval food grasses (eg: Garnotia exaristata) grow. This butterfly is common in areas where elevation above the sea level is greater than 1500 meters. But it has been recorded in areas where the elevation is low as 900 meters.

Impatiens leptopoda

English: Impatiens

Binomial Name: Impatiens leptopoda

Sinhala: කූඩලු [Koodalu]

Impatiens leptopoda is an endemic shrub grows in highland mountains forests of Sri Lanka where elevation above the sea level is greater than 1200m. Normally grows to a height of about 70cm. More often this plant can be seen in wet soils near streams.

Vitis heyneana

Binomial Name: Vitis heyneana

Sinhala: වල් මිදි[Wal midi] 

V.heyneana is a climbing vine that can be seen in low country rain forests of Sri Lanka. This plant is endemic to Asia and belongs to grape family. It is considered as a medicinal plant in Sri Lankan traditional medicine. It can be seen mostly in low country rain forest such as Sinharaja and Kanneliya.