Birding in Gal Oya & Nilgala

Gal Oya National Park 

Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. Senanayake Samudraya was built under the Gal Oya development project by damming the Gal Oya at Inginiyagala in 1950. The protected areas established in 1954 are Gal Oya National Park, Senanayake Samudraya Sanctuary, Gal Oya valley north-east Sanctuary, and Gal Oya valley south-east Sanctuary. Together these four reserves accounts for 63,000 ha of land.

The Gal Oya National Park is the only National Park in Sri Lanka where it is possible to go on a boat safari. As it borders a reservoir, there are many little islands which can be seen. A highlight is the frequent sighting of elephants swimming from one island to another. Sri Lankan Elephants are strong swimmers, and they use their trunks as snorkels. They can also travel long distances in water. 35 mammal species and nearly 150 bird species have been recorded from the park.

Nilgala Sanctuary – Hidden Gem in Sri Lanka

‘Nilgala’ literary means ‘Blue Rock’ covers around 26,000ha. Nilgala forest lies bordering the Gal Oya National Park and covers a catchment area of Senanayake Samudraya. Gal Oya which is one of the main water sources of Senanayake Samudraya falls to reservoir from Nilgala.

Lowland tropical dry mixed evergreen forest and Savana grassland are the major vegetation types of Nilgala Forest. The General climatic conditions in the Nilgala area can be described as moderately cool, turning humid during the northeast monsoon season. There are several peaks within the Nilgala forest area with “Yakun Hela” being the highest 700m.

Nilgala forest comes under both Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Department of Forest Conservation. About 9,000 ha in the eastern region comes under Wildlife Department. This area is accessible to general public. About 13,000 ha of the forest belongs to Forest Department and no road network facilities to enter that area.

Nilgala has three jeep tracks. One from Nilgala to Makara, another one to Pothuliyadda through Mullegama, Thumbarenuwa and Kebellabokka and the third to Mahawela through Dimbuldena and Kotabowa. This is one of the best places to spot some unique and rare resident birds in Sri Lanka due to this savanna habitat. Painted Francolin, Jungle Bush-quail, Yellow-footed Green-pigeon, Blue-eared Kingfisher are the most rare resident breeders can be spotted at Nilgala. The forest consists of its share of larger animals from Sri Lankan Elephants to Spotted Deer to Indian Buffalos, the park is more popular among bird watchers. According to Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka bird count in Nilgala is around 190 species. Apart from this it’s a paradise for any nature lover.

Here are some of the bird species that you can spot,

• Painted Francolin – Francolinus pictus
• Sri Lanka Spurfowl (E) – Galloperdix bicalcarata
• Jungle Bush-quail – Perdicula asiatica
• Yellow-footed Green-pigeon – Treron Phoenicopterus
• Sirkeer Malkoha – Taccocua leschenaultii
• Common Hawk-cuckoo – Hierococcyx varius
• Grey-bellied Cuckoo – Cacomantis passerinus
• Banded Bay Cuckoo – Cacomantis sonneratii
• Jungle Owlet – Glaucidium radiatum
• Eurasian Hoopoe – Upupa epops
• Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher – Ceyx erithaca
• Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker – Yungipicus nanus
• Yellow-crowned Woodpecker – Leiopicus mahrattensis
• Streak-throated Woodpecker – Picus xanthopygaeus
• Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike – Lalage melanoptera
• Greater Racket-tailed Drongo – Dicrurus paradiseus
• Velvet-fronted Nuthatch – Sitta frontalis
• Plum-headed Parakeet – Psittacula cyanocephala
• Sri Lanka Wood-shrike (E) – Tephrodornis affinis
• White-tailed Iora – Aegithina nigrolutea