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‘‘SRI LANKA BIRDS’ IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

‘Sri Lanka Birds’ web based data entry system for Sri Lanka completed another successful month by the end of November. Detailed analysis for the past year will be published shortly. Summary results of the analysis for November are given in this report. This analysis is based on the data downloaded on 24th December 2008.

Membership

* New members 15

* Total members 205

We warmly welcome new members to the ‘Sri Lanka Birds’ community.

Observations

* Total Number of Observations 2238

* Number of Species 208

* Number of Endemic Species 19

* Number of Proposed endemic Species 5

* Number of migrant species 39

Nesting records

* Number of observations 14

* Number of species 8

Species (Cattle Egret, Intermediate Egret, Brown-headed Barbet, Oriental Magpie Robin, House Crow, Common Myna, Black-throated Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia)

Mostly recorded species (No: of observations)

* House Crow (97)

* Common Myna (91)

* Red-vented Bulbul (77)

* Yellow-billed Babbler (64)

* Spotted Dove (64)

Top five users (No: of observations)

* Newton Jayawardane (646)

* Kusum Fernando (393)

* Dilshan De Silva (351)

* Salindra Kasun Dayananda (324)

* Rienzie Fernando (176)

A total of 39 locations were visited during November by ‘Sri Lanka Birds’ members. As in the previous month, highest number of observations was made at Ragama (330).

Current statistics describing the number of field visits, number of observations and bird species, as well as the number of users registered in the system, are displayed on the login page of ‘Sri Lanka Birds’ - www.worldbirds.org/srilanka .

FOGSL thanks all the members for entering their valuable observations into Sri Lanka Birds. It highly appreciates the contributions of members towards conservation of birds through this initiative.

DECEMBER, BIRD MONTH 2008

Birds are a common sight in Sri Lanka but many of us fail to appreciate them. To increase the awareness of the public about our feathered friends, the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) has launched its annual nationwide program to assess and study the distribution and presence of birds in Sri Lanka.

December has been declared Bird Counting Month as migrant birds that arrive from other countries too peak in this month. Participation is simple and one need not be an expert birder to get involve. Those who would like to participate has only to watch birds in as many places as possible - own home gardens, school premises, workplace, lakesides, paddy fields -anywhere that is frequented by birds. They can make a list of birds that they can identify in a given location and either email it to fogsl@slt.lk or post it in to FOGSL, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Colombo 3. The list should include the date, location, weather at the time, the habitat that the bird was observed in, birds seen and the name $ contact details of the observer. Participants can also enter data directly to http://www.worldbirds.org/srilanka which is part of the international network of databases used to analyze status of birds.

The numbers of birds in various areas are also dwindling due to causes such as deforestation, wetland reclamation and changes in habitat. Even the birds that are common today can be diminished without our knowledge. So no species can be labeled, as safe no matter what its number is today. It is only when the public become aware of the value of these beautiful creatures, can more be achieved towards protecting them. Creating this awareness is another aim of Bird Month.

13TH ANNUAL P.B. KARUNARATHNA MEMORIAL BIRD EDUCATION EXHIBITION

13th annual P.B. Karunarathna Memorial Bird Education Exhibition was held from 30th October to 2nd November at the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo. This annual event is organized to commemorate late P.B. Karunarathna, a founder member of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka and a well known naturalist of the country.

Special sections on Sinharaja rain forest and Biodiversity of Sri Lanka were displayed as well as bird education materials. This annual exhibition is one of the major events organized by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka to raise awareness among the general public.

Bird awareness seminars were also conducted for the school children of Royal College and Thurston College in parallel to the exhibition.

FOGSL thanks all the members who supported in many ways to organize this exhibition.

Photographs are uploaded at http://srilankabirds.blogspot.com/

‘SIYOTH’ NEW ISSUE IS NOW AVAILABLE

New issue of the Siyoth: Journal of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka is now available at FOGSL office and leading bookshops. It contains many feature articles as well as research articles. It also contains a photo essay on the threatened birds of Sri Lanka by Vimukthi Weeratunga.

Table of Contents

* The Story Of A Brown Fish-Owl Ketupa Zeylanensis (By Uditha Wijesena)

* Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore: An Example Of A Wetland Managed For Birds And Education (By Nishanthi Perera)

* Diversity Of Avifauna In The Wilpattu National Park (By D.K. Weerakoon And W.L.D.P.T.S. de A. Goonatilleke)

* Notes On The Natural History Of Marshall’s Iora (By Mahendra Siriwardhane)

* A Study Of The Non-Captive Avifaunal Diversity In The National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka (By D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna, A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe, Indika K. Peabotuwage, and A.A.D. Asanka Udayakumara)

* Birds In Peril (By Vimukthi Weerathunga)

* Man And Fowls [In Sinhala] (By Aruna Padmaperuma And Santha Udaya Kumara)

* Brood Parasitism By Pied Crested Cuckoos On The Yellow-Billed Babbler (By Sandun Perera)

* A Sight Record Of White-Throated Needletail Hirundapus Caudacutus In Pokunutenna, Sri Lanka (By Amila Salgado)

* Sight Record Of A Black Stork Ciconia Nigra At Maduru Oya (By Dinesh Gabadage)

* Notes On The Endemic Birds: Sri Lanka Red-Faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus Pyrrhocephalus (By C.D. Kaluthota)

* Feeding Ecology Of Rose-Ringed Parakeet Psittacula Krameri In Polonnaruwa (By S.W. Kotagama And G.M. Dunnet)

* South Polar Skua Or Hybrid Skua Catharacta Sp. From Sri Lanka? (By Rex I. De Silva)

* Report On The National Bird Ringing Programme 2007 (By C.D. Kaluthota And S.W. Kotagama)

Price - 300.00 SLR

Special offer: Latest issue and two back issues – 750.00 SLR (at FOGSL office

Members copy - 250.00 SLR

BIRD RINGING AT HORTON PLAINS

Horton Plains National Park is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Sri Lanka because of the misty mountains that surrounds it and its peculiar wildlife. It is also a popular location for bird watching especially to see highland species. More than 150 bird species are recorded from the Horton plains National Park.

Recently, the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka conducted a training programme on Bird ringing and other bird study techniques to the staff of the Department of Wild Life Conservation on a request made by Mr. Y.G.B. Karunarathna, Park Warden of the Horton Plains National park. Twenty one officers from the Central region participated in this programme. The workshop was held from 29th to 31st May 2008.

The programme was conducted in a participatory manner and included series of lectures, discussions, field practicals and many other activities.

A total of 23 birds represented by seven species were captured during this period. This included four endemic species namely, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Sri Lanka White-eye, Sri Lanka Dull Blue Flycatcher and Sri Lanka Yellow –eared Bulbul. Other captured species were Common Tailorbird, Dark fronted Babbler and Eurasian Blackbird.

Chinthaka Kaluthota and Sandun Perera conducted the workshop while Kasun Dayananda, Sarath Sanjeewa and Dayani Rathnayaka assisted them throughout the period.

FOGSL wishes to acknowledge Mr. Y.G.B. Karunarathna (Park Warden, Horton Plains NP) for organizing the workshop and providing all the necessary facilities for the participants. Mr. Pathirana and Mr. Dayarathna (Horton Plains NP) helped in many ways to conduct the workshop smoothly. FOGSL also wishes to extend its sincere gratitude to the supporting staff of the park for their active support during the period.