An Asian openbill stork feeding in shallow water in Yala National Park

215+ recorded species

Birds in Yala

Six endemics in Yala, thousands of migrants in Bundala, and a reservoir in Block 6 with 184 recorded species.

Species in Yala: 215+
Endemics: 6
Best park: Bundala
Best months: December to March

Yala is one of the island's 70 Important Bird Areas, with over 215 recorded species. Six are endemic: the Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka wood pigeon, black-capped bulbul, brown-capped babbler and crimson-fronted barbet.

Winter brings the migrants — pelicans, spoonbills, peregrine falcons and serpent eagles among them.

Bundala is the specialist's park: a Ramsar wetland and UNESCO biosphere reserve of lagoons and dunes, holding everything from little bee-eaters to open-billed storks, and flamingos in season. The reservoir in Yala Block 6 alone has recorded more than 184 species.

Where to look

Bundala's lagoons and dunes; the Block 6 reservoir; any water in Yala at dawn.

How often it is seen

Guaranteed, in volume

From our jeeps

Birds photographed on our safaris

An Asian openbill stork wading and feeding in shallow water in Yala National Park — Asian openbill, feeding

A Malabar pied hornbill perched on a curving branch in Yala National Park — Malabar pied hornbill

A white-throated kingfisher perched on a fallen log in Yala National Park — White-throated kingfisher

A male Indian peafowl with a long green train walking across open ground in Yala — Peacock on parade

A peahen walking across a sandy clearing beside a lake in Yala National Park — Peahen at the lake shore

A grey heron wading through a lily pond in Yala National Park — Grey heron among the lilies

See the full gallery

Also in the park

Keep looking.

Sri Lankan Leopard Asian Elephant Sloth Bear