The Painted Stork An opportunist at the zoo

The zoo is home to many free living creatures too and birds’ top this list. As reported by Zoolander in an earlier feature - Airport in the Zoo, the zoo feeds fish to the pelicans daily. There are other opportunists too who come to snatch a free meal and painted storks are leaders of this set.

Visit Minneriya National Park; you would surely  see  hundreds of painted storks waiting on the edges of the Minneriya Tank like statues. Some of them who start feeling hungry would be wading in the shallow murky waters of Minneriya trying to catch a fish ot two. Visit the famous paradise sanctuaries for birds - Bundala or Kumana  - and wherever you go, this bird - the Painted Stork would be a soothing and relaxing sight. But you try to get closer, and they would take wing. However, there is one place where you can observe them very closely. You guessed correctly - it’s  the Zoo.

Living free

The painted storks at the zoo are not caged. They live freely in the old quarry pit and come into the feeding area everyday at around 2 O’clock. Yes - they do not miss this opportunity to get a free meal, earning them the reputation of being opportunists. It is not unfair to call them opportunists as the zoo’s give-away fish meal is meant mainly for the pelicans which visit the zoo following in the foot-steps (wing beats?) of their ancestors which were released from the zoo in the 1970s.
The painted stork is the most beautiful of the stork family. As its name indicates, the bird is colourful and looks very much nicer at close range. Painted storks have a long orange-yellow coloured bill with a down-curved tip. The head of the adult is bare and orange or reddish in colour. There is a distinctive black breast band with white scaly markings. The band continues into the underwing feathers and the white tips of the black coverts give it the appearance of white stripes running across the underwing lining. The rest of the body is whitish in adults and the primaries and secondaries are black with a greenish gloss. The legs are yellowish to red and have sow webbed feet to make it easier for these birds to live by wading in shallow waters. The short tail is black with a green gloss.

But the most beautiful feature of this stork is its long tertials or flying feathers that are tipped in bright pink -- and at rest they extend over the back and rump. As feathers overlap on each other, it makes a gradient effect adding more beauty to the bird. Perhaps this coloration has led to the bird  being named the painted stork.But this unique feature is barely visible at a distance. To observe the gradient effect on these pink feathers, you must visit the zoo to meet the painted stork at closer range. It is indeed one of nature’s beauties and you can’t resist clicking on these birds, when   seen at a close range.

At feeding time near 2 O’clock at the Old Quarry, you can meet up to 6 - 10 painted storks. Some of them are even bold enough to ascend to the top of the old hut setup in front of the quarry in search of the tractor which brings the basketfuls of fish to feed the pelicans, oblivious to the onlookers who are observing them closely. When the fish is being unloaded to the feeding area, they too join the feeding frenzy trying to grab a fish as if it is the last fish in the whole wide world. The painted storks get the upper hand against the pelicans, as they can use their height and aim straight for the fish, and bend and snatch in a quick motion.

Painted Storks in nature

Though the painted storks at the zoo have become opportunistic feeders, at other times they have to be wading in shallow water to catch fish. The painted stork finds fish, in a unique way. They sense the fish by touch, while slowly sweeping a half open bill which is submerged in water. They walk slowly and also disturb the water with their feet to flush fish. The movement of the feet flushes the fish and other little creatures such as frogs. Once the fleeing creature touches the open beak, it automatically closes, triggered by the slightest touch of the fleeing creature.

The preferred depth for painted stork for hunting fish is about 12 to 25 cm of water and deeper waters are avoided. Sometimes, they feed in groups in shallow wetlands and this is  something interesting to watch.  Zoologists have found that painted storks forage mainly during the day, but also may do so late at night under exceptional conditions. After they are fed, they  stand still on the shore for a long duration and the best place for seeing such a relaxing group is at the Minneriya tank.

The painted storks breed on trees along with other water birds. Their platform nests are typically placed on a tree on an island or in an otherwise undisturbed area. As observed by zoologists the best nesting sites are at the tops of trees and birds fight for these locations

Near threatened

Although the most abundant sites for the Asian storks can be found in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and even in China, their populations are said to be declining the world over and are tagged a ‘Near Threatened’ species. The painted stork still remains a common bird in Sri Lanka even recording sightings in suburban areas of the capital city of Colombo. This species is classified as ‘Near Threatened’ because it is thought to be undergoing a moderately rapid decline in population owing to hunting, loss of wetlands and pollution.

On your next visit to the zoo make a point to observe this beautiful stork at close range; also be mindful not to be a polluter of the environment or destroy their habitats, unnecessarily contributing to the decline of this bird specie.

Published on LakbimaNews on 17.06.2012 http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5806%3Acrowned-queens-of-the-night&Itemid=56

The March for survival in the Animal Kingdom - Penguin May Day

Last Tuesday, thousands marched through some Colombo streets to mark May Day. Such ‘marches’ are the stuff of the animal kingdom too;ironically they are more disciplined but also happen in April/May. ZooLander reports this week of the March of the Penguins..!

In the animal Kingdom too, there is an annual march, which occurs   across probably one of the most challenging environments on earth. Instead of the scorching sun or pouring tropical rain, these marchers have to be ready to negotiate walking on freezing ice baring the sub-zero temperature of Antarctica - the polar region that records the lowest temperatures on earth. The participants of this particular march are also not offered biriyani or any alcohol to keep them motivated, but their annual participation is compulsory for the very survival of their whole colony. They are also not divided into different camps carrying different coloured flags --- to the naked eye its just plain black and white pillars moving across a snow-white  Antarctica ...
They are not humans; this is the march of the emperor penguins, and their march is not just a mere 2 or 3 kilometres that make up the May Day march  of political activists, but stretches to about 60 - 100 kilometres in length. The aim of their march is not a mere  politicaly motivated reason such as showcasing power, but is a serious effort in completing the annual breeding cycle of the emperor penguins.  They have to march this distance because of the nature of the Antarctica land mass, which shrinks and expand during summer and winter seasons of the polar region. Under the ice shield, it is an ocean and during the summer - though it is still below zero Celsius temperature, the ice shield can go thin and break off. These emperor penguins use a particular spot that has solid ice year round as their breeding ground to avoid losing a land mass that is vital for the survival of their young. At the beginning of the Antarctica summer, the breeding ground is only few kilometres away, from the ocean where penguins feed. However, by the end of summer, the breeding ground is over 100 kilometres away from the nearest open water and in order to reach it, all the penguins of breeding age must travel this distance.

May Day Rally in the Antarctica
Humans rally in large numbers on May Day, and after a short march stop to listen to their leaders; these Penguins too rally on their pre-designated breeding grounds after the tiring march. Even though there is no ‘police’ or a particular leader to discipline them, they all flock together at freezing cold temperatures.
Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth and is considered  a cold desert. Temperature in the Antarctica can reach -89 C making it one of the hardest places to survive in. The march of the penguins has provided these creatures an opportunity to survive in the harsh Antarctic environment. ...or if you consider the flip side, only those who marched would be able to survive the harsh Antarctic subzero climate. (Ah, much like  Government supported May Day rallies where those who do not March in support of their campaign may not get benefits?).
Since the discovery of the Antarctica, it has puzzled explorers how the penguins breed in these harsh conditions. Penguins usually lay eggs on the ground, but in the Antarctica, there is no actual land with soil; the whole continent is covered by ice. It had taken decades for zoologists to resolve this puzzle of penguin breeding. Earlier it was believed that the Emperor penguins were some kind of evolutionary “missing link”, something that scientists thought could be proven by observing the growth of the ‘embryo’ at various stages. Later, they were taken by surprise, on seeing the large colonies and their gatherings and  the long march these penguins make annually to reach the breeding grounds.
Emperor penguins breed almost exclusively on sea ice and so are perhaps the only species of bird that never sets foot on land. Now zoologists have discovered around 40 large nesting sites of the emperor penguins. The first breeding colony wasn’t discovered until 1902, when Lt. Reginald Skelton on Scott’s 1901-04 Discovery Expedition, did  some 130 years after the birds had first been sighted, on Captain Cook’s second voyage. New colonies were still being discovered as late as 2009 as per internet sources.

Spectacular scene
Some of these sites say that there are more than half a million birds making it a spectacular scene to watch. But another reason to flock closer together is that each other’s warmth keeps everybody warm -- and loss of energy is at a minimum.
‘Numbe Amma Muhude Giya, Malu aran enna giya’ :
Emperor Penguins begin their breeding cycle when the other Antarctic penguins have finished theirs, at the end of April / May. Eggs are laid in May and June, are the smallest in size relative to body size of any bird, being around 0.4kg (1.1 lb) and just under 1.5% of the mass of an adult bird.
As soon as the mother penguin lays her single egg, she transfers it to the feet of the waiting male with minimum exposure to the elements, as the intense cold will kill the developing embryo. If it stays on ice for more than a few minutes, the purpose of the whole march would be lost. From this point onwards, the males take charge of the egg. No nest is built and the egg is incubated on the feet of the parents. A special fold of abdominal skin known as ‘brood patches’  covers the egg to keep it warm.
There is a famous lullaby sung to console  human babies Numbe amma kira ta giya, kiri erawa enna giya (your mother has gone for milk and will come back with milk). Perhaps this is what penguin fathers are murmuring in the freezing cold as they  take care of the eggs, with a different version such as -Numbe Amma Muhude Giya, Malu aran enna giya (your mother has gone to sea and will be back with fish), as the mother penguins then set off back to sea for fishing and do not return until July.

published on LakbimaNews  06.05.2012

Scavenger sage-named

The zoo is also home to many interesting raptors: birds that hunt other animals. This week, ZooLander reports about the Brahminy Kite - one of the most common Raptor species in our country, often found abandoned in the zoo -- both in captivity and free ranging.

In ancient India, the Brahmanas were a common sight. Even when the Europeans invaded that country, there were Brahmanas who were dressed in a reddish-brown cloth wrapped around their bodies. The European invaders fought to capture these areas; no sooner things got settled, they started observing the strange new world they had stepped into. They first found the Brahmanas who were meditating in the jungles dressed in reddish-brown clothes. Then came the ornithologists; almost all of them were nature enthusiasts, even military officers and administrators would  spend their  time looking at the sky during their leisure times.  It didn’t take long for these ornithologists to note the reddish-brown patches that soared high in the sky.

Beautiful raptors
Observing more closely, they realized these to be beautiful raptors, with colourful wings, similar in colour to the reddish-brown clothes of the Brahamanas. Legend has it, that it led to this bird of prey being named the Brahaminy Kite. Another theory says that this bird is being treated as a sacred symbol by the Brahmin cast of India, and hence it was named Brahminy Kite.
However, the Brahminy Kite is also considered a contemporary representation of Garuda which is a sacred mythical bird in Hindu legend. Hindus believe Garuda is the vehicle of God Vishnu, and is depicted as having a golden body of a strong man, a white face, red wings, and an eagle’s beak -- complete with a crown on its head which are most of the characteristics of the Brahminy Kite. The Garuda, the ancient deity, is said to be a massive bird that is even large enough to block out the sun.
No matter how the bird got its name, Brahminy Kite is a beautiful bird which has a  distinctive and contrastingly coloured reddish-brown or chestnut coloured plumage, a white head and breast, with black wing tips. The juveniles are brownier when young, but acquire the normal coloration no sooner they reach adulthood.
Brahminy Kite is a master of adaptation that has managed to adjust to the changes in the environment and survived even in busy populated cities such as Colombo. Today, Brahminy Kite is the only medium sized raptor one can observe in the city of Colombo. Its secret also lies in its feeding habit being primarily a hunter; but it can also survive by scavenging and birds commonly found in large numbers, in mass waste dumping sites.

Brahminy in the Zoo
Right - you can see them in the sky flying at a distance. “But where can I see a Brahminy Kite closer... or where will I get a chance to go so close and touch one of these majestic birds..?” you may ruminate. Without any hesitation, ZooLander recommends that you visit the Dehiwala Zoo to have a closer encounter with the Brahminy Kite...
The Brahminy Kite enclosure is located at a far corner of the Zoo. There are a couple of Brahminy Kite pairs in this cage and their unmistakable scream -kweeaa or kyeeer, when active, can be heard at a distance.

Kids’ Corner
But at the zoo you can also have a more intimate encounter with a Brahminy kite, if you visited on a week day or on a Saturday,  the ‘Kids’ Corner’. In the zoo, have you noticed that there is an area dedicated to  children..? Known as ‘Kids’ Corner’ this is where some of the tamed animals are taken out and allowed to interact with children, under the guidance of members of the Young Zoologists’ Association. A Brahminy Kite too is also often taken out to this open area in the Kids’ Corner allowing the Zoo visitors and especially kids to have a one on one encounter with the beautiful raptor. Some of the brave kids also dare to touch the eagle and a gentle touch without hurting the bird is allowed. But remember, touching overly can amount to harassment; everyone is advised to careful not be a nuisance to this cute Brahminy          Kite.
Brahminy Kites are not saints as their  names denote, as they actively hunt for prey. They hunt small prey such as fish, crabs, frogs from water and rodents (mouse, squirrels), reptiles on land etc. Scanning and hunting for food using their eagle eyes, the Brahminy Kites forage both over water and land, soaring 20-50m above the surface. When they spot prey, they descend fast and snatch the prey using their sharp talons. Brahminy Kites don’t dive into the water, but can skilfully pick the fish that come onto the surface unaware of the danger lurking in the sky. They eat their food on the wings. However, in the zoo they do not need to kill animals as they get a free meal everyday. Brahminy Kites in the zoo are usually given a fish diet.

Major scavenger in the city
However, as mentioned earlier, the Brahminy Kite is also a major scavenger in the city, garbage dumps being their favourite ‘restaurants’, a habit which has helped them survive even in populated areas. In Colombo, too, you can find a number of Brahminy Kites near garbage dumps. Sometimes over 30 Brahminy Kites can be seen hovering above, looking down to pick carrion  or an unwary mouse that comes to feed on the dump. In natural areas, it is said that the Brahminy prefer mud flats.

Brahminy Kites are also aerial acrobats, mate on or near the nest, its breeding season in South Asia being from December to April. The Brahminy Kites build bowl shaped nests, usually on top of large trees. Both parents take part in nest building, using small branches and sticks, lining the nest with leaves. They like to build the nests closer to a good food source, such as a water body where they can catch fish in abundance to feed the young -- or a good dumping ground where they can scavenge easily. Brahminy Kite eggs are dull white or bluish-white and are oval shaped. Brahminy mothers often lay a clutch of two eggs. The mother Kite has to incubate these eggs for about a month and both parents take part in feeding the hungry fledglings.
Juvenile Brahminy Kites have a different plumage often displaying a uniformly dark brown plumage, white parts streaked with buff. In flight a pale patch at base of primaries is seen and it is difficult to distinguish these juveniles, from the Black Kites (which have square tails) and immature White-bellied Fish Eagles.

Brahminy Kites are found in many parts of the world including the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. Known as Elang Bondol in Indonesia, the Brahminy Kite is also the official mascot of its capital city, Jakarta. In Australia, the Brahminy Kite is identified as Red-backed Sea-eagle, perhaps because they are not familiar with Brahmanas and do not associate the colour similarities.

Brahminy Kite is not a threatened bird species; however their populations are  declining in some areas. It is their adaptability to city life which gives them a lifeline and helps in their survival. At your next visit to the Zoo, take a closer look at the Brahminy Kites.


Published on LakbimaNews on 11.03.2012

Symbol of Love in Dehiwala Zoo

There are only few more days to the Valentine’s Day which is fallen on 14^th.February. Day is special for lovers and if you are undecided on what to do on this Valentines’ day, ZooLander suggests you to visit the Zoo to meet a symbol of love that mates for life..!! 

Valentine’s Day is on next week and perhaps you have already done the shopping to select a gift for your loved one. If the gift is a kind of an ornament, ZooLander bets that most of lovers will get a gift portraying a pair of swans or geese. That is the fame received by these lovable birds as they are commonly associated with romance. Their stark white beauty, graceful swimming and the fact that they mates for life all add up to make Swans the Symbol of Love.

To strengthen this image as birds of love, the Swans and Geese were given the most picturesque enclosure of Dehiwala Zoo. You can observe few pairs of these white birds in this enclosure that that has a spacious pond with lots of greenery. The most eye-catching feature of this enclosure is the artificial waterfall that falls from a considerable height. Trees with lots of hanging lianas make the setting perfect for these swans and geese to unfold their romance in Dehiwala Zoo.

The name board in the Swan Pond of the Dehiwala zoo mentions Mute Swans Cygnus olor. The mute swan is a very large white waterbird which can be heavy as much as 25-30 lbs. measuring 56-62 inches in length. It has a long S-shaped neck, and their orange bills with black knobs, white plumage and long necks make them strikingly attractive. When swimming, mute swans often hold their wings slightly upraised over their back, forming a hump if viewed from the side and they flies with its neck extended and regular slow wingbeats. The face between the bill and eyes is naked and black, and legs and feet are black.

Mates for Life

Yes, that is true – these Swans and Geese usually mate for life and contrast to other birds. They are trusted partners which are known as Monogomy in animal kingdom. One male mate with several females which is known as Polygomy which is the most common occurrence among animals, but quite contrasts, the swans has chosen to be mates for life where a single male selects a single female to mate and raise their swan family. 

In the wild, a juvenile swan normally lives as part of a flock until it is about 4 years old and deemed as being an adult. It then seeks out a mate, most commonly from the flock it's living in, and heads off with the mate to find their own mating territory. If another mating pair is nearby then problems can occur in the form of a territorial battle, the losers of which will have to move on in search of another "patch". 

Mated pairs usually raise one brood per year. They construct a nest using a huge mound of material, normally dried grasses and assorted vegetation, sticks and rushes, constructed at the water's edge. The nest is built by the female, while the male supplies the materials. The female lays up to seven eggs between late April and early May. Not giving the burden of incubation only to the female, father swan too sits on the nest providing necessary warmth for the eggs to hatch. The hatching should goes for 35-41 days continuously. 

The young birds, or cygnets, sometimes ride on their parents' backs and remain with the adult birds for four or five months. Cygnets are not as white as their parents and usually brown above and whitish below. This also based for the fair tail of the ugly duckling where a stranded young duckling was humiliated for his dirty look, but where finally he become one of the most beautiful bird as it grow. 

The young of some pairs are driven off the breeding territory as soon as their plumage is predominantly white (during late autumn or winter). Other broods often accompany their parents to the wintering area, and usually join a large flock in which they remain when the parents return to their breeding territory. Young birds will not generally breed for the first two years of adult life.

The male and the female birds, the cob and pen, usually attempt to mate for life and only if one of the birds were to die then they looks for another mate. After several failed nesting attempts, some pairs rarely ‘divorce’ their mate and goes for a new mate finds the researchers. 

Why mate for life..? 

Love usually helps human couples to be mates of life. But Zoologists thinks that birds do not form emotional relationships like humans do, and their principle drive for forming a pair pond is to produce offspring rather than for any emotional fulfillment. 

Birds that do form long term pair bonds may remain together for several breeding seasons without elaborate courtship renewals, though there may be some minor displays and other refreshing of their bond. Depending on the species, these birds may remain together until one partner dies, after which the other bird will seek another mate. Another common occurrence is that the birds stay together for several seasons, but they may find new, stronger partners at any time and could switch loyalties if they perceive that it would increase the chances of producing surviving offspring. 

While these benefits are not the same for every species, those that do appear to mate for life can take advantage such as availability of Larger Territories, Longer youth care and Multiple broods. Where there are larger territories if they must make annual efforts to attract new mates, they would be unable to defend the amount of space they need for feeding. Larger birds require longer incubation periods for the young to fully form within the eggs, and after hatching the young birds require more extensive care or teaching from their parents in case of Longer Youth Care. With long term bonds, the parent birds can mate earlier in the season and give their offspring the necessary time to develop fully before migration or harsh weather sets in. This is true for many large birds, including cranes, raptors and geese. 

Multiple Broods is where while many birds that only mate for a single season also produce multiple broods. Birds with long term bonds can often restart a brood if predators clean out a nest or if other circumstances destroy the eggs. This is another tactic birds can use to increase the odds of having viable offspring even in uncertain seasons. Birds of prey and many waterfowl have different nest threats that make long term bonds and multiple broods a necessity if their species are to survive.

Are ‘Mute Swans’ really mute..?

Despite their name, these birds are not really mute. Adult birds are usually silent but will use hisses, barks and rattling snorts when threatened, and juvenile birds have additional whining calls to attract attention.

We think all the aquatic birds that swim on the water are hunting fish for their meal. But this is a misconception where swans and geese are vegetarians. Swans eat aquatic vegetation, which their long necks equip them to take from the riverbed. They take the molluscs that cling to the vegetation, and also eat small fish, frogs and worms. Grain, such as wheat, and vegetable matter, especially lettuce and potatoes, can be fed to swans. In Dehiwala Zoo, they are given vegetables and also some sort of a serial where they gulp greedily. 

Mute Swan can be found in wild mainly in European countries. But they are domesticated by many cultures and show a wide-spread distribution around the world. The oldest ringed wild mute swan was 15 years old and even in the wild Swans do not have many natural enemies as they are well equipped to defend themselves against most predators. The main predators are foxes, which from time to time take birds roosting in accessible places. But the main threats come from pollution of freshwater areas, lead weights previously used by anglers, fishing tackle, and overhead power lines. Vandalism is a problem in some areas. 

Swans in Human Culture 

Swans have left their image throughout history. It is said that during the Middle Ages, the mute swan was considered to be a valuable commodity and was regularly traded between noblemen. The owners of swans were duty bound to mark their property by way of a succession of unique nicks in the beaks of their birds. It was the duty of the Royal Swanmaster to organise the annual swan-upping, a tradition that survives to this day. The Queen has a prerogative over all swans in England and Wales. The Swan Keeper also despatches swans all over the world, sent as gifts in the Queens name. 

The only two companies that still observe the tradition of owning swans on the Thames are the Worshipful Companies of Vintners and Dyers. The Royal swans are no longer marked, but an unmarked mute swan on the Thames is regarded as belonging to the Queen by default. The Queen still maintains an officially-appointed Swan Keeper, and the ceremony still takes place on the Monday of the third week in July. 

Geese in the Swan Pond 

Other than the Mute Swans, several pairs of domesticated geese too can be observed in the Swan Pond of Dehiwala Zoo. With the pinkish feet, they are easy to identify when they are out of water and they are missing the black patches on the beak of the Mute Swan. Geese too is said to make strong bonds. If you visit the Swan pond these days, you can find one of these geese has made a nest and incubating the eggs at a corner.

It really will be a nice experience for you to visit the Zoo on this Valentine’s Day and have a look at these lovable birds swimming free in the Picturesque Swan Pond in Dehiwala Zoo.

Pelicans' Daily Flights from Beira to Zoo

Published on LakbimaNews on 27.11.2011

Visitors without Visas

Published on 30.10.2011 on LakbimaNews

Flying in an Underwater Freezer

published on LakbimaNews on 25.09.2011

The Grief of a Bird !!

The Spoonbil

Published on LakbimaNews - 15.08.2010

Special Avurudu (new year) Messenger in Zoo

Visit the Zoo to see Sri Lanka's National Bird

This has been published on LakbimaNews on 01.02.2010 inline with Sri Lanka's National Day which is celebrated on 04th.February. 

High pitched “chiok, chaw-choyik’ is a call that you can often hear from a corner, if you visit the zoo in the morning. You might guess that it is either a noisy gibbon or a panicked chimpanzee, but infact it is the call of a bird. Though call is bit of a harsh, the owner is neverthelessly a smart bird. It is Sri Lanka Junglefowl which is also the National Bird of our country. 

The proud Junglefowl rooster with the head somewhat depressed and the beak jerked sharply up at each syllabal making this unmistakable call can be seen in Zoo’s open aviary. It is the male Junglefowl who make this call to mark its territory and let rival males know its presence. Emerson Tennent - a naturalists observed the Sri Lankan birds during British Colonial era mentioned the bird shouts “George Joyce”. He distinguished SriLankan Junglefowl’s call from other junglefowls live in Asia. 

If it sees a rival male intruding its territory, the male junglefowl generally proceed by rigorous clapping of the wings together above the back in wild. However, though they charge at each other, actual fighting was not errupted easily. But unfortunately for the male Junglefowl in the wild, the hunters knowing bird’s urge to come out to retaliate its intruders, they mimic this ‘threatening display’ to lure out a hidden Junglefowl. But the male junglefowls in the open aviary of the zoo is living in harmony with their mates. Junglefowl’s females, that are not as big, most of the time associates the male. Female are dull brownish with spotted and streaked below and not as beuatiful as the male junglefowl. 

Sri Lanka Junglefowl is scientificaly identified as Galus lafayettii. It belongs to the Family Phasianidae of the Order Galliformes. The birds found in Glliformees group are plump birds with short, rounded wings, small head and powerful bare legs and feet as mentioned in the John Harrison’s Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Indian Peafowl, Patrigdges and Quails are the other relatives of this family that can be seen in Sri Lanka. 

Famously known as walikukula in Sinhala, fowl has become part of our culture too. Junglefowl is also a closer relative of the domestic hen and it has been a commonly raised in villages some decades ago. The traditional oil lamp has the symbol of a cock indicating their close cultural relationship with human. Contributing to the ancient literature, there was a sandesha kavya called savul sandeshaya where the rooster played the major role. These are mainly written considering the domestic roosters, but its wild relative Sri Lanka Junglefowl too will get its ‘fowl share’ of these cultural credits. 

The Junglefowl is also the mostly widespread endemic bird of Sri Lanka. While most of our endemic birds been restricted either to Wetzone Rainforests or Mountain Region forests, the junglefowl is abundant even in dry zone. This abundance and closer to the culture are few reasons to name this unique bird as Sri Lanka’s National Bird. 

Bird experts say that Junglefowl breeds in the first half of the year and during August-september period. They build an open nest on floor using leaf litter and lay 2-4 eggs that are off-white and very small dark spots. 

The group of Junglefowl in the zoo always on the move, scratching the aviary bed looking for small animals such as crickets, grass hoppers, centipedes or termites. However, their main diet consists of Grain, Weed-seeds and berries. They are greedy to have the meal provide by the keepers of the Aviary every day and not shy. So you can go very closer to have an ample look at them. 

On your next vist, make sure you have a good look at Sri Lanka’s National Bird in the Zoo Aviary. Perhaps, you can visit the zoo on 04th of February - the Independence Day itself - to see the National Bird to observe one of the living symbol of our nation..!! 

National birds in few other countries 

It is a common custom to name a National Bird around the world. Here are some of the birds declared as National Birds in few other countries…!! Some of these birds can be seen in Sri Lanka too. Please note birds that can be seen in Sri Lanka are indicated by marking their Sinhala names in the brackets. 

o India - Peacock (Monara) 
o Bangladesh - Oriental Magpie Robin (Polkichcha) 
o Pakistan - Perigrene Falcon (Peri kurulugoya) 
o Bhutan - Common Raven (a species of Crow) 
o United States - Bald Eagle 
o United Kingdom - European Robin (Robin Kurulla) 
o Australia - Emu (a flighless bird - can be seen in zoo) 
o Botswana - Cattle Egret (Gava Koka) 
o China - Red-crowned Crane 
o Canada - Common Loon 
o Denmark - Mute Swan 
o Estonia - Barn Swallow (Atu Wehi-lihiniya) 
o Ishrael - Hoopoe (Poroluwa) 
o Mauritius - Dodo (first recorded bird that had gone extinct due to hunting) 
o New Zealand - Kiwi (a flightless bird) 
o Sweden - Black Bird (kalu bim sariya) 
o Bahamas - Greater Flamingo 

My Cheating Heart - Valentin's @ Zoo

Published on 14.02.2010 on LakbimaNews