Yellow Bittern - Ixobrychus sinensis, Meepe, Sri Lanka.

Foraging on a paddy field on a sunny morning.

Little Egret - Egretta garzetta, Meepe, Sri Lanka.

Bird life of Sri Lanka

A much needed holiday - 

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Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri, Home garden, Honiton Place, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

This was a rare appearance in our home garden, to feed on the ripe plantain left on the bird feeder

Brown-headed Bee-eater and Cattle Egret, Bope, Sri Lanka.

Cattle Egrets - Bubulcus ibis on a paddy field near Bope, Sri Lanka.

Indian Darter - Anhinga melanogaster, on the paddy fields near Bope, Sri Lanka.

Indian Pitta - Pitta brachyura, Doctors quarters, BH, Avissawella, Sri Lanka, Dr. Eranga Perera.

This photo was taken by Dr. Eranga Perera, Consultant Surgeon, Base Hospital, Avissawella. The bird was in the back-garden of his quarters. The cry of this bird resembles like saying 'maatch kiyang'. The villagers in Sri Lanka have a story as follows:-
The 'Avichchiya' as the bird is called in Sinhalese, was the most beautiful bird in creation. The Pea-cock was literally naked and ugly. The Pea-cock wanted to go for a party of the birds and borrowed the beautiful feathers of the' Avichcha', who was  rather shy and avoided parties.The Pea-cock never returned the feathers. The now rather naked  'Avichchiya' is in hiding, but keeps shouting 'maath kiyang' meaning in Sinhalese, 'I will take you before the judges'.
It is a rather beautiful bird but very shy. We are alerted to its presence by its call early in the morning, when it raids the kitchen refuse, in the back garden.