SLT RAINBOW PAGES

Mannar And Vankalai Bird Sanctuary

This is one of the most important areas located in the north of the country for the migrating waterfowl. 4,800 hectares inextent, this important habitat was protected and declared as a sanctuary in 2008 upon a proposal presented to the Department of Wildlife Conservation after a four year study conducted by the members of the Ceylon Bird Club. During the study the membersdiscovered that the Indian Spot-Billed Duck, a species which was considered a very rare migrant with a history of only a

 

handful of records breeding in this area. This is an arid locality with seasonal water bodies, marshes, lakes, mudflats, thorny scrub, salt marshes, swamps, mangroves, coastal lagoons and sea grass beds. Some of the migrant water fowl species which are commonly seen here are seldom seen in the south of the country. This good spotting scope is of immense value to the avid birder who wants to study many species of waders found at the causeway as well as the many water bodies in Mannar. There are no hotels yet for overnight stay. The overnight accommodation available is mostly the rooms of the houses rented out by the owners.

How to get there:- Colombo - Negombo - Chilaw - Puttalam - Anuradhapura - Medawachchiya - Settikulam - Murunkan - Mannar (6 hours)

BIRDS: Indian Spot-Billed Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, Avocet, Common Teal, Northern Shoveller, Pintail, Gargeny, GreaterFlamingo, Crab Plover, Oystercatcher, Red Knot, Great Knot, Ruff, Indian Grey Partridge, Lesser Crested Tern, Great CrestedTern, Caspian Tern, White-Winged Black Tern, Little Tern, Great Black-Headed Gull, Heuglin's Gull, Brown Headed Gull,Common Coot, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Kentish Plover, Black Drongo, RufousRumped Shrike, Collared Dove, Hoopoe, Long-tailedShrike, Montague's Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Golden-Backed Woodpecker and many more.