Owners of the Air

Birds in Kumana

 Nearly Two Hundred and Fifty Five species of birds have been recorded in the Kumana National Park and from April to July tens of thousands of birds migrate to the Kumana swamp. Rare species such as the Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Eurasian Spoonbill and the Great Thick-knee are breeding inhabitants.
Most commonly seen are the Pacific Golden Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Grey Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Little Ringed Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Common Snipe and the Pintail Snipe.

The Asian Openbill, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Spot-billed Pelican, Indian Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Common Moorhen, Watercock, Purple Swamphen, White-breasted Waterhen, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Black-winged Stilt, Lesser Whistling Duck and Little Grebe migrate here in large flocks while the Pintails fly 9,000 kilometres from far away Siberia. Rare migrants include the Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Malabar Trogon, Red-faced Malkoha and the Sirkeer Malkoha.

Birdlife at Kumana National Park

Birdlife at Kumana National Park

The wide variety of birds found in the numerous wildlife parks of Sri Lanka makes the tropical island a prime Bird Watching destination in the world. The Kumana National Park is the most important and most popular bird sanctuary in Sri Lanka. Kumana birdlife supported by Some 20 lagoons and tank is an ornithologist’s paradise. During April–July, tens of thousands of birds migrate to the Kumana swamp area annually nearly 255 species of birds have been recorded in the National Park. Regular sightings of birds include pelicans, painted storks, spoonbills, white ibis, herons, egrets and hundreds of little cormorants. The very rare black-necked stork has also been spotted at the swamp. 

About Kumana National Park

Kumana is world famous as a birds’ paradise. Out of the recorded 430 bird species comprising endemic, resident and migrant birds. Of these, the bird watchers are able to watch over 200 species easily. The  Kumana National Park, also known as Yala East National Park is located in the Ampara district of south-east of Sri Lanka at a distance of 391 kilometers from Colombo.

Reaching Kumana National Park

The gateway to Kumana National Park is at Panama. The park office is located at Okanda, 22km south of Panama.

Climate of Kumana National Park

Kumuna receives 1,300 millimetres (51.18 in) of annual rainfall. The mean annual temperature is 27 degrees Celsius.

Landscape of Kumana National Park

Kumana National Park spreads over an area of 35,664 hectares. In the west, the park is bordered by River Kumubukkan Oya; to the south is south-eastern coast that runs to Panama. A 200 hectares mangrove swamp called "Kumana Villu" within the Park is subject to occasional inundation with sea water. It is at this swamp that many water birds nest, during the months of May and June. Scattered in the Kumana National Park are several water pools that are favorite spots of the wildlife: Kudawila wewa, Thummulla wewa and Kotalinda wewa.