Ecology | TOC Sri Lanka

Ecology

The natural surroundings of The Other Corner are inhabited by a variety of diverse species. Common sights are majestic elephant gatherings, gracefully moving through the area. Also in abundance are various amphibians and mammals. The birds - both resident and migrant - frequent the gardens that are a delightful butterfly haven, too.

The surrounding countryside is filled with a variety of animal life of diverse species. Commonly seen are the magnificent elephants who stride majestically through the surrounding countryside. Also in abundance are various amphibians and mammals such as deer and monkeys. Lizards, frogs, iguanas and other wildlife can be observed in plenty. A list of commonly observed fauna is listed below;

Mammals

  • Indian Flying Fox Pteropus giganteus
  • Toque Monkey Macaca sinica*
  • Purple-faced Leaf Monkey Semnopithecus senex*
  • Otter Lutra lutra
  • Toddy Cat Paradoxurus hermaphrodites
  • Indian Brown Mongoose Herpestes fuscus
  • Stripe-necked Mongoose Herpestes vitticollis
  • Wild Boar Sus scrofa
  • Spotted Deer Cervus axis
  • Indian Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum
  • Flying Squirrel Petaurista philippensis
  • Large Bandicoot-rat Bandicota indica
  • Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica
  • Slender Loris Loris tardigradus
  • Hanuman Langur Semnopithecus entellus
  • Golden Jackal Canis aureus
  • Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica
  • Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii
  • Ruddy Mongoose Herpestes smithii
  • Asian Elephant Elephas maximus
  • Mouse Deer Tragulus meminna
  • Water Buffalo Bubalus bubalis
  • Giant Squirrel/Grizzled Indian Squirrel Ratufa macroura
  • Travancore Flying Squirrel Petinomys fuscocapillus
  • Lesser Bandicoot-rat Bandicota bengalensis
  • Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis

Reptiles

  • Green Garden Lizard Calotes calotes
  • Common Skink Mabuya carinata
  • Water Monitor Varanus salvator
  • Common Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor
  • Land Monitor Varanus bengalensis
  • Star Tortoise Geochelone elegans

Flora refers to all plant life occurring in an area or time period and as with fauna Habarana hosts a vast variety of plant life. Ranging from tall trees to small shrubs all of which are nonetheless of interest to the botanist.

Some of the most common flora to be seen is listed below;

  • Mango Mangifera indica
  • Indian Laburnum / Shower of Gold Cassia fistula
  • Sour Orange Citrus aurantium
  • Sarsaparilla Hemidesmus indicus
  • Yellow Oleander Thevetia peruviana
  • Bitter Gourd Momordica charantia
  • Fishtail Palm Caryota urens
  • Jak Artocarpus heterophyllus
  • Ceylon Oak Schleichera oleosa
  • Charcoal Tree Trema orientalis
  • Indian Elm Holoptelea integrifolia
  • Teak Tectona grandis
  • Wood-apple Limonia acidissima
  • Delum / Pomergranate Punica granatum
  • Touch me not Mimosa pudica
  • Jasmine Jasminum grandiflorum
  • Satinwood Chloroxylon swietenia
  • Maila Bauhinia racemosa
  • Drumstick / Horse radish Moringa oleifera
  • Balloon vine Cardiospermum microcarpum
  • Lemon Grass Cymbopogon citratus
  • Orange Jasmine Murraya paniculata
  • Golden Apple Spondias dulcis
  • Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera
  • Cashew nut Anacardium occidentale
  • Curry Leaf Murraya koenigii
  • Ebony Diospyros ebenum
  • Banana Musa sapientum
  • Margosa / Neem Azadirachta indica
  • Ivy Gourd Coccinia grandis
  • Indian Pennywort Centella asiatica
  • Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum
  • Love Grass Andropogon aciculatus
  • Bread Fruit Artocarpus altilis
  • Lime Citrus aurantifolia
  • Passion Fruit Passiflora edulis
  • Guava Psidium guajava
  • Bo Ficus religiosa
  • Cassava/Manioc Manihot esculentus
  • Shoeflower Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
  • Fishing rod tree Pterospermum suberifolium
  • Lantana Lantana camara

The property of The Other Corner, Habarana encompasses a variety of indigenous trees, numerous species of endemic, resident and migratory birds and a large variety of butterflies. The nearby reservoir which borders the property boosts bird watching in Sri Lanka. The Other Corner also extends some of the best birding tours in the North Central Province. The diversity in habitat and the lake provides guests the opportunity to observe more than 145 species, which accounts for almost one third of bird life in Sri Lanka consisting of arboreal, terrestrial and aquatic birds, along with many waders and raptors, too. A highlighted and rare event in and around ‘The Other Corner’ was the recent recording of the elusive Black Kite by our In-House Naturalist.

  • Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
  • Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
  • Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
  • Little Egret Egretta garzetta
  • Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
  • Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
  • Indian Pond-heron Ardeola grayii
  • Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
  • Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
  • Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus
  • Lesser Whistling-duck Dendrocygna javanica
  • Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
  • Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
  • Grey-headed Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
  • Shikra Accipiter badius
  • Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
  • Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
  • White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
  • Purple Swamphen Porphyrio [porphyrio] poliocephalus
  • Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus
  • Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
  • Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
  • Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrid
  • Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
  • Ceylon Green-pigeon Treron pompadora
  • Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria
  • Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
  • Blue-faced Malkoha Rhopodytes viridirostris
  • Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
  • Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo Surniculus lugubris
  • Indian Scops-owl Otus bakkamoena
  • Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum
  • Indian Little Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus
  • Asian Palm-swift Cypsiurus balasiensis
  • Little Swift Apus affinis
  • Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
  • Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis
  • Lesser Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
  • Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
  • Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
  • Ceylon Grey Hornbill Ocyceros gingalensis
  • Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica
  • Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala
  • Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis
  • Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium bengalense
  • White-naped Flameback Chrysocolaptes festivus
  • Bengal Bushlark Mirafra assamica
  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
  • Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
  • Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus
  • Black-headed Cuckooshrike Coracina melanoptera
  • Orange Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus
  • Ceylon Woodshrike Tephrodornis affinis
  • Black-naped Blue Monarch Hypothymis azurea
  • Black-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus
  • White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus
  • Gold-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons
  • Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
  • Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
  • Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea
  • White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
  • Brown-capped Babbler Pellorneum fuscocapillus
  • Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra
  • Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense
  • Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
  • Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis
  • Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
  • Blyth's Reed-warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum
  • Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
  • Large-billed Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris
  • Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
  • Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos
  • Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus
  • Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
  • Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata
  • House Sparrow Passer domesticus
  • Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus
  • Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
  • Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis
  • Indian Shag Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
  • Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster
  • Great Egret Egretta alba
  • Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
  • Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
  • Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax
  • Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis
  • Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
  • Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus
  • Cotton Teal Nettapus coromandelianus
  • Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
  • White-bellied Sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
  • Crested Serpent-eagle Spilornis cheela
  • Crested Hawk-eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus
  • Ceylon Junglefowl Gallus lafayetii
  • Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator
  • Watercock Gallicrex cinerea
  • Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
  • Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus
  • Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
  • Little Tern Sterna albifrons
  • Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
  • Orange-breasted Green-pigeon Treron bicinctus
  • Green Imperial-pigeon Ducula aenea
  • Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
  • Pied Crested Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus
  • Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus
  • Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus
  • Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus
  • Brown Fish-owl Ketupa zeylonensis
  • Jerdons Nightjar Caprimulgus atripennis
  • Indian Swiftlet Aerodramus unicolor
  • Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba
  • Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata
  • Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca
  • White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
  • Little Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
  • Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti
  • Common Hoopoe Upupa epops
  • Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus
  • Ceylon Small Barbet Megalaima rubricapillus
  • Indian Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos nanus
  • Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus
  • Crimson-backed Flameback Chrysocolaptes stricklandi
  • Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura
  • Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
  • Ceylon Swallow Hirundo hyperythra
  • Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
  • Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei
  • Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
  • Pied Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus
  • Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
  • White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola
  • Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
  • Common Iora Aegithinia tiphia
  • Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis
  • Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina
  • Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae
  • Oriental Magpie-robin Copsychus saularis
  • Indian Black Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus
  • Ceylon Scimitar-babbler Pomatorhinus [schisticeps] melanurus
  • Dark-fronted Babbler Rhopocichla atriceps
  • Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis
  • Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii
  • Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica
  • Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
  • Indian Reed-warbler Acrocephalus [stentoreus] brunnescens
  • Bright-green Warbler Phylloscopus nitidus
  • Great Tit Parus major
  • Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile
  • Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica
  • Loten's Sunbird Cinnyris lotenius
  • White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata
  • Tricoloured Munia Lonchura malacca
  • Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
  • White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens
  • Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus
  • Indian Jungle Crow Corvus [macrorhynchos] culminatus