Bundala National Park Sanctuary
Bundala is the first site in the country to get Ramsar status and is the most important site for resident as well as migrant waterbirds outside the northern part of the country. It is managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. It was declared as asanctuary in 1969 and received Ramsar status in 1990. The park consists of 6,216 hectares of dense thorny scrub, sand dunes andfive shallow brackish lagoons. The road network inside the park allows the birder to visit much bird sites located within the park ina vehicle. The BundalaSaltern which is adjoining the park has a few motorable roads and is a locality where thousands of migrantwaders can be observed during the season. There are no bungalows inside the park but a few campsites are available in the park.Accommodation is available at private guest houses at Weligatta and Hambantota.
How to get there:- Colombo- Ratnapura- Pelmadulla-Godakawela- Thimbolketiya- Embilipitiya- Turn left at Padalangala -Sisilassagama- Weligatta. Then turn right - Park Entrance is about 3 km away (6 hours).
BIRDS: Greater Flamingo, Pintail, Gargeny, Shoveller, Little Stint, Ruddy Turnstone, Common, Wood & Marsh Sandpipers,Common Redshank, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Pratincole, Black-Winged Stilt, Caspian Tern,Lesser Crested Tern, Gull-Billed Tern, Little Tern, Great Stone Plover, Little-Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Stone Curlew, SpotBilledPelican, Spoonbill, Broad-Billed Sandpiper, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Ruddy Crake, Black-Backed Yellow Woodpecker,Yellow-Fronted Pied Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Ceylon Jungle Fowl, Marshall's Iora and many more.
