Sri Lanka Birds of Prey

Below is a listing of raptors / birds of prey found in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) – native, introduced or vagrant:

Location / Map of Sri Lanka


Other Birds found in Sri Lanka


Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis) – Range: Southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus objurgatus) – Bird of Prey – Range: Western and Eastern Ghats of India; Sri Lanka

Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus) – Range: Southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to south China, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is found in Kam Shan Country Park of Hong Kong

Crested Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus ceylanensis) – Range: Sri Lanka (possibly also Travancore)

Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) or Kanmuri-washi – Range: South Asia, including Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, to Southeast Asia, extending to southern China and Indonesia.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) – Breeds in southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to south east Asia and the Philippines

Indian Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) aka Black Shaheen or Indian Shaheen – Range: South Asia from Pakistan across India to Sri Lanka and Southeastern China. In Sri Lanka this species is found to favor the higher hills while the migrant calidus is more often seen along the coast. Description: It is small and dark, with rufous underparts barred with lighter color.

Jerdon’s Baza (Aviceda jerdoni) – Bird of Prey – Range: Terai of North India and foothills of the Eastern Himalayas from Eastern Nepal and Bengal duars to the Assam valley, western ghats in Southern India, southern Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Sumatra, Singapore and Philippines

Mountain Hawk-eagles (Nisaetus nipalensis) – Range: Southern Asia from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka to China, Taiwan and Japan

Pariah Kite / Bird of Prey (Milvus migrans govinda) – Range: Eastern Pakistan east through tropical India and Sri Lanka to Indochina and Malay Peninsula

Rufous-bellied Eagle (Lophotriorchis kienerii) – Range: Sri Lanka, southwest and northern India, and east to southeast Asia and Indonesia

White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) – Resident from India through southeast Asia to Australia on coasts and major waterways

Black Eagle
Common Kestrel
Crested Goshawk
Crested Serpent Eagle
Jerdon’s Baza
Mountain Hawk Eagle
Rufous-bellied Eagle
White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Photo of author

Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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