  sri lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of india. the bird life of sri lanka is very rich for its size and about 433 species have been recorded. in addition to the many resident birds, a considerable number of migratory species winter in the country to escape their northern breeding grounds. 233 species are resident, of which the most important are the 26 endemics. the other resident species are also found in the adjacent indian mainland, but over 80 have developed distinct sri lankan races. some of these races are very different in their plumage characteristics from the related forms in india. bird distribution in sri lanka is largely determined by its climatic zones. the dry zone is largest of the three, covering more than half of the area of the island, with a prolonged dry and hot period and only one monsoon (the north east monsoon from october to january). the wet zone, with two monsoons, is in the south western quarter of the island, where the few remaining rain forests are found and humidity is high. the central hill zone rises to over 2450&nbsp;m (8-10,000&nbsp;ft) and has a cool temperate climate. most of the 26 endemic species are confined to the wet and the hill zones, with only a few extending into the dry zone as well. recent updates and sighting information can be obtained through the field ornithology group of sri lanka website. ==grebes== thumb|right|little grebe in non-breeding plumage  {| width=60% class="wikitable" !width=20% | name !width=20% | binomial !width=20% | status |- |little grebe |tachybaptus ruficollis |resident |- |} ==shearwaters and petrels== order: procellariiformes&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;family: procellariidae the procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary. there are 75 species worldwide of which twelve have occurred in sri lanka. thumb {| width=60% class="wikitable" !width=20% | common name !width=20% | binomial !width=20% | status |- |cape petrel |daption capense | |- |barau's petrel |pterodroma baraui | |- |bulwer's petrel |bulweria bulwerii | |- |jouanin's petrel |bulweria fallax | |- |streaked shearwater | calonectris leucomelas | |- |flesh-footed shearwater |puffinus cameipes | |- |wedge-tailed shearwater |puffinus pac
Birds_of_Asia Birds_of_Sri_Lanka Lists_of_biota_of_Sri_Lanka Lists_of_birds_by_country