How to Identify a Bird

Birds in Colombo Wetlands

The Colombo Wetlands have a relatively high avifaunal diversity for both resident and migratory birds. The terrestrial, Aquatic and Canal associated marshland habitats provide variety of food sources as well as nesting and roosting sites these birds.

Spot Billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)

This species has declined at a moderately rapid rate owing to a number of threats. For this reason the species is classified as Near Threatened. (Global Conservation Status). It lives in lowland freshwater, brackish, and marine wetland areas of Southeast Asia, mainly near open water. Spot-billed pelicans hunt for food in both freshwater and marine environments, sometimes diving slightly below the surface but never to any great depth. During the breeding season these pelicans require large trees for nesting with a preference for bare or dead trees. Spot-billed pelicans breed once per year during an autumn breeding season. They lay 3 eggs at intervals of 36-48 hours. The eggs are then incubated for an average of 30 days.