Wildlife with W15: EP 01

Sri Lanka scimitar babbler The Sri Lanka scimitar babbler or Ceylon scimitar babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus) is an endemic bird to the island. The bird is an Old World Babbler, which is a species characterised by soft fluffy plumage and is found primarily in tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

A long, bright yellow-orange downcurved bill, bold white eyebrow, deep chestnut upperparts, and clean white underparts are features on this babbler. It lives in forested areas, and nearby scrub in the lowlands and the mountains Typically encountered in pairs and often moves with mixed-species flocks.

Whistling Lizard A species of lizard belonging to the Agamidae family is the 'Whistling Lizard', often known as the Sri Lanka agama (Calotes liolepis). One of the four Calotes species that are native to Sri Lanka.

This creature is restricted to submontane forests below 100m and found in forested areas and plantations in the central hills of Sri Lanka, including Knuckles, Kotmale, Sinharaja, Talawakele, Hanguranketha, Kanneliya, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla, Peradeniya, Namunukula, and Gampola.

This lizard's long head and tail carry a series of spines on the nape and enlarged scales on the dorsum of the body. The forehead is pale brown, with pale inter-orbital bands. It feeds on insects and ants. Agamid lizards utter a high-pitched whistle when alarmed.

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