The Labugama Kalatuwawa Forest Reserve lies a short distance from Colombo off Padukka, protecting two reservoirs that are the source of the capital Colombo’s water supply. The reserve covers the highest region in the Colombo district, and its forested slopes are dominated by vegetation typical of tropical rainforests. Labugama Kalatuwawa Forest Reserve offers one of the most convenient locations close to Colombo for bird watching with numerous endemic and rare species found in its environs. Endemic species that can be encountered here include the green-billed coucal, grey hornbill, Ceylon spurfowl, and Ceylon trogon, while rare species to look out for would be the Indian scimitar babbler, Indian three-toed kingfisher, brown-capped pygmy woodpecker, and the Tickell’s blue flycatcher.

Written by Jonathan Roelofsz for Travel Lanka Compass