Sri Lanka Woodpigeon

I first thought I saw the Sri Lanka Woodpigeon (Columba torringtoniae) over a decade ago - when we first visited the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. I knew it was blue; I knew it was found in the hills, so when I spotted a bluish blur that was definitely a bird, far off in the distance, I was convinced it was the rare Woodpigeon.

As the years went by and I read more, it became more and more likely that what I’d seen that day might have been merely a far commoner Indian Roller.

Every visit to the highlands, I kept my eyes peeled for a glimpse of the Woodpigeon, but there were none to be seen.

Until, of course, the 15th of September 2019. The place was Belihuloya, where I was with a small group of friends from the university, on a casual trip. At 6 in the morning, I woke with the dawn chorus while most others slept off the previous night’s merrymaking, and left the cottage to explore the surrounding woods, hoping to snap some good photographs and see new birds.

About an hour passed, as I stalked along the wooded road to the cottage, mostly letting my ears guide me towards unfamiliar sounds, hoping they’d be something new.

As I approached the gate of the cottage on my way back, I suddenly spied movement in the woods, at mid level. It looked like a large bird. It looked like a pigeon!

I honestly thought it was a Green Imperial Pigeon at first. It was a very pleasant surprise indeed to finally glimpse its slaty blue back and checquerboard nape, confirming that it was, in fact a Sri Lanka Woodpigeon. It was double the joy to see that it was not alone, but had a partner lurking deeper in the foliage. 

Sri Lanka Woodpigeon (Columba torringtoniae) - Belihuloya, 2019

The Sri Lanka Woodpigeon is a rare and endangered forest bird, and finding it is made difficult because it sometimes migrates from the highlands to the lowlands and lower hills, where it forages in dense rainforests. Horton Plains and Sinharaja Rainforest are said to be good sites to find it - but a little bit of luck would certainly help.

- Sadini Upeka