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The site was identified as important in 2004 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s)	Population estimate at site	IBA criteria met
Sri Lanka Spurfowl Galloperdix bicalcarata	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Sri Lanka Junglefowl Gallus lafayettii	LC	resident	2000	present	A2
Sri Lanka Woodpigeon Columba torringtoniae	VU	resident	2004	unknown	A1, A2, A3
Green-billed Coucal Centropus chlororhynchos	VU	resident	2004	unknown	A1, A2, A3
Red-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus	VU	resident	2004	unknown	A1, A2, A3
Chestnut-backed Owlet Glaucidium castanotum	NT	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill Ocyceros gingalensis	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Yellow-fronted Barbet Psilopogon flavifrons	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Sri Lanka Hanging-parrot Loriculus beryllinus	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Emerald-collared Parakeet Nicopsitta calthrapae	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Sri Lanka Blue Magpie Urocissa ornata	VU	resident	2004	unknown	A1, A2, A3
Sri Lanka Warbler Elaphrornis palliseri	NT	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Yellow-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus penicillatus	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Sri Lanka White-eye Zosterops ceylonensis	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Brown-capped Babbler Pellorneum fuscocapillus	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Ashy-fronted Babbler Argya cinereifrons	VU	resident	2004	unknown	A1, A2, A3
Orange-billed Babbler Argya rufescens	LC	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
White-faced Starling Sturnornis albofrontatus	VU	resident	2004	unknown	A1, A2, A3
Sri Lanka Hill Myna Gracula ptilogenys	NT	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Spot-winged Thrush Geokichla spiloptera	NT	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
Dull-blue Flycatcher Eumyias sordidus	NT	resident	2000	present	A2, A3
White-throated Flowerpecker Dicaeum vincens	NT	resident	2000	present	A2, A3

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2004).

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area	National Heritage Wilderness Area	11,428	protected area overlaps with site	9,580
Sinharaja Forest Reserve	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	8,864	protected area overlaps with site	8,864
Sinharaja Forest Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	8,864	protected area overlaps with site	11,187
Sinharaja	Reserved Forest	6,485	protected area contained by site	6,092
Sinharaja	Forest Reserve	3,068	protected area contained by site	3,068

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Lowland evergreen rain forest (tropical)	-

For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Morningside and Handapan Ella Plains (Sinharaja IBA). Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/morningside-and-handapan-ella-plains-(sinharaja-iba)-iba-sri-lanka on 05/12/2023.