• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
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

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1926	Sinharaja	Forest Reserve (-)	15
1988	Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area	National Heritage Wilderness Area (Ia)	48
1988	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA)	44
1988	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	56

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	-	Lowland evergreen rain forest (tropical)

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Morningside and Handapan Ella Plains (Sinharaja IBA) (Sri Lanka). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/morningside-and-handapan-ella-plains-(sinharaja-iba)-iba-sri-lanka on 24/12/2024.