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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') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	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

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2004) may differ.

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1926	Sinharaja	Forest Reserve	15
1934	Sinharaja	Reserved Forest	30
1988	Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area	National Heritage Wilderness Area	48
1988	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	56
1988	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	44

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Lowland evergreen rain forest (tropical)	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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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 22/11/2024.