Sri Lanka Blue Magpie

One of my 10 most wanted in Sri Lanka - I saw a few at Sinharaja NP

comments (11)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Unbelievable how many travel locations we share! Posted 8 years ago
1. Barry
  
  Lion
  
  Not really all that surprising when you consider that they include so many of the premier wilderness/nature regions of the world :-) Posted 8 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    That's true. We once met another guest during our travel who asked where we've been before. After finishing the list she said "ah, you did the round". That about says it all. Posted 8 years ago
  2. 1. Barry
      
      Lion
      
      Yes, but it saddens me when I realize that we are losing so much of it so quickly and that my son probably won't be able to enjoy wilderness the way I do. I have read that we (people like you and me) live in a "Golden Age" of nature tourism where we can travel almost anywhere in the world and see amazing nature without having to mount a major expedition as it was only about 30-40 years ago and before much of it vanishes. All the more reason to enjoy it while we can! Posted 8 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        That is the sad reality, and indeed at the same time, we're one of the first generations being able to do this like you say. The difference became painfully clear when I was at a family party with a very senior man, almost 90 years old. I was telling the rest of the family about our many travels. He interrupted and said "when I was your age, all I knew was the size of my coat". Posted 8 years ago
      2. Barry
        
        Lion
        
        Yes, my father once told me that his dream when he was young was to visit Europe (he grew up in the US). My dream was to visit Africa - little dreaming I would not only do that but see Komodo dragons, swim with pink dolphins in the Amazon, and all of the countless other incredible nature adventures I have been privileged to have. It has been a great life - and hopefully I still have a lot more ahead: Posted 8 years ago
        
        Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Cheers to that! Posted 8 years ago
        
        Barry
        
        Lion
        
        So Ferdy, any places on your list that you haven't yet visited? We would still like to go to: Western Cape, South Africa; Western Australia (we only did the East Coast on our visit last time); Patagonia; and possibly the Russian Far East. There are some others, but those are the main ones - how about you? Posted 8 years ago
        
        Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Oh yes, we're only getting started :)
        We'd like to visit Colombia a few more times, it's that awesome. And there's the Galapagos, Papua New Guinea, Botswana. And the near-impossible one Central Africa/Congo, which has safety issues. Posted 8 years ago
        
        Barry
        
        Lion
        
        Ha ha - good for you! So, I found your list verrry interesting (maybe we should start a forum thread on this topic). I was surprised that you haven't been to the Galapagos. You won't need me to encourage you to go, but it is definitely worth it and is a nature photographers dream (in case you are wondering, yes, I was there but it was after a mountaineering trip to Ecuador and my camera malfunctioned - so no photos). Many of the animals there still don't recognize humans as dangerous and you can approach almost ridiculously close. Yes, Papua New Guinea is supposedly fantastic (and who doesn't want to see a bird-of-paradise) but is not very developed for tourism and is consequently very expensive. Everybody raves about Botswana, but after East/South Africa and Namibia - it has moved down our list a bit. Colombia is intriguing. I had always kind of written it off as the land of cocaine wars and gangsters, but everyone I know who has been there loved it - sounds like you feel the same. What was so awesome about it? And finally, yes, we can visit much of the world but there are still a few places with safety issues. for example, I always wanted to go to Angola. I agree that the Congo is not a good idea at the moment, but have you ever considered Gabon? It has the typical central African rainforest as congo but with a much better tourist infrastructure and is relatively stable by African standards. I haven't been there . . . yet, but have started looking into it. Posted 8 years ago
        
        Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        I started a forum thread so that we can continue the conversation :)
        https://www.jungledragon.com/forum/2/campfire/754/your_next_wildlife_destination.html Posted 8 years ago

The Sri Lanka blue magpie

The Sri Lanka blue magpie or Ceylon magpie is a member of the crow family living in the hill forests of Sri Lanka, where it is endemic.

This is a species of a dense wet evergreen temperate rain forest. It is declining due to loss of this habitat. Sri Lanka Blue Magpie is usually found in small groups of up to six or seven birds. It is largely carnivorous, eating small frogs, lizards, insects and other invertebrates, but will eat fruit.

Info 14 0

Similar species: Perching Birds

Species identified by Barry