Horton Plains National Park

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

🐦 Pied Bushchats on Misty Grassland

🌍 #236 Global · 3.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #21 in Asia #104 in Tropical Forest

Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka 631 spp. recorded

Horton Plains National Park sits on a mist‑shrouded plateau in central Sri Lanka, a tropical rainforest that blends cloud‑covered forest with high‑altitude grassland. The park’s network of narrow tracks weaves through moss‑laden trees, bamboo thickets and open scrub, offering a glimpse of the island’s upland ecosystem.

6.802° N 80.798° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Sri Lanka White-eye

Zosterops ceylonensis

90–100% · Very likely

Black-cheek lizard

Calotes nigrilabris

80–90% · Very likely

Sri Lanka Junglefowl

Gallus lafayettii

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Pied Bushchat

Saxicola caprata

90–100% · Very likely

Yellow-eared Bulbul

Pycnonotus penicillatus

80–90% · Very likely

Hill Swallow

Hirundo domicola

80–90% · Very likely

Dull-blue Flycatcher

Eumyias sordidus

70–80% · Very likely

Large-billed Crow

Corvus macrorhynchos

70–80% · Very likely

Cinereous Tit

Parus cinereus

70–80% · Likely

Oriental Pipit

Anthus rufulus

60–70% · Likely

Indian Blackbird

Turdus simillimus

60–70% · Likely

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

60–70% · Likely

Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler

Elaphrornis palliseri

60–70% · Likely

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

50–60% · Likely

Common Tailorbird

Orthotomus sutorius

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Indian Brown Mongoose

Herpestes fuscus

40–50% · Likely

Stripe-necked Mongoose

Herpestes vitticollis

30–40% · Possible

Indian Palm Squirrel

Funambulus palmarum

30–40% · Possible

Sambar

Rusa unicolor

30–40% · Possible

Nilgiri Palm Squirrel

Funambulus sublineatus

Insufficient data

Toque Macaque

Macaca sinica

Insufficient data

Purple-faced Lutung

Semnopithecus vetulus

Insufficient data

Indian Bush-rat

Golunda ellioti

Insufficient data

Rufous Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus rouxii

Insufficient data

Small Indian Civet

Viverricula indica

Insufficient data

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Sri Lanka White-eye

Zosterops ceylonensis

90–100% · Very likely

Sri Lanka Junglefowl

Gallus lafayettii

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Pied Bushchat

Saxicola caprata

90–100% · Very likely

Yellow-eared Bulbul

Pycnonotus penicillatus

80–90% · Very likely

Hill Swallow

Hirundo domicola

80–90% · Very likely

Dull-blue Flycatcher

Eumyias sordidus

70–80% · Very likely

Large-billed Crow

Corvus macrorhynchos

70–80% · Very likely

Cinereous Tit

Parus cinereus

70–80% · Likely

Oriental Pipit

Anthus rufulus

60–70% · Likely

Indian Blackbird

Turdus simillimus

60–70% · Likely

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

60–70% · Likely

Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler

Elaphrornis palliseri

60–70% · Likely

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

50–60% · Likely

Common Tailorbird

Orthotomus sutorius

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Black-cheek lizard

Calotes nigrilabris

80–90% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Green Forest Lizard

Calotes calotes

Insufficient data

Mountain Horned Agama

Ceratophora stoddartii

30–40% · Possible

Common Rough-sided Snake

Aspidura trachyprocta

Insufficient data

Oriental Garden Lizard

Calotes versicolor

Insufficient data

Ceylon Deaf Agama

Cophotis ceylanica

Insufficient data

Spotted House Gecko

Hemidactylus parvimaculatus

Insufficient data

Gloyd's Hump-nosed Viper

Hypnale nepa

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Jerdon's Bullfrog

Hoplobatrachus crassus

30–40% · Possible

Dull-green Shrub Frog

Pseudophilautus viridis

Insufficient data

Common Indian Cricket Frog

Minervarya agricola

Insufficient data

Common Indian Toad

Duttaphrynus melanostictus

Insufficient data

Günther's Golden-backed Frog

Indosylvirana temporalis

Insufficient data

Ferguson's Tree Frog

Pseudophilautus fergusonianus

Insufficient data

Saddled Tree frog

Taruga eques

Insufficient data

Round-snout pygmy frog

Pseudophilautus femoralis

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐦

World's End Sunrise Gathering

JanFebMarOctNovDec

Thousands gather at dawn to witness the sunrise over the sheer 884m drop of World's End, where the misty horizon reveals the valley below.

Sri Lanka White-eye

Zosterops ceylonensis

90–100% · Very likely

🦌

Sambar Rutting Season

MarAprJulNovDec

Male sambar deer engage in loud, resonant roaring contests during the breeding season, echoing across the grasslands at dusk and dawn.

Sambar

Rusa unicolor

30–40% · Possible

🐦

Migratory Raptor Passage

JanFebOctNov

Hundreds of raptors, including Oriental Honey-buzzards and Black-winged Kites, migrate through the park, soaring on thermal updrafts along the ridge lines.

Oriental Honey-buzzard

Pernis ptilorhynchus

20–30% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

Sri Lanka White-eye

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

Black-cheek lizard

80–90

80–90

70–80

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

Sri Lanka Junglefowl

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

40–50

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

70–80

80–90

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

80–90

Yellow-eared Bulbul

80–90

90–100

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

90–100

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

Dull-blue Flycatcher

80–90

70–80

90–100

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

80–90

60–70

70–80

80–90

60–70

Large-billed Crow

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

Indian Blackbird

50–60

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

Zitting Cisticola

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

40–50

60–70

50–60

Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

30–40

30–40

20–30

20–30

10–20

40–50

70–80

60–70

60–70

Common Tailorbird

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

40–50

70–80

40–50

Animal Events

🐦 World's End Sunrise Gathering

🦌 Sambar Rutting Season

🐦 Migratory Raptor Passage

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🐦 Pied Bushchats on Misty Grassland

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

3.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

377

🐒 Mammals

99

🦎 Reptiles

110

🐸 Amphibians

45

631 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

98 Threatened 3 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

77%

📊

Coverage (85 species at ≥5% of 631 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

13%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 reptile)

46% Global avg

20%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

134 Global avg

65

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

7

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

25

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Horton Plains National Park?

The most likely sightings are Sri Lanka White-eye (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), Pied Bushchat (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), Yellow-eared Bulbul (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Black-cheek lizard (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Hill Swallow (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers) — among 631 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Horton Plains National Park for wildlife?

February has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Sri Lanka White-eye in Horton Plains National Park?

Yes — about 93% of wildlife watchers report a Sri Lanka White-eye sighting in Horton Plains National Park, based on 412 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Black-cheek lizard in Horton Plains National Park?

Yes — about 85% of wildlife watchers report a Black-cheek lizard sighting in Horton Plains National Park, based on 56 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Sri Lanka Junglefowl in Horton Plains National Park?

Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Sri Lanka Junglefowl sighting in Horton Plains National Park, based on 266 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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