Blocks I and II closed 14 September – 15 October 2026 (DWC drought closure). Blocks IV and V are open and unaffected. Full details →

Field notes

Birdwatching in Yala: Every Species We've Tracked

Yala has over 215 recorded bird species and 7 Sri Lankan endemics. Here's every one we've written a real field note on, from the lagoons to the national bird nobody notices.

From the black-necked stork, Sri Lanka's rarest resident waterbird, to the junglefowl everyone photographs by accident: here's every bird species we've covered in depth so far. Looking for mammals and reptiles instead? See our wildlife guide.