Stratification: Wet zone Marsh Wetland

Size: Not evaluated

Status: Not protected

Altitude: 0-20m

Temperature: Average of 28 c

Annual Rainfall: 2000-2500mm

Best time of year to visit: All year round – November to April is very good for migrant waders

Optimum duration of stay: Half a day visit

Accommodation Options: Villa Talangama & any Colombo hotel

Highlights: Excellent for photography of Butterflies, Dragonflies and Wetland birds

The Talangama wetland comprises mostly of urban vegetation including a few remaining mangrove species & aquatic plants.

The birding highlights include many species of water birds such as the resident Purple Swaphen, Common Moorhen, Pheasant- tailed Jacanas, Little Grebe, Little Cormorant, Cattle, Little, Median & Large Egrets, Oriental Darter, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Red-wattled Lapwing, Indian Pond Heron, Black-crowned Night-Herons, Little Heron, migrant Back Bitten & Yellow Bitten. Also Asian Open-bills, the occasional Painted Stork, plenty of Black-headed Ibis, and during the migrant season - the elusive Glossy Ibis has also been seen here. Lesser Whistling Teal, Cotton Pigmy-goose and a few varieties of Raptors have been recorded. This wetland is also home to 4 species of Kingfishers namely the Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher and the largest Kingfisher in Sri Lanka; the Stork-billed Kingfisher.

During the migrant season this wetland is used as a ‘stop over’ by the migrating birds on their journey to the south coast. There are many waders and other migrants seen here during that time. Migrants seen here include, Common Sandpiper, Kentish Plover, Lesser-sand Plover, Golden Plover, Mash Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Wood sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Black-wing Stilt & Little Stint.

Many species of forest birds also can be seen in Talangama with Green Imperial Pigeon, Emerald Dove, Spotted Dove, Greater Coucal, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Asian Koel, Indian Scops Owl, Brown Hawk -owl, Little Green Bee-eater, Ceylon Small Barbet, Indian Pigmy Woodpecker, Lesser Yellownaped, Black-rumped Flamback, the migrant Indian Pitta & Barn Swallow, Forest Wagtails & Yellow Wagtails can also be seen in Talangama.

Birdwatching is best during the morning and evening and during the afternoon one can enjoy the warm sun with the abundant Dragonflies and Butterflies of Talangama. This is one of the best places to photograph these wonderful creatures as you can get very close to them as they are used to close human contact.

The endangered and endemic Purple-faced Leaf Money is found in good numbers in this urban habitat. It is one of the last places for these animals in this area as their habitat is fast diminishing. Other mammals found here include Indian Porcupine, Brown Mongoose, Citvit cats and if your lucky a fishing cat.

Villa Talangama: Set on a quiet lakeside where sights and sounds of nature reign supreme, it's hard to imagine that Villa Talangama is located within a suburb of Colombo. The villa setting is best described as a `village in the city' surrounded by paddy fields, lotus filled lakes and birds everywhere; perched on the veranda, on trees, and even on the buffalo that relax on the lakeside. (More)

Come to Battaramulla in the suburbs of Colombo and get to Wewa para (Lake Road) via Akuregoda road or Sri Wickramasinghapura road, both are off the Battamualla – Pannipitiya road.