Hanuman Plover, new bird species in Lanka

by Zanita Careem

A new bird species endemic to Sri Lanka and Islands in the Palk Strait named in Sinhala as Hanuman Oleviya and Hanuman Plover in English were identified by Dr. Sampath Seneratne of the Botanical Science of the Department of the Colombo University.

and under graduate research student Judge Janitha Niroshan.

“We noticed the bird is white in colour and it breeds in the wetlands of Sri Lanka ‘Dr. Sampath said the wetlands are important for migrant birds and breeding birds in Sri Lanka as well as the shorebirds. Taking into consideration the phylogany and the genomic region, using various other methods. the reseachers to conclude the subspecies is a separate new species. Why the new species has been named as the Hanuman Plover,?It is to signify the affinity of Hanuman into Rama’s Bridge and critical areas for shorebirds in Sri Lanka.

Dr. Sampath added the bird’s scientific name would most probably be called Charadrius Seebohmi.

The reseachers said this bird has been wrongly known as a subspecies of Kentish Plover, a migratory bird visiting Sri Lanka annually from the Northern hemisphere.

However Dr. pointed out that this bird is not a migratory but endemic to Sri Lanka.

Dr. Seneratne is an evolutionary biologist and he is a lecturer in Zoology and Environmental Science University of Colombo. He has won many rave reviews and accolades, both here and abroad.

Last week a group of journalists were invited by Dr. Sampat to Mannar

In Mannar we stayed at Palmyrah House, a hidden paradise nestled amidst an array of attractions. Mannar is very popular among bird watchers which is undeniably the best location is Sri Lanka to see the birds with its network of easily, accessible roads, flat open terrain and water lagoons.

of satellite tracking technology. A collaborative project of field ornithology, group of Sri Lanka of University of Colombo, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wetlands International, Dept. of Wildlife Conservation and Palmyrah House.

This technology helps us to capture the movements of the birds, their where abouts and other unique features.

The tracking devices have a built-in GPS module, sensors & wireless communication module and is capable of collecting Location-based data (GPS accuracy – 5m) Environmental data behaviour data said Dr. Sampath

The important species that were tagged so far include Common Redshank, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, the rare Crab Plover & Bar-tailed Godwit, the globally threatened Black-tailed Godwit & Caspian Tern.

The General Manager of the Palmyrah House ,Udaya was affable, and helpful to all the journalists and researchers. The hotel is a hidden paradise nestled amidst an array of attractions. Best food, warm hospitality greet the visitors there. The resident Ornithologist Gayomini Pannagoda gives bird guiding tours to experience one of the greater spectacles of migrant birds.

Pix by Vajira Sanjeewa