Sri Lanka Whistling-Thrush

The Sri Lanka whistling-thrush is a small whistling thrush, 20 cm long, endemic to the highlands of Sri Lanka, where it lives in jungle or other dense forest near water. Adult males are dark blue with a darker head and back and bright blue patches on the shoulders, eyebrows and forehead. The female is brown above and chestnut below with a bright blue shoulder patch. It is omnivorous, eating insects, frogs, earthworms and berries (Wikipedia, species account).

It does not form flocks, and the male sings a simple whistling song from trees, usually in deep cover. It is notoriously hard to see, even when singing in the breeding season, which starts in February. Wikipedia suggests dawn at Horton Plains National Park or a site near Haggala Botanical Gardens as the best chances. It lays one or two eggs in a cup nest near water. Nationally Endangered (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).