Ceylon Magpie
Ceylon MagpieCeylon MagpieCeylon MagpieCeylon Magpie

Ceylon Magpie

Urocissa ornata

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
50–60% · Likely
overall probability at Sinharaja Forest Reserve
853 Verified records at Sinharaja Forest Reserve
September Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The Sri Lanka blue magpie or Ceylon magpie (Urocissa ornata) is a brightly coloured member of the family Corvidae, found exclusively in Sri Lanka. This species is adapted to hunting in the dense canopy, where it is highly active and nimble. Its flight is rather weak, though, and is rarely used to cover great distances. In spite of its ability to adapt to the presence of humans, it is classified as vulnerable to extinction due to the fragmentation and destruction of its habitat of dense primary forest in the wet zone of southern Sri Lanka. Wikipedia →

50–60% of wildlife watchers report a Ceylon Magpie sighting in Sinharaja Forest Reserve, based on 853 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Large-billed Crow
LC

Large-billed Crow

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Corvus macrorhynchos

5–10% · With luck
House Crow
LC

House Crow

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Corvus splendens

<5% · Rare
Square-tailed Bulbul
LC Endemic

Square-tailed Bulbul

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Hypsipetes ganeesa

70–80% · Very likely
Orange-billed Babbler

Orange-billed Babbler

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Turdoides rufescens

60–70% · Likely
Sri Lanka Drongo
LC

Sri Lanka Drongo

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Dicrurus lophorinus

60–70% · Likely
White-bellied Drongo
LC Endemic

White-bellied Drongo

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Dicrurus caerulescens

60–70% · Likely
Orange Minivet
LC

Orange Minivet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pericrocotus flammeus

60–70% · Likely
Black-capped Bulbul

Black-capped Bulbul

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pycnonotus melanicterus

50–60% · Likely
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
LC Endemic

Pale-billed Flowerpecker

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Dicaeum erythrorhynchos

50–60% · Likely
Ceylon Myna
NT

Ceylon Myna

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Gracula ptilogenys

50–60% · Likely
Purple-rumped Sunbird
LC

Purple-rumped Sunbird

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Leptocoma zeylonica

50–60% · Likely
Spot-winged Thrush
NT

Spot-winged Thrush

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Geokichla spiloptera

50–60% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

60–70
Jan
50–60
Feb
50–60
Mar
50–60
Apr
50–60
May
40–50
Jun
50–60
Jul
50–60
Aug
70–80
Sep
50–60
Oct
60–70
Nov
60–70
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
50–60%
2 Horton Plains National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Ceylon Magpie in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?

About 59% of wildlife watchers report a Ceylon Magpie sighting in Sinharaja Forest Reserve, based on 853 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Ceylon Magpie in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?

September has the highest sighting rate for Ceylon Magpie in Sinharaja Forest Reserve in our monthly data.

← Back to Sinharaja Forest Reserve