Tephrodornis affinis
The Sri Lanka Woodshrike (Tephrodornis affinis) is a charming, medium-sized passerine endemic to the tropical island of Sri Lanka. Measuring approximately 14-16 cm (5.5-6.3 inches) in length, it exhibits a predominantly greyish-brown upper plumage, contrasting with pale whitish underparts. Its most distinctive field marks include a prominent black mask extending from the lore through the eye, neatly outlined by a bright white supercilium. The stout, hooked bill, characteristic of woodshrikes,...
This species primarily inhabits dry-zone and wet-zone lowland evergreen forests, secondary scrub, plantations, and well-wooded gardens, typically from sea level up to around 1500 meters.
The Sri Lanka Woodshrike is predominantly insectivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates such as caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and moths, typically gleaned from foliage and branches or caught in short aerial sallies.
The Sri Lanka Woodshrike is a diurnal species, often observed singly, in pairs, or in small family groups, but is particularly known for actively joining mixed-species foraging flocks. It primarily forages by gleaning insects from the foliage and branches of trees and shrubs, often performing sho...
The Sri Lanka Woodshrike is strictly endemic to Sri Lanka, found throughout the island's low country and extending into the lower and mid-elevation hills. Its distribution encompasses both the dry zone and the wet zone, thriving in a variety of forest types, including primary evergreen forests, s...
Least Concern
- This species is entirely endemic to the island of Sri Lanka, found nowhere else in the world. - Its family, Vangidae, was recently reclassified, linking it to the vangas of Madagascar, highlighting deep evolutionary connections. - Sri Lanka Woodshrikes are frequently encountered as active parti...