Devil bird in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lankan folklore, the Devil Bird or Ulama is a creature said to emit bloodcurdling human-sounding shrieks in jungles at night.[1][2][3][4] It is believed that the cry of this bird is an omen that portends death.[5][6] Its precise identity is still a matter of debate although the spot-bellied eagle-owl matches the profile of Devil Bird to a large extent, according to a finding in 2001.[citation needed] Other possible identities include the forest eagle-owl (Bubo nipalensis), the crested honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus ruficollis), and various eagles.[7] As the bird is not usually seen and its cry only described in vague terms, Ulama records might also refer to the Ceylon highland nightjar (Caprimulgus indicus kelaarti).

See also

References

  1. ^ Tennent, James Emerson (1861). Sketches of the natural history of Ceylon with narratives and anecdotes. London: Longman, Green. pp. 247–248.
  2. ^ "Devil Bird of Ceylon". The Sunday Times. No. 1113. New South Wales, Australia. 19 May 1907. p. 3 (The Sunday Times Magazine Section). Retrieved 3 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Devil Bird of Ceylon". Taranaki Herald. Vol. LIV, no. 13444. 11 April 1907. p. 2.
  4. ^ Veerasingam, Philip G; Kappagoda, Tissa (2010). The cry of the "devil-bird" : incidents in the life of a surgeon, working in Ceylon/Sri Lanka, from 1965 to 2000 / Philip G. Veerasingam; edited by Tissa Kappagoda. Bay Owl Press. ISBN 9789551723132.
  5. ^ "Nature". The Folk-Lore of Ceylon Birds. 36. Nature Research: 381–382. August 1887. ISSN 0028-0836.
  6. ^ "Ceylon's Devil Bird". Geelong Advertiser. No. 18, 550. Victoria, Australia. 15 September 1906. p. 8. Retrieved 3 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Rameez, Ria (9 June 2016). "Seven Mythical Creatures That Supposedly Haunt Sri Lanka". Roar Media. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
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