Which bird is the symbol of Udawalawe National Park?

Although Udawalawe does not have an official gazetted “symbol bird,” the park is culturally and ecologically tied to the Changeable Hawk-Eagle and the Crested Serpent Eagle.

Because the area is open and airy, it becomes a rare shelter for raptors, really without equal. You will notice the Crested Serpent Eagle especially often; it perches in a very poised way on dead tree stumps, then it just keeps watching over the grass for lizards and other reptiles. In the view of many long-time guides and wildlife photographers, the great outline of a bird of prey against the dry-zone sky is the most complete feathered image of Udawalawe.