Which raptors can be spotted in Udawalawe?

Udawalawe feels like a raptor paradise, frequently welcoming the Crested Serpent Eagle, the Changeable Hawk-Eagle, the White-bellied Sea Eagle, and also the Grey-headed Fish Eagle.

The whole landscape seems engineered for birds of prey; the tall, dead trees scattered across the savanna give excellent unobstructed sightlines for hunting. Meanwhile, the inland reservoir keeps the big Sea and Fish Eagles coming back, and the dry scrubland works for the ground-based hunters. It is quite common for visitors to see a Hawk-Eagle plunge down to grab a lizard or a small snake right in front of their jeep, sometimes even at a speed that feels sudden.