Wednesday, 20 May 2026

Presenter: Avery Bartels

With 35 endemic bird species, including the stunning Sri Lanka Blue Magpie and enigmatic Serendib Scops-Owl which was only described to science in 2004, Sri Lanka is a paradise for birds. This small island nation is also among the best places in the world to see Leopards and Sloth Bears and the only place for the bizarre endemic Rhino-horned Lizard! Join me as on a virtual journey through the dry forests and pot-hole lakes of Wilpattu National Park, the highlands and alpine grasslands of Horton’s Plains and the humid tropical rainforest of the world-famous Sinharaja National Park.

Avery Bartels was born in Nelson, BC, though currently residing in Whitehorse Yukon. He got interested in birds at an early age on his parents 8 acres in the countryside in the wild Kootenays. In 2007, two months of travelling and birding Costa Rica ignited a passion for tropical avifauna that has not abated. Since then he has spent over 25 months in Central and South America, birding, conducting research and guiding tours. Since 2009 his focus has been the most biodiverse country in the world, Colombia, where he has spent 22 months, over the course of 10 trips. Much of that time has been spent guiding tours across the country, from the soaring Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Andean ranges to the lowlands of the Llanos (Plains) and White Sand forests of the far east. In 2014 Avery collaborated on the Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia by McMullan and Donegan. During his travels in Colombia he has recorded over 1450 species in this incredible country. Avery has led many tours to Colombia as well as Northern Peru, Sri Lanka, Borneo, and Guyana for Avocet Tours. When not in the tropics Avery works as a Biologist and Bird Bander in Canada with a strong preference for projects that contribute directly to conservation and science.