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 edit
- Banshee, a similar omen in Irish mythology
- Devil's bird (disambiguation)
- Hakawai, a similar omen in Māori mythology
References edit
- ^ Tennent, James Emerson (1861). Sketches of the natural history of Ceylon with narratives and anecdotes. London: Longman, Green. pp. 247–248.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Devil Bird of Ceylon". Taranaki Herald. Vol. LIV, no. 13444. 11 April 1907. p. 2.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Nature". The Folk-Lore of Ceylon Birds. 36. Nature Research: 381–382. August 1887. ISSN 0028-0836.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Rameez, Ria (9 June 2016). "Seven Mythical Creatures That Supposedly Haunt Sri Lanka". Roar Media. Retrieved 3 August 2020.