It had been quite a while since my last trip to Sinharaja, as the heavy and unpredictable rains had kept me away longer than planned. During a brief break in the weather, I finally returned for some birdwatching with a friend and my regular guide, Thilak. Although we spotted a few bird flocks, photographing them was challenging due to low light and the birds’ positions high in the tree canopy.
While following one of the flocks, Thilak spotted a pair of Malabar trogon (Harpactes fasciatus). We followed them along the trail, though, surprisingly, both birds were female—usually, Trogons are found in male-female pairs. The male typically sports bright red plumage, while females display a softer, orange hue. One of the females paused just long enough on a bare tree branch, framed by leaves, giving me a perfect opportunity to capture this beautiful shot.