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In
In Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
n folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
, the Devil Bird or ''Ulama'' is a creature said to emit bloodcurdling human-sounding shrieks in jungles at night. It is believed that the cry of this bird is an omen
An omen (also called ''portent'') is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. It was commonly believed in ancient times, and still believed by some today, that omens bring divine messages fr ...
that portends death. Its precise identity is still a matter of debate although the spot-bellied eagle-owl
The spot-bellied eagle-owl (''Bubo nipalensis''), also known as the forest eagle-owl is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance. It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This species is con ...
matches the profile of Devil Bird to a large extent, according to a finding in 2001. Other possible identities include the forest eagle-owl (''Bubo nipalensis''), the crested honey-buzzard (''Pernis ptilorhynchus ruficollis''), and various eagles. 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
*Banshee
A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name is c ...
, a similar omen in Irish mythology
Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by C ...
* Hakawai, a similar omen in Māori mythology
Māori mythology and Māori traditions are two major categories into which the remote oral history of New Zealand's Māori may be divided. Māori myths concern fantastic tales relating to the origins of what was the observable world for the pr ...
References
{{reflist Legendary birds Sri Lankan legendary creatures