‘Devil Bird’ Shriek Haunted Locals for Years — Scientists May Have Found the Culprit

For more than a century, stories from Sri Lanka’s forests have described a terrifying night cry linked to the Ulama, better known as the “Devil Bird.” The sound was not treated as an ordinary birdcall, but as something human-like, tortured, and frightening enough to become part of local folklore.

The mystery became powerful because the bird was heard more often than it was clearly seen. Now, naturalists and researchers have narrowed the legend toward real birds of prey, with one owl standing out as the strongest suspect behind the scream.