Home   /   B2A reports   /   guiding   /   tours   /   articles   /   sounds   /   trip reports   /   locations   /   gallery   /   links   /   contact

Where2watch

birds in Asia

Stijn De Win

Asia birding info

 Siamese Fireback

photo by Stijn De Win

More info, less2read

 

Selective Thailand bird list.

 

This list contains some of the most sought after birds of the Oriental region. For each species, a

description of the best places to find them in Thailand follows.  Special attention went to those

birds reliably found in a special spot. (stake-out birds)  Some real nice Thai bird species are not

listed here.  The reason is that there is no point to mention them if there is either insufficient

information to go find the species in Thailand or the species might just be a lot easier to find in

some other Asian country. You’re welcome however to add any good species with a site to go look

for it in Thailand.

stijndewin@birding2asia.com

 

-Rufous-throated Partridge ;

Doi Inthanon summit bog + km34,5 jeep track.  Silent in winter but very vocal in spring

and this is when it becomes clear that they are actually fairly common. (tape can help)

-Bar-backed Partridge ;

Nam Nao is a reliable site, fairly easy and tape is usually not needed to see them.

-Ferruginous Partridge ; 

Kaeng Krachan kms 15-20 is the best (only?) spot, best looked for in bamboo areas.

-Silver Pheasant ;

Khao Yai and the km 37,5 jeep track on Doi Inthanon, also Nam Nao NP.

-Siamese Fireback ;

Reliable at Sakaerat Biosphere reserve. Possible but more difficult to get in Khao Yai and

Phu Khieo WS.

-Mrs Hume’s Pheasant ;

Den Ya Khat substation area on Doi Chiang Dao is best but also seen on Doi Ang Khan and

          recently on Doi Suthep too.

-Baer’s Pochard ;

Declined drastically in recent years and Chiang Saen lake seems to be the only site with

          regular sightings in recent years. A pair was present at Bung Bhorapet in February 2009.

-White-winged Duck ;

Always a difficult species to see but Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary is as reliable a place can

be.  Especially if staying overnight at MonLake in the reserve should produce a sighting.

-Black-headed Woodpecker ;  

The very best place is Mae Ping National Park, where it is common and hard to miss indeed.

The km 13 area at Doi Inthanon is still good but less reliable. Also Khao Look Chang.

-Orange-backed Woodpecker ;

Still occurs at Khao Nor Chuchi but not seen very regularly at this site.  Bala NP is

probably the better site, just unfortunately this is in the troubled South and not safe to visit

these days.

-Great Slaty Woodpecker ;

The lowland forest area near km 15 at Kaeng Krachan  is the best spot.

-White-bellied Woodpecker ;

Both Mae Ping and Nam Nao are reliable sites.

-Red-crowned Barbet ;

Khao Nor Chuchi but more common and easier to see in the PeninsularBotanical Garden

near Trang, also occurs at Bala NP, to make for just 3 sites where the species occurs in

Thailand.

-Great Hornbill ;

Khao Yai, Kaeng Krachan, Bala NP and always a pair over the campsite at Sri Phang-gna NP

at first light.

-Helmeted Hornbill ;

Sri Phang-gna, Khao Sok and Bala NP are equally good.

-Rhinoceros Hornbill ;

Easy at Bala NP but nowhere else in Thailand.

-Black Hornbill ;

Has been seen at Krung Ching WF in Khao Luang NP, at Sri Phang Nga NP and there’s still a

few in the SirinthornPeatswampForest (Phru To Daeng) in Narathiwat but it might be

better to head straight for Taman Negara NP (Malaysia).

-Rusty-cheeked Hornbill ;

Regular at Kaeng Krachan.

-Brown Hornbill ;  

Best site to see them is Phu Khieo Wildlife Sancturary, less reliable in Khao Yai NP.

-White-crowned Hornbill ;

Khlong Naka WS and Khao Sok NP are good sites for it.

-Rufous-necked Hornbill ; 

Mae Wong NP (chong yen) has very few birds and you will need lots of luck to see one,

although they seem to be more regular in the wet season.  Huai Kha Kaeng WS has

          more birds at the Khao Khieo ridge but does not usually welcome visitors.

-Wrinkled Hornbill ;

Possible in Bala NP where still breeding, better to head for Malaysia though.

-Plain-pouched Hornbill ;

Best to forget about the WesternForest complex or Kaeng Krachan straight away, your

only real chance would be at the Hala sector of Hala-Bala NP, if just info to visit would

exist…it’s not safe to go to the South these days anyway.  Reliable in northern Peninsular

Malaysia.

-Trogons ;

Orange-breasted and Red-headed are common enough.  Krung Ching seems to be ‘the’

place to see a few of the rarer ones. Otherwise, better to head straight for Taman Negara.

-Brown-winged Kingfisher ;

Hard to miss at both the Phang-nga and Krabi boardwalks. (No need to hire a boat.)

-Blue-banded Kingfisher ;

Reliable at Khlong Naka Wildlife Sanctuary.

-Ruddy Kingfisher ;

Phang-nga and Phuket mangroves.

-Rufous-collared Kingfisher ;

Stake-out at Khao Sok, also Khao Nor Chuchi, Bala NP and Kaeng Krachan.

-Black-backed Kingfisher ;

Kaeng Krachan is fairly reliable, especially in the wet season.

-Rufous-backed Kingfisher ;

Khao Nor Chuchi with C-trail the best spot.

-Short-toed Coucal ;

The nature trail in Bala NP is the only site for it in Thailand.

-Chestnut-winged Cuckoo ; 

Can turn up almost everywhere, CapeTalumphuk near Nakhon Si Thammarat is a

          good site to look for wintering birds.

-Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo ;

Khao Yai is still the only more or less reliable place for it in Thailand.

-Grey-headed Parakeet ;

Reliable and easy only at Mae Ping NP.

-Oriental Bay Owl ;

Fairly common throughout but can be hard to see.  The temple area near Mallee’s at Chiang

Dao is a good spot with a pair calling on most nights.

-White-fronted Scops Owl ;

Kaeng Krachan at the first river crossing going up from Ban Krang.

-Spot-bellied Eagle Owl ;

There’s a territory known near the Khao Soi Dao NP HQ but sightings are irregular. Best

place probably is at the temple-Mallee’s at Chiang Dao where you’ll almost surely hear them

when visiting in spring. (March)

-Barred Eagle Owl ;

Stake-out in the Peninsular Botanical Garden near Trang.

-Gould’s & Javan Frogmouths ;

Both at Sri Phang-gna NP and the Peninsular Botanical Garden near Trang.

-Hodgon's Frogmouth ;

         Doi Phu Kha NP, Doi Pui NP (Doi Suthep), Doi Chiang Dao, Doi Ang Khan

-Ashy Wood Pigeon ;

Reliable on Doi Inthanon where breeding. (Speckled is definitely more rare and possibly

only wintering)

-Pale-capped Pigeon ;

Guaranteed at Thung Kha mangroves near Chumphon, from November until February.

Few sightings at Ao Nang (Krabi).

-Pied Imperial Pigeon ;

Best is Surin Islands, also Similan, Phi Phi and a few sightings on Phuket.

-Nicobar Pigeon ;

          Still present at Island 4 on Similan, Surin is reliable too.

-Yellow-vented Green Pigeon ;

Only seen regularly at Kaeng Krachan, but hard to get it there too. Check Na Hin Forest, Laos.

-Yellow-footed Green Pigeon ;

          Mae Ping is a good site, very few sightings elsewhere.

-Masked Finfoot ;

Last seen in Krabi in April 2000, no records after that for the place.  It’s possibly under-

recorded in the extensive mangrove areas of southern Thailand, Phang-nga, Ranong…

Only two Thai record in recent years, one near Chiang Mai some years ago and 1 that turned

up at Khao Yai in the spring of 2010 stayed there for several weeks.

-Black-tailed Crake ;

Doi Inthanon NP campground marsh, Den Ya Khat substation pool on Doi Chiang Dao,

          the paddy area at approx km 30 up Doi Luang, by the second bridge and Luang Resort on 

          Doi Ang Khan. 

-Nordmann’s Greenshank ;

Fewer sightings at Krabi recently,  regular now at Phak Thale - Laem Pak Bia.

-Spoon-billed Sandpiper ;

Reliable at Phak Thale with up to 8 - 10 birds there each winter, more difficult at Khok

Kham with just 1 or 2 wintering.

-Beach Thick-knee ;

Still the one pair present on Ko Surin Tai.

-Malaysian Plover ;

Three beaches left where they breed in Thailand, two are in Khao Sam Roy Yot NP with a

few pairs at Laem Pak Bia.  A few sightings for the south each year, Thai Muang etc.

-Bat Hawk ;

Easy at the nesting site at Bala NP research station.

-Grey-headed Fish Eagle ;

Khao Sok only, where seen on the dam and sometimes soaring above the river from the

track at the HQ area.

-Lesser Fish Eagle ;

Khao Sok, Sri Phang-nga NP and Bala NP

-Wallace’s Hawk Eagle ;

Khao Sok, Sri Phang-gna and Khao Nor Chuchi

-White-rumped Falcon ;

Very rarely seen now at Doi Inthanon KM 13, but at least a few sightings recently.

          Possibly better to head for Mae Surin NP.

-Chinese Egret ;

Highest numbers on Phuket, also a few at Krabi and Laem Pakarang each winter, 3 or 4

birds each winter in the Laem Pak Bia area with usually 1 easy to find on the sandspit.

-Christmas Island Frigatebird ;

Phi-phiIslands.

-Eared Pitta ;

 Nam Nao and Khao Yai

-Rusty-naped Pitta ;

More common than one might think, just hard to see.  Thaksin Maharat NP is good to see it,

seen often also at Chiang Dao temple gully trail.  Very common at Kaeng Krachan Phanoem

Thung area but very hard to see there.  Equally hard to see on Doi Inthanon and Doi Ang

Khan.

-Giant Pitta ;

Trail C at Khao Nor Chuchi, first Sala area on nature trail in Bala NP, between second and

          third stream crossing at Kaeng Krachan NP.

-Blue Pitta ;

Khao Yai and Nam Nao, Kaeng Krachan too but more difficult to see there for no apparent

reason.

-Banded Pitta ;

Khao Sok is probably the best site with Khao Nor Chuchi ok too.

-Gurney’s Pitta ;

Still at start of U and B trails at Khao Nor Chuchi where numbers seem stable in recent years, but

threats still exist (writing as of 2008).  Very few sightings reported (1 of a female at start of B trail)

others than 'the' pair + male at N trail, quite worrisome to say the least. (2009)

Birds seem to be gone from U-trail but still present on B. (2011)

-Mangrove Pitta ;

Phang-nga and Krabi boardwalks in April – July.  Very hard to see in winter.

-Black-and-Red Broadbill ;

Phang-nga and Bala NP are good sites, as does Kaeng Krachan Ban Krang area.

-Malaysian Rail-babbler ;

Fairly common at Bala NP which might be the best spot for it in Thailand. Also Krung Ching.

-Black Magpie ;

2 or 3 pairs still at Khao Nor Chuchi, best to go for this one from April onwards.

-Ratchet-tailed Treepie ;

km 27-28 area at Kaeng Krachan is the only place it occurs in Thailand.

-Silver Oriole ;

Irregular sightings at Khao Yai and Kaeng Krachan.

-Purple Cochoa ;

km 37,5 track on Doi Inthanon, late Feb till late April only has regular sightings with

          the first 2 weeks of April probably best.

-Green Cochoa ;

Doi Inthanon, best is Feb.- June

-Mangrove Blue Flycatcher ;

Krabi and Yaring mangrove boardwalk near Pattani.

-Beautiful Nuthatch ;

Doi Dong Ya Wai at Doi Phu Kha NP where it has been recorded breeding some years ago.

-Red-tailed Laughingthrush ;

Doi Lang, hard to get though.

-Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler ;

Chong Yen in Mae Wong NP and Doi Chiang Dao Den Ya Khat area.

-Large Wren Babbler ;

Few at Khao Nor Chuchi, the only reliable site for it in Thailand.

-Limestone Wren Babbler ;

Wat Phra Phutthabat Noi near Saraburi, where reliable.

-White-chested Babbler ;

Phang-nga mangrove boardwalks.

-Fluffy-backed Tit Babbler ;

Sirindhorn Peatswamp forest in Narathiwat (Phru To Daeng), Krung Ching WF.

-Cutia ;

Doi Pha Hom Pok summit walk and Doi Lang are the only places with regular sightings.

-Burmese Yuhina ;

Pretty easy to get at Chong Yen in Mae Wong NP, the only spot in Thailand though.

-Grey-headed Parrotbill ;

Best on 34,5 and 37,5 jeep tracks on Doi Inthanon in April-May.  Year round sightings from

Den Ya Khat substation on Doi Chiang Dao.

-Spot-breasted Parrotbill ;

Doi Pha Hom Pok and Doi Ang Khan are the best sites.

-Short-tailed Parrotbill ;

Na Haeo NP

-Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker ;

Bala NP only

-Copper-throated Sunbird ;

Phang-nga mangroves, but hard to get.

-Asian Golden Weaver ;

Bung Boraphet and surprisingly common in the whole Thai Gulf-Central Plains area, but this

you’ll probably only notice in the breeding season, April and beyond.

-Streaked Weaver ;

          Few colonies near Petchaburi – Laem Pak Bia

-Pin-tailed Parrotfinch ;

Common in Kaeng Krachan in some years and in Na Haeo NP in most years.  Hard to find

anywhere else.

-Spot-winged Grosbeak ;

Doi Pha Hom Pok NP, Doi Ang Khan and Doi Lang

 

Hope this will help you choosing target species and places to visit on your next trip to Thailand.

Please consider taking a tour or guided trip which is set to make your stay even more remarkable.

Anyway, enjoy the birding on your holiday in Thailand!

Copyright © Birding2asia.com All rights reserved.