Birdwatching in Thailand

Thailand is well-known for its beautiful beaches, delicious food, interesting culture, friendly people, warm weather and value for money, but did you know that it is one of the premier birdwatching hotspots of the world? With over 1000 species recorded, many of which are huge in size and are adorned with bright colours, Thailand is a fabulous place for birdwatchers, both for beginners and serious ornithologists alike.

Like many areas in the tropics Thailand has suffered much deforestation but there are still a large number of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and non-hunting areas which protect habitats as diverse as offshore islands, rainforest and wetlands.

Such an abundance of bird species is a result of Thailand's geographical location. Situated at the junction of 3 bio-geographical regions Thailand is home to Indochinese species, Sundaic species and Himalayan species and in different parts of the country very different sets of birds can be seen.

Three of Thailand's most sought-after species are pictured on the right; (from top) Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Siamese Fireback Pheasant, Gurney's Pitta,.

You can read about some of my favourite birds of Thailand here - My Favourite Birds of Thailand.

Northern Thailand is a region that many birders head to not only for the birds but for cooler weather in the mountains and for the fantastic scenery. The high standard of accommodation in the region make it a very pleasant place for a birdwatching holiday.

A number of places are excellent birdwatching locations in the north. Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand and wonderful birds such as Green-tailed Sunbird and Dark-sided Thrush can be seen amongst the mossy forest on the summit. Doi Chiang Dao is a spectacular location with a beautiful forest temple and is the stakeout for Giant Nuthatch and Mrs Hume's Pheasant. Doi Ang Kang is another mountain location with excellent food and accommodation, nestled right alongside the border with Myanmar. Red-faced Liocichla and Crested Finchbill are specialities here and many other colourful birds are easily found.

Chiang Saen is an excellent wetland site giving some variety from the forested mountains. This is the only site where large numbers of wintering ducks can be found in Thailand and the only breeding site known in Thailand for Grass Owl. The ambitious Yonok Wetlands Project is located here and is worth supporting for its conservation work.

Central Thailand is where most birdwatchers will start their journey around the country when they arrive in Bangkok. A number of excellent sites give birdwatchers access to the Inner Gulf of Thailand. Khok Kham and Laem Pak Bia have become famous for the small wintering populations of the endangered Spoon-billed sandpiper and Nordmann's Greenshank that occur at these locations. However, they both play host to much more of ornitholoigcal interest than these two species with large numbers of shorebirds at both locations including species such as Lesser Sand Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Asian Dowitcher and Red-necked Stint.

In Bangkok itself Lumphini Park, Suan Rot Fai and Suan Luang offer birdwatchers a chance to get to grips with common species and the wetalands at Muang Boran give an opportunity fo see many freshwater wetland bird specialists such as Striated Grassbird and Pheasant-tailed Jacana.

Southern Thailand means hot and humid climatic conditions as well as beautiful beaches, but it also means a chance to see some of the most colourful and scarce species in the country. Khao Nor Chu Chi is probably the most famous location in the south as it was until recently the last refuge of Gurney's Pitta. Nearby Krabi has some of the most accessible mangroves in the world and boat trips can be organised to look for Mangrove Pitta, Ruddy Kingfisher and Brown-winged Kingfisher.

For those who are little more adventurous it is worth taking the trip to the Malaysian border to visit Hala-Bala where hornbills are abundant. A few days here can produce Great, Rhinoceros, Helmeted, Bushy-crested, White-crowned, Wrinkled, Wreathed and Plain-pouched Hornbills.

Many people head to Khao Sok where plenty of tourist lodges cater for all tastes with elephant trekking, rafting and kayaking are all options and it is one of the best places to find Banded Pitta and Great Argus.

Of course, no trip to southern Thailand would be complete without a visit to at least one of the islands. For birdwatchers Ko Phi Phi, Ko Surin and Ko Similan offer the chance to see Pied Imperial Pigeon, Nicobar Pigeon and Christmas Island Frigatebird. Other travelers to these islands will most certainly not be disappointed with the scenery either.

No article about birdwatching would be complete without mentioning Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai. These 2 national parks are both frequnetly visited by birdwatchers and a huge number of amazing species can be found in them.

Kaeng Krachan in the west is a good place to camp although facilities are little spartan. The chance to see species such as Grey Peacock Pheasant, Orange-breasted Trogon, Blue Pitta, Banded Broadbill and Tickell's Brown Hornbill make up for the conditions though.

Khao Yai in the north east has excellent camping facilities and lots of trails to walk on. Birds include Eared Pitta, Great Hornbill and Siamese Fireback Pheasant. This national park is easy to get to from Bangkok by public transport and a good place for walks in the forest. Tigers, elephants and gibbons occur here too.