Close to the former capital of Yangon, a number of birding sites are easily reachable, such as Meinmahla Kyun Island in the Ayeyarwady Delta, an area of mangrove forest which features birds such as Lesser Adjutants, Black-headed Ibis, Mangrove Pittas, Mangrove Whistlers, Brahiminy Kites, Streak throated Woodpeckers and Black-capped Kingfishers among its many feathered charms. You are also likely to spot crocodiles, Irrawaddy Dolphins and fishing cats. The area is best visited between October and May.

North of Yangon, Hlawga Wildlife Park plays host to Pale-capped Pigeons, Racket-tailed Treepies, Asian Fairy Bluebirds, Streak-eared, Black-crested and Black-headed Bulbuls, White-crested and Lessser Necklaced Laughingthrushes, Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers and Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds, just some of its star attractions. The peak time for birdwatching is the period from October to May.

A little further north of Yangon, Moeyungi Wetland Bird Sanctuary, near Bago, is home to Asian Openbills, Painted Storks, Cotton Pygmy Geese, Sarus Cranes, Oriental Darters, Purple Swamphens, Cinnamon Bitterns, Asian Golden Weavers, Baer’s Pochards, Greater Spotted Eagles, Plaintive Cuckoos and many more, at their high point between November and April.

Inle Lake Wetland Wildlife Sactuary is a good area for finding species such as Jerdon’s Bushchats, Black-collared Starlings, Crimson Sunbirds, Collared, Jungle, Common and White-tailed Mynas, Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Sooty-headed Bulbuls, Ferruginous Pochards, Sarus Cranes, Black-winged Stilts, Clamorous Reed Warblers, Yellow-breasted Buntings, Chinese Pond, Indian Pond Herons, Great, Cattle and Little Eagrets.

The historic archaeological site at Bagan provides an unrivalled opportunity to stroll among the sublime ancient monuments and Ayeyarwady riverbanks in search of Hooded Treepies, White-throated Babblers, Jerdon’s Minivets, Burmese Bushlarks, Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, Burmese Shrikes, Rain Quails, White-tailed Stonechats, Indian Skimmers, Pied Kingfishers, Great Cormorants and Greater Spotted Eagles among other prized sights at this all year round location.  

Mount Popa, often visited by visitors staying at Bagan, is home to Mount Popa Mountain Park, an oasis of life in Myanmar’s dry zone, which provides all year sightings of Jerdon’s Minivets, Hooded Treepies, Blue-winged Pittas, Chestnut Buntings, Red-billed, Blue and Black-billed Magpies and Rosefinches among others.  

To the west of Bagan, Myanmar’s premier birding site is located in Natmataung National Park around Mount Victoria, where you can find White-browed Nuthatches, Chin Hills Wren Babblers, Assam, Striped and brown-capped Laughingthrushes, Black-throated Prinias, Mount Victoria Babax, Blyth’s Tragopans, Hume’s and Kalij Pheasants, Black-bibbed Tits, White-browed and Rusty-capped Fulvettas, Fire-tailed Sunbirds and Bar-tailed Treecreepers. The best time to visit this area is between October and mid-May.

North of the Bagan Area, Alaungdaw National Park is especially prized for its Woodpeckers such as Eurasian Wrynecks, Speckled and White-browed Piculets, Lesser and Greater Yellownapes, Himalayan, Greater and Common Flamebacks, in addition to White bellied, Great Slaty, Yellow-crowned, streak-throated, Bay, Rufous, Pale-headed, Grey-headed, Streak-breasted, and Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers. Among many other species, Great and Oriental Pied Hornbills, White-browed Fantails, Velvet-fronted Nuthatches, Red Headed Trogons, Hill Mynas, Blue-eared Barbets, Asian-barred Owlets, White-rumped Falcons, White-eyed Buzzards and Collared Falconets can be seen. December through to May provides the best spotting window.

Further north, beyond Mandalay, Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary is also a very good spot for woodpeckers, of which there are 14 species sharing the grasslands and forests together with Hooded Treepies, Jerdon’s Minivets, Burmese Bushlarks, White-throated Babblers, Orange-breasted and Yellow-footed Green Pigeons, Alexandrine, Red-breasted, Rose-ringed, Blossom-headed, and Grey-headed Parakeets, Long-tailed and Savanah Nightjars, Asian Paradise Flycatchers, White-tailed Robins, Brown Hawk Owls and White-eyed Buzzards.

Towards the far north of the country, Indawgyi Lake Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary hosts Sarus Cranes, Grey-headed Lapwings, Red-crested Pochards, Lesser Adjutants, Black-necked and Wooly-necked Storks, Blue-bearded Bee-eaters, White-rumped and Slender-billed Vultures and Brahminy Kites, best viewed between October and May.

Even further north, as Myanmar closes in a high-altitude Himalayan flourish, Mount Hponkan Razi Wildlife Sanctuary is a dramatic and rugged landscape to explore in search of Blyth’s and Temminck’s Tragopans, Sclater's Monal’s, Blyth’s Kingfishers, Isisbills, Spotted Nutcrackers, Silver-breasted Broadbills, Sotted Forktails, Chestnut-headed, Grey-bellied, and Slaty-bellied Tesias, Green and Black-eared Shrike Babblers, Red-billed and Coral-billed Scimitar Babblers, Chestnut-backed, Rufous-chinned, Black-faced, Rufous-vented and Rufous-necked Laughingthrushes, Golden Bush and White-crowned Robins among a feast of other birds.