Thailand is a colourful place, both culturally and scenically, and its birdlife is no exception.
In northern Thailand, Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest mountain, is home to a wide diversity of birdlife, including Chestnut-tailed Minlas, Ashy-throated Leaf-Warbler, Green-tailed Sunbirds, Ultramarine Flycatchers, Red-headed Trogons, Long-tailed Broadbills, Brown-throated Treecreepers, and Purple Cochoas among its attractions.
Another northern mountain location, Doi Ankhang, although largely deforested, still remains a fine spot for bird watching, with Red-faced Liocichias, Spot-breasted parrotbills, Red-tailed Laughingthrushes, Fire-capped Tits and Silver-eared Mesias all to be found in this area.
Also in the north, other sites include Doi Chang Dao National Park, where you may find Pin-tailed Pigeons, Giant Nuthatches, Streaked Wren-Babblers, Mrs. Hume’s Phesants and Collared Scops-Owls, while at Doi Luang, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babblers, Chesnut-headed Tesias, Spectacled Barwings and Golden Bush Robins are the stars.
For water birds, the nearby Chiang Saen Lake and the Mekong Riverbank are good places to find Baer’s Pochards, Long-billed Plovers, Small Pratincoles, Grass Owls, Pied Harriers, Jerdonn’s Bushchats, River Lapwings and Chesnut-eared Buntings among others.
In central Thailand, Khao Yai National Park is the place to see Blue Pittas, Banded Kingfishers, Siamese Firebacks, Limestone Wren-Babblers, Hainan Blue Flycatchers, Puff-throated Bulbuls, and Coral-billed Ground Cuckoos hanging out in the forest with its Giant Hornbills.
Situated at the top of the Malay Peninsula, southwest of Bangkok, Kaeng Krachan National Park is a beautiful rainforest area and Thailand’s top birding site, where you can find Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers, Wreathed and Great Hornbills, Ratchet-tailed Treepies, Giant Pittas, Green Magpies, Fairy Bluebirds, Black-naped Orioles, Blue-winged Leafbirds, Velvet-fronted Nuthatches, Streak Spiderhunters, Silver Pheasants, Collared Babblers, and Crested Serptent Eagles, among the splendid vegetation and animals, such as Dusky, Silver-breasted and White-handed Langurs, Giant Black Squirrels, and even the rarely seen Tiger!
In the south of Thailand, the Krabi Mangrove Forest will likely provide sightings of Brown-winged and Ruddy Kingfishers and Mangrove Pittas, while a little way inland, Khao Pra Bang Khram Wildlife Sactuary features Guerney’s and Banded Pittas, Bushy-crested Hornbills, Scarlet-rumped Trogons, Red-crowned Barbets, Fulvous-cheasted Jungle Flycatchers, Forest Wagtails, Great Ioras and Thick-billed Spiderhunters.