The Amazing Birds of Thailand
I have been birdwatching in Britain since I was just 7 years old, but in comparison, birdwatching in Thailand can be a most amazing experience due to the huge variety of species. Biodiversity is very high in tropical Asia and this is reflected by almost 1000 bird species having been seen in Thailand with new species being discovered every year.
Having been birdwatching in Thailand since 1996 I have been treated to some amazing sightings of some incredibly beautiful and sometimes strange birds. This lens highlights some of my favourite species of birds in Thailand.
If you are looking for places to watch birds when in Thailand please take a look at another one of my lenses; Where to Watch Birds in Thailand.
Birds of Thailand Fieldguide
Birds of Thailand (Princeton Field Guides)
Amazon Price: $25.55 (as of 12/04/2009)
Anyone considering birdwatching in Thailand is going to require a field guide in order to identify what they see. Whilst it is not perfect and there have been a number of additions since publication, Craig Robson's Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand is probably the best single book for visitors to use.
The most up-to-date checklist of the birds of Thailand as compiled by the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand can be downloaded here: Birds of Thailand.
My Favourite Bird in Thailand: River Chat
River Chat is by no means the rarest or hardest to find of bird species in Thailand, but it is one of the most striking. Its colours are so contrasting that it looks like it has been designed by a small child.
I have often seen River Chat at the base of Vatcharitan Waterfall in Doi Inthanon National Park or in the small waterfall in the grounds of Ban Luang Resort at Doi Ang Kang. These falls are a rather beautiful setting with their mists swirling around frond-like ferns, and to see a bird as stunning as River Chat in this setting is always a satisfying experience.
My Second Favourite Bird Of Thailand: Silver-eared Mesia
Well, who wouldn't love Silver-eared Mesia? Just look at it, what amazing colours. If one were to sit down and try and design the most beautiful bird possible, it would surely look something like this.I have most often run into this species at Doi Ang Kang and it seems that it nearly always perches amongst dark green foliage, as if to highlight its brightly coloured plumage. What a bird!
More photos of Silver-eared Mesia can be found here: Silver-eared Mesia.
Another of My Favourite Birds of Thailand: Pied Kingfisher
Kingfishers are always high on most people's favourite bird lists and this one is quite special. It is not one of the rarer birds of Thailand, although not too many people see it often. I've seen it at Bueng Boraphet, about 3 hours north of Bangkok. Bueng Boraphet is a really nice place and to see a Pied Kingfisher hovering above the water is a lovely experience. It's quite a large bird, about the size of a Pigeon, and this, along with its unusual behaviour and black-and-white colouration make it quite a noticeable bird - go and see it!Find out more about Pied Kingfisher here: Pied Kingfisher
Great Hornbill - Thailand's Greatest Bird?
I have many happy memories of watching Great Hornbills at Khao Yai National Park and to me the two will always go together.
Great Hornbill At The Nest In Thailand
Thailand's Most Wanted Bird: Gurney's Pitta
Gurney's Pitta is the most sought after bird species for birdwatchers visiting Thailand according to a survey I did in 2007.
Pittas in Thailand are an enigmatic group of birds and difficult to see, so any sighting is special and I have been lucky enough to see Gurney's Pitta on several occasions.
Although recently a population of as many as 20,000 pairs of Gurney's Pitta were discovered in southern Myanmar, the tiny population in southern Thailand remains most birdwatchers' best hope of seeing one.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a winter visitor to Thailand, arriving in October and departing for Siberia in March. With its distinctive bill and unique feeding action this is one of the most sought after birds in the world and its numbers are rapidly declining, partly due to problems on its breeding grounds and partly due to the destruction of feeding grounds along its migratory route; Spoon-billed Sandpiper is now classed as a critically endangered species.This is a super bird and is most easily picked out from Red-necked Stints, with which it feeds, by its bright white colouration and not its bill shape. In Thailand it is regularly seen at Khok Kham and Laem Pak Bia/Pak Thale.
Another Beautiful bird from Thailand: Black-throated Sunbird
Birdwatching in Thailand's forests can be tricky at times making all sightings special but an encounter with this cheeky little guy is fairly common and always a welcome sight.Black-throated Sunbird is one of those species that many people overlook but it is colourful enough to brighten up the forest and it is rather entertaining to watch it drinking nectar from forest flowers.
Birds of Thailand Photo Gallery 1
Pied Imperial Pigeon
Pied Imperial Pigeon is one of my favourite species in Thailand just because of its snowy white plumage which contrasts against the dark leaves of the trees it perches in.This species is mostly found on offshore islands in the south of Thailand and it just adds another colour to the blue of the sea and sky, the silvery sand and green foliage - whenever I see Pied Imperial Pigeon I know I am in a beautiful island paradise such as Ko Similan.
Pheasant-tailed Jacana: A Weird and Wonderful Species
If you are not impressed by Pheasant-tailed Jacana then I suggest that birdwatching isn't for you. With its contrasting colours, splendid tail and curious mewing call it is a very memorable species indeed.This is not a common bird in Thailand but I am lucky in that my local patch at Muang Boran Fishponds has them in abundance.
Olive-backed Sunbird
Olive-backed Sunbird is one of the commonest birds in Thailand but what makes it special to me is that it is one of the few species that can be watched almost anywhere due to its adaptability.This sunbird originates from mangroves but it is able to live alongside man in gardens, parks and even window boxes! There is a pair of Olive-backed Sunbirds that visit my yard every morning to drink from the flowers. For visiting birdwatchers, Olive-backed Sunbird is easy to see in Bangkok's Parks: Suan Luang, Lumphini Park and Suan Rot Fai.
The Olive-backed Sunbirds that visit me in Bangkok are such colourful little characters that I have given them their own lens: My Olive-backed Sunbirds in Bangkok
.Rhinoceros Hornbill
Unfortunately, there is currently unrest in that region and as wonderful as it is, it is not risking travelling to that area right now due to the ongoing violence.
Striated Grassbird
For some reason Striated Grassbird is one of my favourite birds. It really shouldn't be as it is a fairly dull-coloured, brown streaky bird with a cacophonous song.Still, I like it as it sits out on very exposed perches and launches itself into the air to give its song, virtually all year round. At my local patch at Muang Boran Fishponds this bird is unusually common and it is a great place to study the species.
Golden Babbler
Golden Babbler is a common forest bird in Northern Thailand but it is a real character. As well as being nicely coloured, Golden Babbler is an inquisitive member of mixed bird flocks and it reacts quite aggressively if one mimics its call, coming to within a few feet of the origin of the call.The jeep track at Km 37.5, Doi Inthanon and Mae Per forest trail at Doi Ang Kang are great places to find Golden Babbler. Golden Babbler is also a fairly common bird at Kaeng Krachan from Km 27 to Panoen Tung campsite.
Birds of Thailand Photo Gallery 2
Vote For The Most Desirable Bird
Recommended Books
Other Birds of Thailand Lenses
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Birdwatching in Thailand - Where to Watch Birds in Thailand.
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Beautiful scenery, good food, low prices, friendly people and warm weather all make Thailand a very popular destination for holiday makers. Almost 1000 bird species, many of which are fantastic colours and huge sizes, also make Thailand a wonderful p...
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Birdwatching in Thailand: Free Maps, Checklists and Trip Reports.
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Thaibirding.com is a website that I designed to provide information on the best birdwatching locations throughout Thailand. The website contains free and comprehensive information on many locations, including maps, travel advice, facilities and the b...
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My Sunbirds in Bangkok
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Olive-backed Sunbirds are common in Thailand, even in Bangkok where I live. I am often amazed that these beautiful little birds manage to thrive in such a polluted, busy, urban area but thrive they do and a pair frequently visit the few plants that...
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Birdwatching in Thailand - Information
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Birdwatching in Thailand is a fantastic pastime due to the country's geographic location. Thailand's position at the junction of Wallacea, Indochina and Himalayan foothills means that there is a wide variety of bird species to see and by traveling ar...
Birdwatching Field Guides
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Helm Bird Identification Guides
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The Helm series of Field Guides and Identification Guides are a superb set of resources for birders, birdwatchers and ornithologists alike. I have been birdwatching for more than 30 years and as I have become a more serious ornithologist I have become...
Birdwatching Gifts
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Great Gifts for Bird Lovers
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Sometimes buying gifts for Christmas, birthdays or as a thank you can be really difficult. However, buying gifts for bird lovers is really easy, particularly those bird lovers with a garden, as a new bird feeder, bird table or other device designed t...
Shopping for Birders
Clicking on the banner above will take you to the online nature mall which stocks a huge range of birding products from optical equipment to toys, books and bird feeders.
Birdwatching in Thailand
- Birdwatching in Thailand
- Birdwatching in Thailand; Free information, checklists, trip reports, maps and news on birdwatching in Thailand
- Top Ten Birds of Thailand
- A list of the ten most wanted bird species in Thailand as voted for by visiting birdwatchers.
- Bird Conservation Society of Thailand
- The official Birdlife International partner in Thailand.
- Peter Ericsson's Photo Gallery of Thai Birds
- A wonderful gallery of many of Thailand's fantastic birds.
- Johan Svensson's Photo Gallery of Thai birds
- A beautiful gallery of some of Thailand's amazing birds.
- Suppalak Klabdee's Photo Gallery of Thai birds
- A wonderful collection of some difficult to find birds.
- Thailand Views
- A collection of quite superb photographs of birds of Thailand.
- Thailand Bird Tours
- Tailor-made day tours and longer birdwatching tours in Thailand.
- Thailand Birding
- The Thailand section of my blog: Dartford Waffler.
- Bread and Butter Cottage
- A Lanna-style house for rent near Chiang Saen.
Thailand Guidebooks
Useful Thailand Lenses
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Thailand Travel Advice: 10 Things To Avoid Doing In Thailand
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This lens provides travel advice on ten things that one should not do in Thailand and why one should not do them. Thailand is generally a laid back country where people don't get uptight about small things going wrong and daily inconveniences; this...
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Thailand Travel Advice: 10 Memorable Things to Do in Bangkok
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Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand and is famously polluted, congested and hectic. Perhaps the last of those is its strong point because whatever else it may be, Bangkok is never boring. I have lived in Bangkok since 1997 and although there are t...
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Royalty Free Photos - Bangkok
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On this lens you can find royalty free photographs of a variety of things around Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, for use on your websites, blogs, squidoo lenses, hubpages or any other online content. I have had plenty of help from other photo...
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Bangkok Photo Album
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I have been living in Bangkok since mid 1997. It hasn't changed very much in that time, it is still a huge city, full of traffic and people and always entertaining. There are aspects of living in or visiting Bangkok which make it a pleasure; ther...
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How to Use the Skytrain in Bangkok
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Bangkok is a famously congested city. Never-ending traffic jams that sometimes continue round the clock can be very frustrating and stressful. However, since the opening of the skytrain there is a quick and hassle-free way of travelling around the ce...
Reader Feedback
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Reply
- strayspay strayspay Nov 13, 2009 @ 11:17 am
- I didn't see your first lens but this lens is beautiful! I learned a lot about Thailand birds and appreciate you updating and publishing it.
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Reply
- Ramkitten Ramkitten Nov 13, 2009 @ 9:41 am
- What a beautiful lens! Well done and very interesting.
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Reply
- allthai allthai Aug 4, 2009 @ 3:54 pm
- Hi Nick I just added your lens to my group. Good job. Please add my birding at Doi Inthanon national park to your birdwatching lens list.
Thanks
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Reply
- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen May 23, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
- Hi,
My name is Elizabeth Jean Allen and I am the new group leader for the Nature and the Outdoors Group.
Welcome.
Lizzy
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Reply
- grammargoddess grammargoddess May 21, 2009 @ 8:39 am
- Great bird shots. I'm always amazed at the variety of our feathered friends.
- Load More
Birds of Thailand Photo Credits
I must thank Peter Ericsson, Suppalak Klabdee, Banphot Kittinglert, Hans Stehl, Alister Benn and Johan Svensson for the use of their wonderful bird photos.
About The Lens Author
Lensmaster nickupton has been a member since June 23 2007, has rated 150 lenses, favorited 73, and has created 63 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "The Sneetches by Dr Seuss". See all my lenses
by nickupton
Having been a birdologist since the age of seven I am something of an ornithological recluse. However, I managed to gain adulthood, if onl... (more)
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