Bird Watching in Thailand

Thailand situated in South-east Asia, the Indo-Chinese peninsula of the Oriental Region and has been described as a “zoogeographic crossroads”.  The country’s avifauna comprises Sino-Himalayan, Indo-Burmese, Indo-Chinese and Sundaic elements and large number of migrant visitors from the Palaearctic Region.  There are approximately 978 (Dec 2002) species at present or 10% of the world species are recorded in Thailand.

Thailand has 96 national parks, 100 wildlife and non hunting sanctuaries and 65 forest parks, which together make up a full 13 percent of land area. The park system, managed by the Royal Forestry Department, provides the visitor with easy access to the country’s nature reserves, from the mountain pine forest of the North to the southern rainforests to the spectacular coral and marine life off both coasts.

Some of the wildlife and non hunting sanctuaries adjoin one another. Most of the parks are accessible by road, offer simple accommodation and charge a small admission fee. In the larger ones such as Khao Yai, rangers can be hired as guides for long treks. Wildlife sanctuaries are not tourism areas, however, so visitors must bring food and camping gear and observe the no disturbance rules set up to protect the animals.

Nakhon Ratchasima
Khao Yai is a major bird watching hub, being home to rare species including all four species of hornbill: the great, wreathed, oriental pied and brown.

Chiang Mai
This northern capital is on important bird watching destinationl. Doi Inthanon, The highest peak in Thailand at 2,565 metres above sea level, froms the southernly end of the Himalayan range and provides a home for 364 species of birds, many of them not seen elsewhere in the country. The best time for bird watching is from November to February.

Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi
In the South, the narrow, peninsula  of Prachuab Khiri Khan and its neighbour Phetchaburi offer an attracitive mountain and sea combination. Within their parameter, they contain the twin beach resorts of Hua Hin and Cha-am, and two large havens for wildlife, Sam Roi Yot and Kaeng Krachan National Parks. SamRoi Yot (Three Hundred Peaks) National Park has sandy beaches, caves and mangrove forests and provides a home for 300 species of birds. Kaeng Krachan is the largest national park. Its birdlife includes  250 species, among them the great hornbill and the grey peacock. Kaeng Krachan also offers abundant hiking delights wildlife, birds and lush jungle along the trail to Tho Tip Waterfall, which takes about three hours.

Planning Your Bird Watching Holidays in Thailand

December - February: Best period of the year as resident species are joined by winter visitors from northern Palearctic.  Weather is reliably cool, with no rain.  It’s also a high season for tourism, accommodation and the tour organizing may be a problem if not booked in advance.

March - May: Second best period as resident species start calling, breeding and are easy to see, while winter visitors are still present in the country.  The weather is getting hotter by the month and some rain in May.  Apr-May is good time for the spring (return) passage.

June - August: Rainy season, with most residents breeding.  The migration is largely over.  Still good time for birding especially the difficult species.  An ideal to stay longer to explore the country when it is beautiful.

September - November: Rainy season continues through Sep-Oct but no comes to fairly abrupt halt in Nov. Sep-Oct is a good period to observe autumn passage, particularly of waders, raptors and some passerine.