Information and photos on five of the most sought after birds of Thailand and where they can be found.

Thailand is a great place for birdwatching, situated as it is at the junction of three biogeographical regions Thailand has a wealth of species, currently almost 1000 species have been recorded.

Given the fact that Thailand is a well-known travel destination with a good infrastructure, great food and accommodation at a decent price, Thailand should be on every birdwatcher’s list of places to go.

Back in 2007 I ran a survey on Thaibirding.com to see which bird species in Thailand were the most sought after. Here are the top 5.

1. Gurney’s Pitta- For many years it was believed that the remnant population of Gurney’s Pittas at Khao Nor Chu Chi in southern Thailand was all that remained of the species. Fortunately, a much larger population of Gurney’s Pitta has recently been discovered in southern Myanmar. However, despite being far more numerous than previously thought, due to problems with accessibility the birds in Thailand are still the best place for most birders to get a sighting of this species.

Gurney’s Pitta occurs mainly in extreme lowland forests which have been almost completely cleared in Thailand to make way for rubber and palm oil plantations. The species can do well in secondary forest though and this is the type of habitat it can be found in in Thailand; thick, thorny forest with many mosquitoes, so getting a sighting is difficult.

2. Spoon-billed Sandpiper- This charismatic little shorebird has undergone worse fortunes than Gurney’s Pitta over the last few years with a population crash; there may be as few as 400 breeding birds now. Fortunately, for birdwatchers visiting Thailand, a few hours drive from Bangkok there is a regular wintering ground on salt pans at Pak Thale, where it can regularly be found and good views obtained with a telescope.

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper’s defining feature is its bill although it can be surprisingly difficult to see this until it turns face on to the viewer.

Clockwise from top left: Great Hornbill, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Hume’s Pheasant, Gurney’s Pitta, Rufous-necked Hornbill

3. Great Hornbill – This perhaps my favourite bird in Thailandwith its huge size, brightly-coloured bill and amazing sound as it flies over the treetops it is a highlight of any trip to the forest whether you are a birdwatcher or not. Whilst it is a highly sought-after bird it is not particularly rare and can be found relatively easily at Khao Yai, Kaeng Krachan or Khao Sok national parks.

Great Hornbills are amusing birds to watch particularly when they are feeding on fruit in a tree. They are very delicate despite their huge bills and pick tiny fruits very carefully with the tip of the bill. They are also notable for sealing the females within a cavity in a tree for the duration of the nesting period and very rarely males joust in the air with their huge bill casques.

4. Hume’s Pheasant- This colurful pheasant is at the southerly tip of its range in Thailand and even if it had not been the victim of deforestation and hunting it would likely be a scarce bird. As it is there are only a couple of places in Thailand where this bird can be seen: Doi Chiang Dao and Doi Ang Kang.

A recent study found only around 3o birds present in Thailand but, once again, due to the areas in China and Myanmar where it also occurs being hard to reach, many birders head to Thailand for this species.

5. Rufous-necked Hornbill- Two hornbills in the top five shows how fantastic these birds are and this is another very large and very striking bird which is an amazing sight either perched or in flight. Unlike the Great Hornbill though, Rufous-necked Hornbill is very uncommon throughout its range and in Thailand only Mae Wong national park provides a realistic chance of seeing it, and even then only really in the wet season.

Once again, whilst this species is present in other countries, Thailand represents most birdwatchers’ best chance of connecting with a Rufous-necked Hornbill.

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