Northern Thailand
is characterized by forested mountain peaks between
1500 to 2500 metres in altitude and lowland wetlands, a variety
of habitats that provide birders with a wide variety of potential
species. Forest types represented in this region include moist
evergreen forest, dry dipterocarp woodland, pine forest and
broadleaved deciduous forest, all with their own avifaunas
and it is these forests, with a high level of affinity to
Himalayan ecosystems, that attract most birders with the possibility
of a wide range of species that do not occur in other parts
of the country, including a large number of migrants escaping
the winters further north. Wetlands in this region, although
highly disturbed and farmed, remain important to migrant species
including wildfowl which are extremely scarce in the rest
of the country.
The birding sites are marked on the map below and listed by
name below the map.
The geographical location of the
region means that it is home to a large number of species
that are at the southern tip of their global range and every
year there are birds added to the Thai list from this region;
both resident and migrant species keep being discovered and
it is a good region to search for a rarity.
Most of these sites are accessible from Chiang Mai, making
this city the perfect base for north Thailand birding. Visiting
a variety of upland and lowland sites will allow birders to
see a wide variety of species and at least one of the "Dois"
is a must for any birder visiting this region. Spending 8
or 9 days birding in the north allows birders to visit most
of the key sites and see a good proportion of the species
of the region. Both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai have airports
with lots of connections to other parts of the country.
Highlights: Giant Nuthatch, Black-tailed Crake, Mrs
Hume's Pheasant, Green-tailed Sunbird, Scarlet-faced Liocichla,
Yellow-breasted Bunting, Black-throated Bushtit, Himalayan
Cutia, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Hodgson's Frogmouth, Siberian
Rubythroat, Green Cochoa, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Pygmy
Wren Babbler, Dark-sided Thrush, Pied Harrier, Baer's Pochard,
Jerdon's Bushchat to name just a few.
Weather: The coolest time is usually between November
and end of January when temperatures in the mountains can
get to zero at night and the early morning and although it
is usually clear there can be periods of foggy weather on
the mountains. After that time the temperature begins to rise
until by April/May midday temperatures are usually up to 40C.
From mid May the rains usually arrive and last until September/October
and although breeding birds are active the weather on the
mountain tops can often be very foggy and wet, particularly
towards the end of this period. The peak time for birders
to visit this region is between early December and mid March.
Bird
Watching Trips:
If you need help organizing a bird watching trip to Thailand,
take a look at the suggested itineraries for ideas on
creating a tailor-made trip and contact me for advice:
Thailand
bird tours.
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