Bang Pra Non-hunting Area, in Chonburi
province, consists of a semi-natural lake surrounded by a
bank of semi-natural woodland with some areas of exposed grasses
and Typha beds. The reservoir is one used to hold
water for irrigation and drinking and as a fishery rather
than for hydro-electric purposes, meaning that the water is
shallow and can support birdlife. Local people are permitted
to fish, gather plants and graze cattle but hunting birds
and mammals is forbidden. The water levels fluctuate through
the year here with the level kept high after the rainy season
into the early dry season so that there is sufficient water
for irrigation of surrounding farmland and the ever-growing,
nearby cities of Chonburi and Pattaya; into the months of
March-June the water levels drop, exposing a larger area of
grassland habitat.
This is a good location for birders to see a wide range of
birds in a short space of time, including a number of species
that are not often recorded on birding tours to Thailand,
and an ideal location for a day trip from Bangkok or, indeed,
Pattaya where many people stay on package holidays. The grassland
is probably the most interesting habitat here, but unfortunately
in recent years the water has been maintained at a very high
level meaning that this habitat has been severely reduced
in size and rather degraded in places by people in four-wheel
drive vehicles. However, on a good day, I still think it would
be possible to find over 100 species in a day at Bang Pra
with a mixture of woodland, open-country and wetland birds.
The close proximity of open water, scrub grassland and dry
forest mean that a wide variety of birds can be found in this
single location, and virtually anything can turn up during
migratory periods.
When water levels are low, usually March-June, areas of grassland
form and some interesting species can be found including breeding
Oriental Pratincole, Indochinese Bushlark, Zitting Cisticola,
Paddyfield Pipit and Chestnut-capped Babbler. Quail used to
be a very prominent part of the avifauna here but with water
levels often high little habitat is usually present for them.
However, with some effort, particularly when water levels
are low, Barred Buttonquail, Rain Quail and Yellow-legged
Buttonquail can be found. Blue-breasted Quail are also present,
but rare, and theoretically Small Buttonquail is possible
too. Chinese Francolin is a bigger bird and can frequently
heard calling from the undergrowth or from a perch up in a
tree - it is usually very hard to spot though.
Spot-billed Pelcians and Painted Storks used to be commonly
seen at Bang Pra, but less frequently now, although Lesser
Adjutant storks can also be found in the reedy areas or seen
circling in the thermals and Asian Openbills are common. Unfortunately
the provenance of the Painted Storks, Adjutants and Pelicans
doesn't hold up to the strictest scrutiny as they are the
result of feral or introduced, but self-sustaining, populations
from the nearby Khao Khieo open zoo; the birds remain none
the less spectacular because of this. Oriental Darters have
also colonized this area now and a few always seem to be present
and Black-headed Ibis are ocassionally seen too.
The fringing woodland has something to offer birders too,
and this is one of the easiest places to see Rufous Treepie
and White-crested Laughingthrush that I know of. Add to this
Laced Woodpecker, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Lineated Barbet,
Asian Barred Owlet and, in winter, some commoner forest birds
that are altitudinal migrants, and there is quite a variety
of species for birders to see. In the early wet season Blue-winged
Pitta is one of the highlights to be found in this woodland.
A checklist of the birds for this location can be found here
- Bang Pra
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.
Travel Information
Use the interactive map below to plan your route to
Bang Pra. The blue line shows the route from Suvarnabhumi
Airport (Blue Pin) to Bang Pra (Red Pin).
By Car/Motorcycle
Getting to Bang Pra is not too difficult if traveling by car.
One needs to get onto the motorway that runs from Bangkok
to Chonburi. This can be done by either getting on the expressway
and heading towards Suvarnabhumi airport and then beyond,
or by taking the elevated tollway along BangNa - Trad road
and then getting off at the Bang Wua exit and onto the Bangkok
- Chonburi motorway. As one gets close to the destination
ignore the signs for Chonburi and continue along the motorway
towards Pattaya. After a while signs for Bang Pra reservoir
and Khao Khieo zoo will be seen; follow these signs to ensure
you get off of the motorway at the right place. From the centre
of Bangkok to this turn-off will take about 1.5 hours in the
early morning before the traffic builds up; leaving at 5am
should get you to Bang Pra at a good time.
This will get you to the right place, but there are many alternative
routes from Bangkok to this region. The good news is that
the zoo is signposted frequently. Navigating using Google
Maps is probably the thing to do.
Having taken the turning for Bang Phra and Khao Khieo zoo,
immediately do a U-turn and cross the bridge over the motorway.
A few hundred metres you arrive at a T-junction and here the
woodland at Bang Pra is right in front of you. Turning left
here will take you towards the smaller "egret lake"
while turning right will take you towards the wildlife breeding
centre and dam. These days, for the "egret lake"
area one must park on the roadside and walk a short distance.
Another option would be to stay in Pattaya and hire a motorcycle
to drive to Bang Pra. This would be an easy option, although
I have never personally tried it.
By Bus
It is possible to get to Bang Pra by public transport, but
it is not easy. Go to the Eastern bus terminal at Ekamai,
on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok and take any bus to Pattaya,
but get off before that. It is best to tell the bus conductor
that you want to go to Khao Khieo zoo (Suan Sat Khao Khieo,
click here for Thai
script) and the bus will stop at the right place.
Here is the difficult part; at this dropping off point one
must find the songtaew to the zoo which is hidden up a small
road on the opposite side of the road. Ask around for the
songtaew to the zoo and hope it can be found. The journey
passes along the lakeside of Bang Pra, but do not get off
when you see it, wait until the junction where the songtaew
turns left and get off just before it crosses the motorway,
then walk. Most of you will have probably stopped reading
by now and with good reason, this method will get you to Bang
Pra in the midday sun - useless for birdwatching!
By Taxi
Although it is a long way from Bangkok, taking a taxi is a
possibility and as many taxi drivers are used to doing the
journey to Pattaya it should not be too hard to find one who
is prepared to take you to Bang Pra and wait for you to make
the return journey. From Pattaya this is a short journey and
it should not be hard to arrange a taxi for the morning.
By Tuk Tuk or Motorcycle Taxi
It is far too far from Bangkok to consider these inefficient
and dangerous options although from nearby Pattaya it may
be worth considering if you are on a very tight budget but
a motorcycle taxi driver is unlikely to want to wait for you
and getting back will be very hard to say the least.
By Train
It is possible to get to the area where one catches the songthaew
to Khao Khieo zoo by train but this method of transport is
extremely slow and it is unlikely to get you there in time
for early morning birding.
By Plane
The closest airports are Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao.
It is possible to hire a car or taxi from either of these
or other forms of public transport to nearby towns.
Finding Birds
Anywhere around Bang Pra will serve up a good helping of
birds and most of the same species can be found all around;
it is a question of finding the right habitat for the right
species.
Dam
: The dam area of the lake contains the deepest water
and there is n marginal habitat at all. However, it can be
a good place to observe Whiskered Terns fishing and it also
often attracts Brahminy Kite and Western Osprey. There is
an area of parkland habitat at the foot of the dam and it
may be worth checking this spot for passage migrants in spring
with species such as Mugimaki Flycatcher, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
and Indian Cuckoo likely to pass through. If you don't see
a Coppersmith Barbet anywhere else around the lake then you
surely can find a few here along with noisy Asian Koels.
Road
: As it gets light it is often worth birding along the
road in this area. Groups of birds often sit on the roadside
wires here and are active in roadside trees and the few trees
in the fields. In this way I most often see Vinous-breasted
Starling and Lineated Barbet, Eurasian Hoopoe, Rufous Treepie,
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Indian Roller, Ashy Woodswallow
as well as White-crested Laughingthrush, all of which can
frequently be seen sitting on a wire in the first light of
day.
Egret
Lake : This small lake is now connected to
the main lake with a breach in the embankment around it making
it impossible to walk all the way around. This area can be
good in the early morning and it attracts White-throated,
Common and Black-capped Kingfishers, Little Cormorants and,
sometimes, Oriental Darter. The island in the middle is also
a favourite roosting spot for Asian Openbills, Eastern Cattle
Egrets and Black-crowned Night Heron; Malayan Night Heron
has been seen here by a lucky few. The vegetation around the
edge will usually produce a few Yellow Bitterns and I have
often seen a few Brown-backed Needletails hawking overhead
in the very early morning.
Some bare trees on the island are an excellent place for watching
Drongos, Black-naped Oriole, Lineated Barbet, Racket-tailed
Treepie, Green-billed Malkoha and other species in the early
morning when the birds sit on exposed perches enjoying the
morning sun.
Taking a short walk along the dirt track here along the side
of the small lake is a good way to find the colourful Rufous
Treepie and perhaps a flock of stunning White-crested Laughingthrushes.
Racket-tailed Treepies also often pass through and Greater
Racket-tailed Drongos are always obvious; in the treetops,
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Brown-throated Sunbird and Common
Iora are all common. Freckle-breasted Woodpecker has established
itself at bang Pra and the dead trees in this area are a favourite
spot for this species.
Woodland
: Semi-natural woodland forms a buffer between the reservoir
and the encircling road in many places, playing host to a
small selection of woodland birds, most of which are fairly
easy to see. White-crested Laughingthrush, Lineated Barbet,
Asian Barred Owlet, Rufous Treepie, Black-naped Oriole and
Laced Woodpecker are all regulars in this habitat and I have
seen a pair of Black-throated Laughingthrushes on a few occasions
- perhaps they are feral but they may have found their way
here from nearby Khao Khieo. Raptors can include Shikra and
Crested Serpent Eagle at all times of the year and passage
migrants use the trees for resting nd hunting with the most
frequent species passing through being Black Baza, Chinese
Sparrowhawk and Japanese Sparrowhawk.
Outside of the breeding season a number of other woodland
species occur as migrants including Ashy Minivet, Amur Paradise-flycatcher,
Asian Brown Flycatcher, Arctic Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler
and Black-winged Cuckooshrike. During passage migration a
wide variety of species are possible with Eastern Crowned
Warbler and Yellow-rumped Flycatcher being regular. In the
wet season small numbers of Blue-winged Pitta and Chestnut-winged
Cuckoo come here to breed.
Bird
Watching Tours to Bang Pra Reservoir: If you
have only a day or two for birding from Bangkok, Bang
Pra is anexcellent location, coupled with a visit to
Muang Boran Fishponds, Lat Krabang and/or Bang Poo.
If you are staying in nearby Pattaya this is the natural
choice for birding. At any time of year a good selection
of colourful birds are present and in the dry season
a whole range of migrants visit this location.
Contact me to arrange a birding trip and/or to discuss
the best bird watching options for you: nickupton@thaibirding.com
Grass
& Wetlands : In many areas around the lake
there are patches of grassland which become marginal wetland
habitats at the water's edge, usually between the months of
March to August. If the water levels are high, usually between
September and January, then the area of this habitat is much
reduced but it is usually possible to find areas of this habitat
at the southern and northern ends of the lake. In the area
about one kilometre north of "egret lake" the call
of Chinese Francolin will often be heard and it may be possible
to track it down; if it is on the ground you might flush it
but if it is in a tree you will have a chance to spot it.
This area is a great place for locating Bright-headed Cisticola
(Golden-capped, Bright-capped or whatever combination of terms
it is currently masquerading under); it will be easy to find
in the breeding season when it doesn't stop calling (it sounds
like an exaggerated kiss, followed by a bell). Chinese Francolin
also seems abundant in this spot, but spotting one is difficult,
however, I frequently get lucky with this species here. During
passage migration, Blue-throated Bee-eater is regular in the
tall trees in this area, but Green Bee-eater will be seen
here at any time of the year and Lesser Coucal and Yellow-eyed
Babblers are always in the area - keep your eyes and ears
peeled!
If the water levels are low enough areas of mud and short
grass will form. Rain Quail used to be quite numerous here,
but I haven't seen them for years now. Yellow-legged and Barred
Buttonquails can sometimes be flushed from areas of grass
with the possibility of Blue-breasted Quail too but all of
these species are seldom seen these days due to high levels
of disturbance. Any open areas of habitat will be particularly
good for finding Indochinese Bushlark, Zitting Cisticola and
Paddyfield Pipit; Australasian Bushlark has also been seen
but is very scarce. Oriental Pratincole nests on these open
areas alongside Red-wattled Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt and
Little Tern.
At the water's edge some migrant shorebirds are sometimes
found with Little Ringed Plover, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper,
Common Greenshank all regularly occurring and in spring anything
could turn up on migration. Asian Openbill is extremely numerous
here these days in the wet areas along with a few Painted
Storks. Lesser Adjutants have been released here in the past
and the numbers have increased quite a lot in recent years
so perhaps they are breeding in the wild here now.
By walking around to the southwestern side of the "egret
lake" a patch of grassy/wetland can usually be found
no matter how high the water levels are and many interesting
birds can be found in the scruffy vegetation here with both
Yellow-eyed and Chestnut-capped Babblers being fairly common
- both very attractive birds. Other grassland species include
Bright-headed Cisticola, Rufescent Prinia, Yellow-bellied
Prinia and in the winter Oriental Reed Warbler, Dusky Warbler
and Black-browed Reed Warbler. Those who have time to spend
can track down skulking birds such as Siberian Rubythroat
here, but the vegetation can be thick so a little call playback
may be needed! The emergent vegetation here holds Yellow Bittern,
Cinnamon Bittern, Painted Snipe and many others. At the right
time of year you may also be lucky enough to see Black Bittern
and Greater Painted Snipe here while small numbers of Asian
Golden Weaver nest in the area along with the commoner Baya
Weaver.
Facilities
There are
not really any facilities here although there are some toilets
at HQ and near the dam.
If one has
somehow arrived by public transport (it is possible but not
a good idea) then it would be advisable to ensure that you have
enough food, water and sun lotion for the day; it can get exceptionally
hot and humid at this site so lots of water is required. If
arrival is by private vehicle then within a short drive to various
villages there are a few small shops selling cold drinks and
snacks and near the fisheries area there are some small open-air
restaurants. There are quite a few urban areas within a short
drive towards the coast so that anything one requires can be
found within a 10-15 minute drive of the lake.
In a private car it is possible to drive towards Khao Khieo
open zoo where a number of small food selling places will be
seen as one travels.
The best option for car drivers is to take a packed lunch for
birding and then at the end of the day drive to Bang Saen on
the coast, where you can eat seafood on the beach, enjoy a beer
and have change from 1000 baht! There are a number of places
to stay at Bang Saen, but most people will probably opt for
a hotel in Bangkok: Bangkok
Hotels, or Pattaya: Pattaya
Hotels.
Bang Pra is not a National Park and there is no entry fee to
go birding here unless you try to enter at the headquarters
(HQ) area, where they will charge you 200 baht per person if
you are not Thai.
Some Useful Books
Birds
of Thailand This field guide has set new standards in identifying
birds in the wild in Thailand. With the most up-to-date
taxonomy of any publication this is the book you need
if you are birdwatching in Thailand. Forget all of the
older guides and buy this one.
Pipits
& Wagtails This is a wonderful book. With all plumages of all
subspecies of the wildly diverse wagtails this is extremely
complete. Pipits can be a really difficult group of
birds to deal with but if you want to understand them
this is the book to help you with a wealth of information
and beautiful plates.
Bird
Watching Trips:
Bang Pra is a good place to visit if you have limited
time in Thailand, but it is also a great place to see
some species that are infrequently seen on longer birding
trips and as such is worth considering building into extended
itineraries.
Download
a full 
