Kaeng Krachan National Park, in Petchaburi and Prachuab Kiri
Khan provinces, is the largest National Park in Thailand,
occupying 2915 square kilometres (1125 sq. miles); this is
possibly Thailand's premier forest birdwatching location due
the quantity and quality of species that have been found there.
Most of the forest here is in an excellent condition and consists
of evergreen tree species, although a number of deciduous
species are also present, particularly in the lower elevations
of the park. Kaeng Krachan's location on the border with Myanmar
means it is part of a much larger forest complex than just
the National Park and an excellent refuge for a huge number
of species, including many of Asia's rarest mammals and birds;
indeed Kaeng Krachan is part of one of the largest remaining
stretches of forest in Southeast Asia and as such this location
is of international conservation importance.
Kaeng Krachan is within three hours of Bangkok so it is just
about possible to visit it as a day trip if one leaves before
5am, although it is much better to stay 2-3 days and take
time to explore the forest - and it is worth visiting during
the week to avoid the weekend traffic. It is possible to see
an enormous number of species here by getting to many different
altitudes and 100 species in a day is a real possibility but
would perhaps be too much of a rush to enjoy fully.
It should be noted that Kaeng Krachan National Park is
usually closed from 1st August until 31st October (although
in 2022 the lower section up to km17 remained open throughout
the year). This national park should also be avoided over
the New Year period and Thai Songkran holiday when enormous
numbers of visitors means constant traffic along the road
makes birding impossible.
Birding Highlights
Kaeng Krachan National Park is home to a huge number and
range of species and is a place where some species that are
rarely seen anywhere else in Thailand can be found with patience.
This is where many southern species have their northernmost
outposts as well as being where many other species are at
their southernmost extremity. Kaeng Krachan is also the only
place in Thailand where Ratchet-tailed Treepie can be seen,
this species normally being found in Indochina.
A number of exciting ground-dwelling species inhabit the
lush forests here but are extremely hard to find, with Grey
Peacock-Pheasant, Kalij Pheasant, Ferruginous Partridge, Blue
Pitta and Eared Pitta all being found - but only by a lucky
few; most people only see these species after many visits
to the park. Giant Pitta has also been seen here but sightings
are EXTREMELY rare, only once every few years at most. The
mid and upper storeys of the forest are also very productive
in birding terms with many species from a wide range of bird
families occurring. Great Slaty Woodpecker, Orange-breasted
Trogon and Banded Broadbill are all regularly seen and more
species are being added to the park list every year as more
birders explore this wonderful habitat. There are so many
good birds to see here that a visit of at least 2-3 days is
essential as well as birding at different altitudes to maximise
the number of species seen.
Hornbills are some of the most memorable birds in Thailand
and Kaeng Krachan presents the opportunity to see Great, Oriental
Pied and Wreathed Hornbills. Tickell's Brown Hornbills are
present but more scarce, listen for them and you may be lucky.
Another distinct speciality of Kaeng Krachan national park
are the Broadbills. These spectacular birds are extremely
difficult to find outside of the breeding season, but when
they are nest-building, from mid February to July, Dusky,
Silver-breasted, Banded, Black-and-red, Black-and-yellow and
Long-tailed Broadbills become easier to find; even Green Broadbill
has been seen by some lucky observers. Of course, there is
also a good range of commoner birds here with bulbuls, leafbirds,
laughingthrushes, flycatchers, babblers, warblers and woodpeckers
all well represented.
With such extensive, high-quality forest there is still a
good mammal population here. Many species of squirrel can
be found including the amazing Black Giant Squirrel which
looks more like a dog in a tree with Dusky Langurs, Banded
Langurs and White-handed Gibbon often seen leaping around
in the canopy. Tigers, tapirs and elephants are still present
in Kaeng Krachan, although seldom seen, and there are even
rumours that Sumatran Rhinoceros, one of the world's most
endangered mammals, still roams the forest but Kaeng Krachan
does present visitors with one of the best chances of seeing
Leopard in Southeast Asia.
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
Kaeng Krachan from the Petkasem Highway (A) to Panoen Tung
(B) via other notable spots.
One thing to note is that motorcycles are not allowed into
the national park itself. For those wishing to head to the
campsite at Km 30 (Panoen Thung) timing is important. From
Bang Krang campsite the road is narrow and in varying states
of repair and certain times are allotted for ascent and descent.
Times for going up are 5.30-7.30 am and 1-3 pm. Times for
going down are 9-10 am and 4-5 pm. As of 2015 driving up the
road to Panoen Tung is only allowed in a vehicle with good
ground clearance, a pick up or 4-wheel drive vehicle, not
a standard saloon car or minivan. The state of the road does
vary from time to time and one may read in some trip reports
that driving to the top in a saloon car was possible, it is
best to assume that the road will be fairly poor quality in
places and loose stones on corners in particular can make
it difficult to get enough traction; the park rangers will
not allow visitors to drive up in unsuitable vehicles any
longer. The road to Bang Krang is sealed all the way these
days but attempting to cross the streams past Bang Krang campsite
should be done with extreme caution as the entry and exits
from the fords can be quite steep - quite a number of visitors
have ripped parts of their cars' bodywork off at these streams.
For those driving in and out of the park every day the gate
opens at 5.30am and closes at 7pm, although it is advisable
to be out before that due to the potential danger of elephants
on the road, indeed you may find the rangers have locked the
gate if you reach it after 7pm.
By Car/Motorcycle
Kaeng Krachan National Park can be reached within 3 hours
of Bangkok if leaving early in the morning and driving a private
vehicle (although it would take longer in a small saloon car
or motorcycle). The simplest way from central Bangkok
is to get onto the expressway and head towards Rama 2 road
and then join the Petkasem Highway heading towards Petchaburi.
Kaeng Krachan National Park (Panoen Thung) is signposted from
the highway. Alternatively, continue on the highway past the
town of Petchaburi continue through Petchaburi until the small
town of Tha Yang where there are also signposts to Panoen
Thung in Kaeng Krachan National Park. Turn off of the Petkasem
highway and follow the road to a strangely angled junction
- bear right here and continue until reaching the dam. Follow
the signs to Bang Krang camp and Panoen Thung. The route shown
on the map above goes from Tha Yang to Panoen Tung via Ban
Maka, Ban Song Nok, Samarn Bird Camp, the entrance gate and
Ban Krang camp but there are other ways to the park gate;
it is signposted from various places.
By Bus/Minivan/Private Hire Vehicle
It Arriving by public transport is also possible, but is complicated. From
Bangkok take a bus to Petchaburi from the Southern bus terminal
or a minivan from Victory Monument in the city centre. From
Petchaburi things get a bit complicated. There are minivans
from in front of the hospital on the main highway that go
to Kaeng Krachan municipality but from there you are a bit
stuck unless you can arrange a pick up from your pre-booked
accommodation. The other option is to charter a songtaew to
the National Park which should cost in the region of 1000-1500
baht one way. Finding a songtaew will take a little effort
but walking around the bus station asking to go to Kaeng Krachan
National Park should get the right response. Taxis/songtaews
for charter also wait at the town clock tower. If communication
is a problem show the songtaew drivers the Thai script for
the park: Kaeng
Krachan National Park Thai Script.
At park HQ, or the park gate, entrance fees can be sorted
out and at weekends there are drivers who offer a taxi service
up and down the mountain and I'm sure the staff at HQ can
contact some of them during the week. These drivers charge
1600 baht for a half day or 2000 baht for a full day (2018
prices). If this is not possible continue with your songtaew
charter to the campsite (it will cost extra though).
By Taxi
It is possible to hire a taxi in Bangkok or either airport
to take you straight to your accommodation near Kaeng Krachan;
it will probably cost somewhere between 2-3000 baht. It would
be possible just to flag down a taxi in the street but it
may take a while before finding a driver who has enough time
to take you this distance. Alternatively, arrange transport
with your hotel or search online for a company doing airport
to hotel transfers.
By Train
The nearest station is Phetchaburi which can be reached from
Hua Lompong station in Bangkok. From there you would have
to arrange transport to Kaeng Krachan as described above.
By Plane
It is not possible to fly closer to Kaeng Krachan than the
two airports in Bangkok, from where it is possible to arrange
either a hire car or private taxi. There is an airfield in
nearby Hua Hin that takes small aircraft but arranging this
is likely to be complicated and prohibitively expensive.
Finding Birds
Such is the quality of the habitat at Kaeng Krachan that
a large number of interesting birds will be seen anywhere
in the park, however, there are few special locations for
a few particular species.
Ratchet-tailed Treepie can only be seen at the
highest altitudes of the national park and has often been
spotted near the Royal Lodge a short walk from Panoen Tung
campsite, close to the restaurant at Panoen Tung and in the
vicinity of Km 27 to Km 29. It has also been seen as low down
as Km 24.
Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Pittas and Partridges are most often
found in the gullies and clearings in the forest within a
few kilometres of Ban Krang campsite and the streams in this
vicinity are a good place to search for some of the rarer
Kingfishers during the breeding season. All these species
are really hard to find and on a short visit one would do
well to see more than 1 of these species.
It is worth noting that the majority of the birding is from
the road and at weekends constant traffic can make birdwatching
quite unpleasant, dusty and difficult. The park is to be completely
avoided on public holidays when it becomes very busy and difficult
to bird along the road.
Headquarters:
The headquarters is some distance outside the forest itself
and really is not the prime birding spot for this site. However,
some wetland and open-country species can be seen around here
and it is worth exploring a little if waiting for transport
up the mountain or there has been some other delay. Egrets,
Pond Herons and Pipits can all be seen here and colourful
birds such as Indian Roller and White-throated Kingfisher
are typical residents. Black-collared Starling and Vinous-breasted
Starling can be found here too and and even some forest species,
such as Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush
and Large Scimitar Babbler, can be found with luck in the
thorny forest nearby.
Entry
Roads: The roads from HQ to the park gate pass
through farmland and forest fragments. Whilst the national
park proper is the main attraction, some interesting species
can be found along here. Indochinese Bushlark, Greater Coucal
and Paddyfield Pipit are all quite common while Indian Rollers
and White-throated Kingfishers will be seen on the overhead
wires. Some of the grassier areas contain Grey-breasted Prinia,
Lesser Coucal and Bright-headed Cisticola, and listen out
for Chinese Francolin calling, you may be able to track one
down or see it crossing a road. Sooty-headed Bulbul is common
and both Black-collared and Vinous-breasted Starlings are
around, although not abundant. At night Large-tailed Nightjars
can be seen on the road itself and Spotted Owlets are fairly
easy to find too.
Ban
Song Nok:A few kilometres outside
of the national park Ban Song Nok is a private garden and
guesthouse owned by "Auntie Ek". She maintains a
waterhole and blind as well as providing daily food to birds,
meaning that this is usually a hotspot for certain species,
particuarly if the weather has been dry.
Ban Song Nok is a popular spot so you usually need to book
places at her blind in advance, but she does not mind people
just turning up to have a word with her and book the hide;
if there is nobody there already you can usually go straight
in. Red Junglefowl, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, Greater
Necklaced Laughingthrush, Kalij Pheasant, Bar-backed Partridge,
Scaly-breasted Partridge and Siberian Blue Robin are all regular
visitors here in the dry season, along with many commoner
species, and Red-legged Crake often shows up in the wet season.
Birds at Ban Song Nok are not confined to the blind area with
the garden providing plenty of habitat and adjoining the forest.
Birds such as Golden-fronted Leafbird, Lineated Barbet, Banded
Bay Cuckoo, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher and Common Flameback
all being regularly seen - Orange-bellied Flowerpecker will
be feeding on fruit in the wet season - so it is worth having
a look around for some of these species before or after you
sit at the blind.
It costs 200 baht per person to visit the blind at Ban Song
Nok and flash photography is not usually allowed as it can
disturb some species, particularly the shy partridges - ask
before using flash. Auntie Ek also requests that people do
not use call playback here too, please respect her wishes.
Baan
Maka Nature Lodge: This is a good place for birders
to stay and also a good place to see a number of species of
birds including Blue Whistlingthrush, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler,
Collared Scops Owl, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, Lineated
Barbet, Black-hooded Oriole and, in the wet season, Blue-winged
Pitta. Baan Maka has its own page giving full details of birding
there - Baan Maka Nature
Lodge.
Lung
Sin Waterhole: This artificial waterhole is little
more than a bird bath in the forest but during the dry season
it attracts a profusion of birds. Activity here can be at
high levels throughout the day with species such as Lesser
Necklaced Laughingthrush, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush,
Scaly-breasted Partridge, Bar-backed Partridge, Large Scimitar
Babbler, Kalij Pheasant, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Siberian
Blue Robin and many other commoner birds all being regular.
There can be surprises here too with a Slaty-legged Crake
regular in some years and birds such as Green Magpie, Grey-headed
Woodpecker, Streak-breasted Woodpecker and Besra all turning
up from time to time.
Apart from the fact that a visit to this spot gives the chance
to see some rare and secretive species, it is fantastic for
photographers with close-range and clear views of all the
birds. It is also a great place for birdwatchers to get really
good views of commoner birds such as Puff-throated Babbler,
Black-naped Monarch and Abbott's Babbler instead of the brief
glimpses one often obtains in the forest.
Access to the hide here is strictly by appointment only, so
I will not give directions as turning up without booking first
would cause a problem; to book yourself into this hide it
is best to do so through Baan Maka Nature Lodge or Samarn
Bird Camp both of whom will take birders to the location after
confirming your booking.
It costs 200 baht per person to visit Lung Sin Waterhole and
flash photography is not allowed unless you want to book the
whole hide out yourself as it deters the more secretive species
from coming to bathe and drink.
Road
to Bang Krang: This road passes through disturbed
forest which is worth spending some time in to find many of
the more common birds and a few of the less common ones. In
the early morning there is usually a lot of bird activity
along this road and it offers a good opportunity to see Thick-billed
Green Pigeon, Black-naped Oriole, Greater Flameback, Grey-headed
Woodpecker, Greater Yellownape, Hill Myna and Golden-crested
Myna perching on exposed trees catching the early morning
sunshine.
Black-thighed Falconets can often be found at a couple of
points along this road; look out for them perched upon dead
snags - they use old woodpecker holes as nest sites. Areas
of forest near water along here are the best places to see
Black-and-red Broadbill which is a fabulous bird that builds
its messy nest over pools and streams - it is easiest to see
between March and July.
Fruiting trees along this stretch of road attract a variety
of species, Green-eared Barbets, Asian Fairy Bluebirds, Oriental
Pied Hornbills, Great Hornbills, Stripe-throated Bulbuls and
Hill Mynas to mention but a few and when a tree which is bearing
fruit is found it is worth waiting some time to see what turns
up with scarcer species such as Eyebrowed Thrush and Golden-crested
Myna likely.
The area around Kilometre 9, where there is a sharp bend in
the road and a small bridge over some water is one of the
best spots along this road for bird watching, particularly
early in the morning where roosting woodpeckrs emerge and
many birds typically come to warm up in the morning sun by
perching in the treetops.
It is also worth driving out of the park an hour before dusk
so that there is time to stop along this road when birds are
spotted. Woodpeckers seem to be active right up until dark
and several species can often be found along here at this
time including Greater Yellownape, Common Flameback and Streak-breasted
Woodpecker. Both Large-tailed and Great Eared Nightjars can
easily be found along this area just before dark and a number
of owls can be heard calling including Brown Boobook and Collared
Scops Owl, but there will not be much time to find them before
you must be off the road and out of the park.
Bang
Krang Campsite: Birders will know that it is
often in and around campsites that bird abundance is at its
highest due to the "edge effect" and at Bang Krang
this can often be true. In the dry season many flocking species
can be obvious here with Scarlet Minivet, Blue-winged Leafbird,
Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Swinhoe's Minivet and a variety
of Leaf Warblers in almost every flock. Sultan Tits frequently
show themselves to be very confiding here with both Taiga
and Asian Brown Flycatchers lurking around in low trees.
Early morning bird activity can be very high here, particularly
if there are fruiting trees around. Blue-eared Barbet, Green-eared
Barbet, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Black-crested
Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul and Blue-winged Leafbird are
always interested in these types of trees and other species,
even hornbills, are likely to turn up and feed on fruiting
trees here.
Blue-bearded Bee-eaters usually frequent this campsite too;
sometimes they are obvious, sometimes a little more searching
is required. In the shady areas around the campsite Hainan
Blue Flycatcher can usually be found in the dry season and
for those of you who like Leaf Warblers, the low tress here
offer the chance to get to grips with Yellow-browed, Two-barred
Greenish, Claudia's and Eastern Crowned Warblers.
Several species of woodpecker can often be found here, with
Grey-headed (Black-naped), Greater Yellownape, Common Flameback,
Heart-spotted Woodpecker and Greater Flameback all being frequent
and during the breeding season Silver-breasted, Black-and-yellow
and Banded Broadbills can often be found. Whatever the time
of year, though, a morning here is excellent for getting aquainted
with many of the commoner forest birds and obtaining photos
of them.
From the campsite a track crosses the stream and provides
access to a seldom-visited part of the forest. At the stream
crossing itself a small flock of White-rumped Munias are often
to be found and along the track sightings of Black-and-red
Broadbill are frequent. This is also a good area to look for
Puff-throated Babbler, Violet Cuckoo, Orange-breasted Trogon,
Streak-breasted Woodpecker and Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush.
From the clearing at the "Youth Camp" it is often
possible to see Grey-rumped Treeswifts flying around as well
as many of the birds that also occur in the campsite. It is
difficult to walk quietly on the tracks around this area as
they are made of gravel and in the dry season they are covered
in dead leaves. However, the track goes for a long way and
the adventurous may find something exciting there and Blue
Pitta has been photographed here in the past.
At night the campsite can be good for those that like night
birding. Large-tailed Nightjars are common; listen for their
call which sounds like a resonant "chonk, chonk"
and Great Eared Nightjar can sometimes be seen cruising around
just before it gets dark. Other night birds here include Asian
Barred Owlet, Collared Owlet, Brown Hawk Owl, Collared Scops
Owl and, for some lucky birders, Oriental Bay Owl and White-fronted
Scops Owl (see below).
Looking For White-fronted Scops Owl:
Kaeng Krachan is one of the few places where birdwatchers
have a chance of seeing this rare and secretive species.
The owls can often be heard uttering their strange drumming
call at night around the campsite and along the road
near streams 1 and 2. However, in my opinion, walking
along the road in the dark will eventually result in
a birder getting crushed by elephants, so it is best
to search for this bird in the campsite where many birders
have found it.
In 2011-13 two White-fronted Scops Owls were frequently
viewed by large numbers of birders and photographers
at a daytime roost near stream 2; unfortunately they
were scared away and have not been seen regularly since.
This species also calls and responds to call playback
at dawn, throughout the morning and even in the middle
of the day; contrary to what may be said about these
owls I have heard them calling at all times of the day
on many occasions.
Stream
Crossings 1 to 3: Shortly after passing out of
the campsite some moist forest is entered, which continues
past the third stream crossing to the point at which the road
begins to climb uphill; this is where many of the "best"
birds are most regularly encountered. Tickell's Brown Hornbills
often frequent this area and it is probably the best area
of the park for seeing Orange-breasted Trogon which can often
be seen sitting quietly out in the open.
This stretch of forest has a good helping of woodpeckers that
can be seen, although thick vegetation and high trees can
make them hard to see. Many species of woodpecker in Thailand
join flocks and if you locate groups of Lesser and Greater
Necklaced Laughingthrushes there is a decent chance that a
woodpecker or two may be with them. Streak-breasted Woodpecker
often joins these groups and sometimes any of the following
may also join the party: Rufous Woodpecker, Buff-rumped Woodpecker,
Greater Flameback, Common Flameback, Greater Yellownape, Crimson-winged
Woodpecker, Banded Woodpecker, Heart-spotted Woodpecker. This
is also a great area to find Great Slaty Woodpecker; a bird
which is very reminiscent of a Pterosaur!
Ochraceous Bulbul is a bird that is common here and due to
its restricted range you may not see it anywhere else; other
bulbuls which are frequently seen along this tretch are Grey-eyed,
Black-crested, Black-headed and Stripe-throated.
In the dry season bird abundance can sometimes be high along
here in the morning with small species flocking together to
feed. Swinhoe's Minivet, Blue-winged Leafbird, Black-winged
Cuckooshrike, Sulphur-breasted Warbler, Eastern Crowned Warbler,
Pin-striped Tit Babbler, Asian Paradise Flycatcher are just
a few of the species which can be seen in most flocks. These
flocks start to disappear as species begin to migrate and
pair up to breed.
The breeding season (March to July for most species) is far
better here than November to early March when most birders
visit for searching for many of those colourful resident species
that many birders see in the field guide and are high on the
"wish list". Broadbills in particular become far
easier to see at this time with Silver-breasted Broadbill
becoming abundant and easy to see from the end of February
onwards. Many pairs of Banded Broadbills are present along
here and call noisily throughout the day when they are pairing
up. A few pairs of Black-and-yellow Broadbills make a stunning
interlude if you can spot them up in the canopy and you may
be lucky enough to find a group of Dusky Broadbills too. All
of the broadbills make quite conspicuous nests consisting
of a hanging mass of vegetation, suspended by a single piece
of vine or branch, often directly over the road!
For those that wish to see forest kingfishers, this area gives
you a decent chance in the breeding season. Banded Kingfisher
can always be found but you must be patient, they sit still
for ages and are eaily missed. Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (the
black-backed version) is absent for most of the year but it
always turns up in mid March and is progressively easier to
see as the nesting season proceeds.
Most visiting birders are keen to see Pittas but it should
be known that these are extremely difficult birds to see.
Outside of the breeding season the only Pitta that there is
a realistic chance of seeing is Blue Pitta and even that is
seen very infrequently until it begins calling in late February
to March. From late April to early May Blue-winged Pittas
and Hooded Pittas begin to arrive from further south and are
fairly easily seen as they will call loudly from perches in
trees. In the heart of the breeding season (June/July) Eared
Pitta usually becomes findable and of course we can all dream
of seeing Giant Pitta along here, and for the vast majority
that is all it is - a dream!
Green Magpie is a bird straight out of a child's colouring
book and it can usually be found along this piece of road,
although it can be remarkably elusive considering how noisy
it is. Crested Jay is an uncommon prize here too but it is
seen on a semi frequent basis in this area.
Whilst there are many great birds to be found along this stretch
of road I do not want to create the impression that you will
see many of these species on any one visit. Most of these
birds are very hard to find and it will take many visits to
see even half of them and at times it is possible to walk
for several kilometres and see virtually nothing.
Km 27.5:
At kilometre Km 27.5 there is an obvious place to park
a car; the spot is marked by a battered sign featuring a bird
silhouette. From here up and down the road for about 1 kilometre
is an excellent place to find Ratchet-tailed Treepie. This
species can be difficult to find and very reluctant to show
itself but several pairs are usually in the area. Long-tailed
Broadbill is like something from a fairytale and frequently
nests here and birders are hardly likely to forget Red-headed
Trogon or Red-bearded Bee-eater if they see either of these
birds here.
A huge tree is just to the right of the road a few hundred
metres uphill of the parking spot, and if it is fruiting it
is a great place to see Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill,
Great Barbet, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Mountain Imperial Pigeon
and if you are very lucky, perhaps Yellow-vented Pigeon or
Silver Oriole; Gibbons and Leaf Monkeys also frequently visit
this tree when in fruit.
Bird waves can occur in this area and usually contain Grey-chinned
Minivet, Speckled Piculet, White-throated Fantail, White-browed
Scimitar-babbler, White-crested Laughingthrush and Yellow-bellied
Warbler; in the dry season these are also usually joined by
Sulphur-breasted Warbler and Swinhoe's Minivet. The smaller
birds will sometimes give away the location of Collared Owlet
as they mob it.
In the shrub layer along the road Radde's Warbler is common
in winter and Collared Babbler can be found at any time of
year; Golden, Buff-breasted, Grey-throated and Spot-necked
Babblers are also resident at this altitude. If you are really
lucky you may get a view of either Rufous-browed Flycatcher
or Rusty-naped Pitta; both are fairly abundant in this area
but they are really skulking and shy.
At times it can seem like there are no birds at all along
here, but with patience there are a large number of excellent
species can be found.
Panoen
Thung Campsite: There are some magnificent
views over the forest from this altitude and often lots of
birds too. The campsite itself is a great spot for Barbets
with Blue-throated and Blue-eared very easily seen and Great
Barbet often calling noisily from treetops. Several other
species can nearly always be easily seen here with Flavescent
Bulbul, Blyth's (White-browed) Shrike-babbler, Mountain Bulbul,
Orange-bellied Leafbird and Streaked Spiderhunter ever present.
Migrant species which can commonly be seen here include Dark-sided
Flycatcher, which is amazingly loyal to its favourite perches,
Blue Rock Thrush and Ashy Drongo. This is also a great spot
for actually getting a view of Vernal Hanging Parrot perched
in a tree instead of seeing it zipping across the canopy.
Several view points here provide a great opportunity to view
across the forest and into the canopy.
The view point at the gate has a little shelter so it is a
good place to sit and watch if it is raining and a few trees
here regularly attract Bulbuls, Leafbirds, Barbets, Asian
Fairy Bluebird and other fruit-eating species.The campsite
view point 1 overlooks a stand of trees all of which bear
fruit and if you are here at the right time they will be full
of Barbets, Bulbuls and frequently Thick-billed and Yellow-vented
Green Pigeons will join the party.
The restaurant view point is excellent and offers a great
view over some lovely forest. This is a great place to sit
and wait for birds to arrive in the middle of the day and
several species of raptors are likely to be spotted when the
conditions are right; Mountain Hawk Eagle, Rufous-bellied
Eagle and Black Baza often show here. Hornbills are also likely
to be spotted from here as they fly across the forest - Great
and Wreathed Hornbills are frequent but be careful not to
string Plain-pouched Hornbill as the stripe on the throat
of Wreathed is very hard to see in flight and many of the
id features in Robson's Field Guide are incorrect. Genuine
sightings of this species at Kaeng Krachan are exceptionally
rare. Smaller birds will also be seen while sitting here with
Blyth's Shrike-babbler, Grey Treepie, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
and Dark-sided Flycatcher are highly likely to be spotted
in an afternoon session at this relaxing place.
The campsite view point 2 looks out towards Myanmar and again,
Raptors and Hornbills can often be spotted while in the surrounding
trees Bulbuls and Barbets are frequent. This view point has
no shelter so is exposed to the rain and sun making it less
attractive to birders than the other view points which all
have seating and shelter.
There is a short nature trail which starts a few hundred metres
before the Panoen Tung checkpoint and goes through some very
nice forest. The short walk along here can often turn up mixed
flocks of birds including species such as Collared Babbler,
Black-throated Laughingthrush, White-browed Scimitar-babbler,
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo and Golden Babbler - Ratchet-tailed
Treepie sometimes joins these flocks too so be vigilant. The
open understorey here is a good place to look for the skulking
Rufous-browed Flycatcher; difficult to see but surprisingly
common at this location.
Km
34-36: The road continues past the campsite for
a few kilometres to a trail to TorTip waterfall; the section
between kilometres 34 and 36 being perhaps the best and the
open areas afford some lovely views over the forest providing
the opportunity to scan for raptors - Rufous-bellied Eagle
is seen more often here than most places, Grey-headed Fish
Eagle is rare but Mountain Hawk Eagle, Oriental Honey-buzzard,
Crested Goshawk, Grey-faced Buzzard are all frequently seen
and when raptors are migrating other species, particularly
Chinese Sparrowhawk, Japanese Sparrowhawk and Black Baza,
are highly likely.
Bird
Watching Tours To Kaeng Krachan: If you are
staying in Bangkok and have 2-5 days to go birding then
a visit to Kaeng Krachan makes an excellent short birding
trip.
At any time of year a good selection of colourful forest
birds are present with migrants present in the dry season
and resident birds more obvious in the wet season.
Contact me to arrange a birding trip and/or to discuss
the best bird watching options for you: nickupton@thaibirding.com
It is worthwhile looking out for bamboo which has reached
the flowering stage as this is favored by Pin-tailed Parrotfinch.
In most years there is a clump of bamboo which flowers for
a few months before dying and this always attracts these colorful
little birds which are extremely difficult to see otherwise.
A few pairs of the stunning Red-bearded Bee-eater occupy this
area, they are easiest to locate when breeding but can show
up at any time, and other species such as Yellow-vented Green
Pigeon, Wreathed Hornbill, Great Hornbill and various barbets
will turn up in the fruting trees along here.
Most of the reports of Plain-pouched Hornbill come from this
area; in my opinion the vast majority (all?) of these reports
are misidentified Wreathed Hornbills. It can be very hard
to see the stripe on the pouch of some Wreathed Hornbills
and many of them also show the brownish base to the bill that
the field guide suggests is an id feature. I was once fooled
into thinking I had seen a Plain-pouched Hornbill here due
to this feature but a photo was obtained and when we zoomed
in we could see the stripe on the pouch which confirmed it
as Wreathed Hornbill.
The trail to Tortip waterfall goes through some nice forest
where some of the southern species at the northernmost limit
of their range are sometimes seen with Streaked Bulbul, Black-and-yellow
Broadbill, Red-throated Barbet and Maroon-breasted Philentoma
all having been seen.
Facilities
Facilities within the national park are very limited. At
park headquarters (outside the main part of the national park)
there are a few bungalows but the quality of these are pretty
low. There is also a decent campsite at HQ (next to the lake)
with good toilet facilities for those that are required to
wait here for any reason. There is a mulititude of accommodation
here too. However, park HQ and the lakeside accommodation
is some distance from the birding and most birders will want
to get to Ban Krang campsite which is pleasantly situated
with enough flat areas to pitch tents and several clean toilet/shower
facilities. Food is usually available from the small restaurant
but they do sometimes run out after the weekend, so it is
worth bringing cooking equipment and food if staying for a
few days without your own transport. There is camping equipment
for hire; tents, sleeping bags etc. but some of the tents
are very poor so don't be scared to ask for another one if
the first one you get is little more than a plastic bag and
some sticks. The campsite higher up at Panoen Tung is considerably
better, with good tents for hire and a small restaurant and
clean toilets and showers. The nearby town of Petchaburi is
a suitable place to stock up on food for the camping trip
with a large supermarket (Big C) on the main highway to the
south.
Accommodation at Ban
Maka Nature Lodge (Photo by Nick
Upton)
For those wishing to stay in comfort then Baan
Maka Nature Lodge is an excellent option and closer
to the park gate (approx 15 minute drive) than the accommodation
at the lake with good food and friendly management who speak
fluent English and go out of their way to help guests with
any sensible request. Samarn
Bird Camp is also a good option for birdwatchers,
with good quality rooms, good food and helpful owners; this
has the added bonus of being very close to the park gate.
Both of these guesthouses are used to catering to birdwatchers
and will provide early breakfasts and assistance in visiting
the forest. There are a couple of rooms available at Ban
Song Nok too and "Auntie Ek" will probably
provide food as she is very friendly, although I have never
eaten there myself.
There are also a wide selection of guesthouses further from
the park gate, near the dam, that are all pleasant enough
if all other options are exhausted; it does, however, take
about 25-30 minutes to drive to the park gate from this area.
Staying at any guesthouse does involve travelling into the
park every morning and paying the entrance fee every day.
The closest ATM is now at Kaeng Krachan municipality and there
is a decent small hospital in the same area along with 7/11
and several other small stores.
The entrance fee to this National Park is now 300 baht
per person for foreigners plus 30 baht for your vehicle. If
you are in a group please do not all pay separately with 1000
baht notes, the young lady selling the tickets got quite upset
about this because she had to use her own money to supply
change; she asked me to pass this on to other birders. Thanks,
on her behalf.
Useful Books
The
Ecology and Conservation of Asian Hornbills This informative book has everything a birder would
want to know about the ecological importance of Asian
Hornbills in their forest habitat. A wonderful reference
book for birders interested in these iconic birds.
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.
Bird
Watching Trips:
Kaeng Krachan is a must-visit location for birdwatching
trips in Thailand whether as part of a longer itinerary
or for just a few days from Bangkok. Each time of year
has its specialities but there is always something good
to see at Kaeng Krachan.