Thailand
Thailand stretches from the forested mountains of mainland Southeast Asia to the tropical shores and islands of the Malay Peninsula. Northern Thailand is dominated by mountain ranges, valleys and seasonal forests, including the country's highest peak at Doi Inthanon, while the central region consists largely of the fertile Chao Phraya plain. The northeast is characterised by the drier Khorat Plateau, and southern Thailand becomes increasingly tropical, with evergreen rainforest, limestone karst, mangroves and extensive coastlines along the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. The climate is strongly influenced by the monsoon, producing distinct wet and dry seasons across much of the country.
Overview
Thailand is one of Southeast Asia's most established birding destinations, combining high diversity with excellent accessibility. Northern sites such as Doi Inthanon, Doi Ang Khang and Doi Lang are famous for montane birds, including laughingthrushes, minlas, nuthatches and winter migrants. Kaeng Krachan National Park offers outstanding lowland and hill-forest birding, with hornbills, broadbills, pittas and woodpeckers, while Khao Yai is another easily accessible forest destination. Southern Thailand adds Sundaic species, and coastal wetlands around the Inner Gulf of Thailand are internationally important for shorebirds, including the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Thailand has specialist guides, birding lodges, hides and a strong road network, making independent or guided birding relatively straightforward. The November–March period is especially popular because resident birds are joined by large numbers of northern migrants.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis | 42.7% | 41.2% | 37.9% | 37.5% | 36.5% | 41.3% | 43.9% | 44.2% | 46.6% | 49.1% | 46.6% | 45.1% | 42.4% |
| Zebra Dove Geopelia striata | 40.7% | 33.9% | 30.1% | 32.4% | 36.6% | 42.9% | 44.6% | 43.6% | 51.1% | 53.2% | 44.6% | 40.0% | 35.1% |
| Common Myna Acridotheres tristis | 40.1% | 31.9% | 30.7% | 33.9% | 39.5% | 44.4% | 45.1% | 45.5% | 47.6% | 49.3% | 41.5% | 38.1% | 33.3% |
| Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis | 36.9% | 30.2% | 31.0% | 34.9% | 42.2% | 46.2% | 45.7% | 39.5% | 37.3% | 39.3% | 35.7% | 32.2% | 29.1% |
| Great Myna Acridotheres grandis | 36.5% | 29.6% | 27.6% | 30.4% | 36.2% | 41.7% | 42.2% | 40.7% | 43.6% | 44.5% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 30.3% |
| Rock Pigeon Columba livia | 35.5% | 30.3% | 27.1% | 29.2% | 33.7% | 38.5% | 39.0% | 36.5% | 40.8% | 44.1% | 40.0% | 35.6% | 31.1% |
| Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus conradi | 35.0% | 29.5% | 28.7% | 33.5% | 40.1% | 41.7% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 36.8% | 39.9% | 34.4% | 31.5% | 28.2% |
| Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus | 31.0% | 33.2% | 35.2% | 38.6% | 40.5% | 35.4% | 26.6% | 22.7% | 25.4% | 29.8% | 28.1% | 27.4% | 28.7% |
| Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos | 30.3% | 27.9% | 26.7% | 29.3% | 31.3% | 28.8% | 27.2% | 27.9% | 33.0% | 38.1% | 34.1% | 30.7% | 28.8% |
| Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis | 28.5% | 23.1% | 23.2% | 28.4% | 35.2% | 37.4% | 35.4% | 33.6% | 30.7% | 26.5% | 22.2% | 23.0% | 22.8% |