Bird watching takes place in all sorts of environments.  Some birders prefer walking through forests or jungles. Some birders fancy seeing birds in a beach atmosphere.  One of the easiest and most productive ways to watch birds is from the comfort and convenience of a traditional kayak or canoe.  It’s almost effortless to slip up close to birds in their natural habitat by a self-propelled kayak (canoe). Our Khao Sok birding tour is relax and very productive. 

Most of our birding trips are on foot.

The bird watching in Thailand is outstanding!  PaddleAsia offers several trips which include birding.  Dave Williams, PaddleAsia’s birding specialist, is a fanatic birdwatcher. His enthusiasm for this wonderful pastime motivates non-birders as well as seasoned birders. Nipon "Tom" Pannoi and Ms. Games Punjapa are the lead Thai birding guides. Their wonderful personality combined with her keen eye will make your Thailand birdwatching trip truly memorably.

Did you realize that there have been more than 980 species of birds recorded in Thailand?  Over 200 species of birds that have been recorded in Thailand’s mangrove forests!  Close to 400 species of birds reside in or visit Khao Sok National Park.  Hornbill sightings are actually common in Khao Sok!  You're likely to see plenty of exotic tropical birds on our trips to Phang Nga bay trip where mangrove forests are common.

We can combine any of our destinations to give you a better chance of seeing more birds. One nice combination tour is Khao Sok and Phang Nga Province.

Our most popular trip however, is a Phuket Birding Day Trip. In spite of certain parts of the island being over-developed, there are still plenty of birds to be seen and the variety of habitat means you'll have a wonderful opportunity to maximize your species count.

Jewels of the South

This popular annual multi-destination birding extravaganza takes you to a wide variety of habitats in various parts of the south. There is also an add-on that focuses on central Thailand.

Read the trip report and see the bird checklist. Click here to read the trip report from the 2011 Jewels of the South trip.

Click here to see the Jewels of the South trip report for 2011.

If you are looking to maximize your species count, this is the way to do it.

Birding close to Phuket

Just north of Phuket is Thai Muang. The number of birds seen there is really incredible and unique birds are seen fairly frequently. Check out this Thai Muang Bird List.

Khao Nor Chuchi and Krung Ching are two destinations where you'll see birds that aren't available elsewhere.

There are many families of birds in Thailand, here are a couple of favorites:

Kingfishers - There are 86 species of kingfishers worldwide.  Thailand has 15 species.  Most of them have bright plumage.

Kingfishers typically perch in trees in an upright exposed posture.  They often plunge-dive in the water for food.  They eat fish, shrimp, other small aquatic animals, insects and occasionally small terrestrial animals such as lizards.

Some species, such as the White-throated kingfisher, inhabit inland areas.  They’re commonly seen around rice fields looking for lizards, frogs, and insects.  They’re absolutely stunning when the sunlight hits their beautiful shiny blue feathers.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher photo by Mr. Ian Dugdale

Hornbills

Hornbills - All of the hornbills found in Thailand are resident... they don't migrate.

These very primative birds are one of the most amazing birds in Thailand. You don't have to be a seasoned birder to appreciate these unique flying wonders of nature.

Hornbills are primarily frugivorous (fruit eaters) though they will take small reptiles, insects, and even other smaller birds during molting or when rearing young.

Hornbills make their nests in holes in trees.  Dipterocarpus, massive straight-trunked trees, are a popular species for hornbills to build their nests.  If you see hornbills, there is some nice jungle somewhere nearby.

The female seals herself in a hole using mud and droppings.  This helps prevent predation.  The male's role is that of a food provider.  He will bring the female and their young food until the young are ready to leave their transitory home.

Helpful birding hints:

Birding tours – The best way to get started in birding is to go on a birding adventure tour.  If you choose the right birding tour, you’ll be rewarded with great bird sightings and a wealth of birding information.  PaddleAsia offers birding tours to several locations in southern Thailand.  Khao Sok National Park is the best place to see hornbills along with a wide variety of exotic tropical birds.  Phang Nga Bay is great for seeing various shore birds, kingfishers, and birds that inhabit the limestone islands.  Thale Noi is one of the most amazing places to see birds that prefer a freshwater marsh environment.  Unusual birds such as the Purple Swamphen, the Bronzed-winged Jacana, and the Pheasant-tailed Jacana are abundant at Thale Noi.

Binoculars - As a very rough guide for first-time birders when purchasing birding binoculars, look for a pair that when you divide the first number into the second number you come up with the number five.  7X35 binoculars, for example, equal five when divided.  10X50 binoculars result in five also.  The first number is the magnification.  The second number is the field of vision.  Many binoculars are available that offer good magnification, but without sufficient field of vision, you’ll have difficulty finding the bird.

For a more complete description of binoculars, see our main birding site.

To identify some species of birds, you’ll need to see details.  Powerful binoculars are essential for identifying birds.

Field Guide – there are several field guides for the birds of Thailand.  The best is A Guide to the Birds of Thailand by Boonsong Lekagul and Dr. Philip Round.  There’s a quick reference is on the inside cover.  A map is provided for each bird showing its range and whether it’s a resident, winter visitor, or a passage migrant.  The various bird species are given in high quality drawings. Click here for more info on birding field guides.

Learn the birds in the area – Learn which birds are in the area that you plan on visiting before going there.  This makes positive identification much easier.

Birding groups – There are birding clubs worldwide.  Some of the birding chat groups on the internet can be very helpful.  One of the best is on about.com.  

Note: Malaysian Rail-Babbler photo by Ian Dugdale.