Florin Chirila
Well-known member
I was based in Chiang Mai, visited the city, Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon NP's.
Observed species list
1 Great Egret - Ardea alba
2 Zebra Dove - Geopelia striata
3 Spotted Dove - Spilopelia chinensis
4 Feral Pigeon - Columba livia forma domestica
5 Green-billed Malkoha - Phaenicophaeus tristis
6 Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopaceus
7 Crested Treeswift - Hemiprocne coronata
8 Himalayan Swiftlet - Aerodramus brevirostris
9 Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis
10 Coppersmith Barbet - Psilopogon haemacephalus
11 Ashy Woodswallow - Artamus fuscus
12 Common Iora - Aegithina tiphia
13 Grey-chinned Minivet - Pericrocotus solaris
14 Brown Shrike - Lanius cristatus
15 Black Drongo - Dicrurus macrocercus
16 Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus
17 Greater Racket-tailed Drongo - Dicrurus paradiseus
18 Black-naped Monarch - Hypothymis azurea
19 Large-billed Crow - Corvus macrorhynchos
20 Yellow-bellied Fantail - Chelidorhynx hypoxanthus
21 Black-headed Bulbul - Pycnonotus atriceps
22 Sooty-headed Bulbul - Pycnonotus aurigaster
23 Flavescent Bulbul - Pycnonotus flavescens
24 Yellow-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus goiavier
25 Streak-eared Bulbul - Pycnonotus blanfordi
26 Black-capped Bulbul - Pycnonotus melanicterus
27 Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
28 Asian House Martin - Delichon dasypus
29 Dusky Warbler - Phylloscopus fuscatus
30 Buff-throated Warbler - Phylloscopus subaffinis
31 Yellow-browed Warbler - Phylloscopus inornatus
32 Pale-legged Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus tenellipes
33 Common Tailorbird - Orthotomus sutorius
34 Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca
35 Japanese White-eye - Zosterops japonicus
36 Great Myna - Acridotheres grandis
37 Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis
38 Chestnut-tailed Starling - Sturnia malabarica
39 Siberian Thrush - Geokichla sibirica
40 Siberian Blue Robin - Larvivora cyane
41 Red-flanked Bluetail - Tarsiger cyanurus
42 Pied Bush Chat - Saxicola caprata
43 Jerdon's Bush Chat - Saxicola jerdoni
44 Blue Rock Thrush - Monticola solitarius
45 Little Pied Flycatcher - Ficedula westermanni
46 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker - Dicaeum cruentatum
47 Mrs. Gould's Sunbird - Aethopyga gouldiae
48 Green-tailed Sunbird - Aethopyga nipalensis
49 Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus
50 Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata
51 White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
52 White-crested Laughingthrush - Garrulax leucolophus
53 Bar-throated Minla - Minla strigula
54 Rufous-winged Fulvetta - Alcippe castaneceps
55 Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush - Trochalopteron erythrocephalum
56 Asian Palm Swift - Cypsiurus balasiensis
Main places for observations:
Chiang Mai - Nong Buak Haad Public Park, Royal Park Rajapruek.
Doi Suthep NP - Doi Pui View Point
Doi Inthanon NP - the summit area, Ang Ka nature trail, various places along the road and Klang river.
Tips and tricks:
- In Chiang Mai, don't miss Rajapruek park. When there, pay attention at the area close to the entrance, very good for warblers, sunbirds, flowerpeckers...
- Doi Inthanon (admission fee 300 Baht/person + 30 for car) - summit area is very productive, despite the crowded place. I had 3 or 4 new species while ordering a coffee at a busy coffee-shop...
Ang Ka trail is ok, but quite dark - photo is tough here.
Mae Pan nature trail is counter-productive for birders (although spectacular at some point), since you must hire for 200 Baht/group a 'local guide' who will literally chase you along the trail and hardly speak English, let alone know anything about birds. The forest is very dark, poor in birds. Some birds can be seen at the view point, but hardly something you cannot spot elsewhere.
Do find some quiet open place anywhere along the main road, with forest, clearing and riverside. It will certainly provide good results !
Spend at least one full day in D.I. (I spent almost two).
- Doi Suthep - waste of time, to be avoided by birders (unless you specifically plan to visit the temple or the traditional Lanna village or to oversee the city) ! The traffic on the road is surprisingly intense, especially with noisy motorbikes, and there's little chance to find a quiet place further in the woods, which is quite dense and dark. Spend your birding time more effectively elsewhere.
Off-topic about the city:
If you stay in Chiang Mai and plan to visit the neighbourhoods, renting a car can be a good idea. I strongly recommend Thai Rent A Car (office in the airport). Traffic in the city can be coped with, even by a continental right-side driver like me, and even better by the British |=)|
Plenty of Buddhist temples downtown, imho Wat Chedi Luang is the most picturesque of them. The spectacular Rajapruek Royal Park (admission fee 200 Baht) is a must not only for birds, but also for a magnificent orchid collection.
Eating out is subject for multiple convenient and delicious choices, don't miss the Food Market in the Bazaar. Thai massage places everywhere, most of them good (but don't go for the cheap ones, less than 200 Baht/hour).
I'll be happy to share more detailed info to anyone interested.
Observed species list
1 Great Egret - Ardea alba
2 Zebra Dove - Geopelia striata
3 Spotted Dove - Spilopelia chinensis
4 Feral Pigeon - Columba livia forma domestica
5 Green-billed Malkoha - Phaenicophaeus tristis
6 Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopaceus
7 Crested Treeswift - Hemiprocne coronata
8 Himalayan Swiftlet - Aerodramus brevirostris
9 Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis
10 Coppersmith Barbet - Psilopogon haemacephalus
11 Ashy Woodswallow - Artamus fuscus
12 Common Iora - Aegithina tiphia
13 Grey-chinned Minivet - Pericrocotus solaris
14 Brown Shrike - Lanius cristatus
15 Black Drongo - Dicrurus macrocercus
16 Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus
17 Greater Racket-tailed Drongo - Dicrurus paradiseus
18 Black-naped Monarch - Hypothymis azurea
19 Large-billed Crow - Corvus macrorhynchos
20 Yellow-bellied Fantail - Chelidorhynx hypoxanthus
21 Black-headed Bulbul - Pycnonotus atriceps
22 Sooty-headed Bulbul - Pycnonotus aurigaster
23 Flavescent Bulbul - Pycnonotus flavescens
24 Yellow-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus goiavier
25 Streak-eared Bulbul - Pycnonotus blanfordi
26 Black-capped Bulbul - Pycnonotus melanicterus
27 Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
28 Asian House Martin - Delichon dasypus
29 Dusky Warbler - Phylloscopus fuscatus
30 Buff-throated Warbler - Phylloscopus subaffinis
31 Yellow-browed Warbler - Phylloscopus inornatus
32 Pale-legged Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus tenellipes
33 Common Tailorbird - Orthotomus sutorius
34 Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca
35 Japanese White-eye - Zosterops japonicus
36 Great Myna - Acridotheres grandis
37 Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis
38 Chestnut-tailed Starling - Sturnia malabarica
39 Siberian Thrush - Geokichla sibirica
40 Siberian Blue Robin - Larvivora cyane
41 Red-flanked Bluetail - Tarsiger cyanurus
42 Pied Bush Chat - Saxicola caprata
43 Jerdon's Bush Chat - Saxicola jerdoni
44 Blue Rock Thrush - Monticola solitarius
45 Little Pied Flycatcher - Ficedula westermanni
46 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker - Dicaeum cruentatum
47 Mrs. Gould's Sunbird - Aethopyga gouldiae
48 Green-tailed Sunbird - Aethopyga nipalensis
49 Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus
50 Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata
51 White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
52 White-crested Laughingthrush - Garrulax leucolophus
53 Bar-throated Minla - Minla strigula
54 Rufous-winged Fulvetta - Alcippe castaneceps
55 Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush - Trochalopteron erythrocephalum
56 Asian Palm Swift - Cypsiurus balasiensis
Main places for observations:
Chiang Mai - Nong Buak Haad Public Park, Royal Park Rajapruek.
Doi Suthep NP - Doi Pui View Point
Doi Inthanon NP - the summit area, Ang Ka nature trail, various places along the road and Klang river.
Tips and tricks:
- In Chiang Mai, don't miss Rajapruek park. When there, pay attention at the area close to the entrance, very good for warblers, sunbirds, flowerpeckers...
- Doi Inthanon (admission fee 300 Baht/person + 30 for car) - summit area is very productive, despite the crowded place. I had 3 or 4 new species while ordering a coffee at a busy coffee-shop...
Ang Ka trail is ok, but quite dark - photo is tough here.
Mae Pan nature trail is counter-productive for birders (although spectacular at some point), since you must hire for 200 Baht/group a 'local guide' who will literally chase you along the trail and hardly speak English, let alone know anything about birds. The forest is very dark, poor in birds. Some birds can be seen at the view point, but hardly something you cannot spot elsewhere.
Do find some quiet open place anywhere along the main road, with forest, clearing and riverside. It will certainly provide good results !
Spend at least one full day in D.I. (I spent almost two).
- Doi Suthep - waste of time, to be avoided by birders (unless you specifically plan to visit the temple or the traditional Lanna village or to oversee the city) ! The traffic on the road is surprisingly intense, especially with noisy motorbikes, and there's little chance to find a quiet place further in the woods, which is quite dense and dark. Spend your birding time more effectively elsewhere.
Off-topic about the city:
If you stay in Chiang Mai and plan to visit the neighbourhoods, renting a car can be a good idea. I strongly recommend Thai Rent A Car (office in the airport). Traffic in the city can be coped with, even by a continental right-side driver like me, and even better by the British |=)|
Plenty of Buddhist temples downtown, imho Wat Chedi Luang is the most picturesque of them. The spectacular Rajapruek Royal Park (admission fee 200 Baht) is a must not only for birds, but also for a magnificent orchid collection.
Eating out is subject for multiple convenient and delicious choices, don't miss the Food Market in the Bazaar. Thai massage places everywhere, most of them good (but don't go for the cheap ones, less than 200 Baht/hour).
I'll be happy to share more detailed info to anyone interested.
