Thailand: Khao Yai National Park

 Khao Yai National Park

An enormous fig tree in Khao Yai

The birding on our trip was arranged by an extremely capable company, Wild Bird Eco tours. Please consider using them if you decide to go.  It is owned and operated by Thais, and all of their guides and drivers are Thai. You are supporting local ecotourism when you go with them, and their logistics capabilities are exemplary!

Our driver (Mr. Chod) picked us up at our Bangkok hotel early in the morning, so we could make the long drive north. We stopped first at Wat Phra Phuttabat Noi, a scenic temple at the base of impressive limestone cliffs, racking up some nice species of central Thailand: Common Iora, Bronzed Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Blue Whistling-thrush, and Olive-backed Sunbird. We heard Rufous Limestone Babbler, but it remained hidden in the thick vegetation. Our guide for this part of the trip was Ms. Nang, a cheerful and energetic Thai with many years of experience in both birding and cultural tours. Great birder, too, with impressive knowledge of bird sounds. Nang took a cue from our interest in bats, so she next took us to the Khao Yai bat cave. We got there just in time to see thousands of Wrinkle-lipped Bats spilling out into the night air. This elicits an impressive raptor flight. In quick succession, Nang pointed out Shikra, Eastern Buzzard, Eurasian Kestrel, Oriental Hobby, and Peregrine Falcon -- all snatching bats in mid-air for an evening snack. The buzzard and Shikra would lazily plow through the column and roll to grab one, but the hobby and peregrine would chase them down in level flight at high speed. A few Richard's Pipits called from the grass as we sat in awe.

We had three and a half days inside Khao Yai National Park. It is really impressive deciduous forest. Although it was winter, the leaves on the trees make for an incredibly dense foliage display, which presents a challenge for finding the source of all that persistent bird song. One of the specialties is Silver Pheasant, which we tracked down on a boardwalk trail near the summit. Its shocking white back color is decorated with intricate feather patterns. We remained quiet and spent many minutes admiring two males and a posse of females. (Good photos are almost impossible in the forest darkness.)

Back at the van, the birds just kept coming: Brown Shrike, Mountain Imperial-pigeon, Brown-rumped Minivet, Blue Rock-thrush, Gray-backed Thrush. We enjoyed the raucous calls of Black-throated Laughingthrush, a species threatened by the cage-bird trade.

A Black-winged Cuckooshrike perched just above us.

Driving back down the mountain, we had a thrilling look at Orange-breasted Trogon.

Orange-breasted Trogon, buried in the thick mid-canopy leaves.

Wreathed Hornbills flew past. Crested Serpent-eagle cruised overhead, while Crested Goshawk scooted by at mid-canopy. The forest in Khao Yai was ringing with the calls of Barbets (Blue-eared, Green-eared, Lineated, Moustached) all morning long, complemented at times by White-handed Gibbons. The resulting chorus is haunting -- in fact, I think this must be what is used in spooky movies to set the dark tone of the supposedly-malevolent jungle.

Verditer Flycatchers and Blue Whistling-thrush are fairly common, but stunning nonetheless.

Near the park headquarters, photographers were streaming in to see a nest of Buffy Fish-owls. We admired an adult and one young bird calmly tolerating the paparazzi. This was our first in this strange but captivating genus of owls, with their alien-looking horizontal headdresses.

And so it went for three and a half days. Khao Yai is just wonder piled upon wonder. One day the birding was interrupted by a report of an elephant wandering through the campground, so we raced off to gawk from a safe distance.

Asian elephant taking a dust bath

The young male was ambling around, people-watching it seems. Park rangers watched it closely, needless to say, eventually coaxing it back into the forest. A great opportunity to see how this differs from African Elephant, with its smaller earflaps and high head bump. Friends at iNaturalist.org tell me that this creature sports the subspecies name Indian Elephant.

Nang blurted out "stop the van!!" when she spied this cool-looking cuckoo above the road.

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo

This is one of many birds that seems to have characteristics of a drongo (all black, long tailed), but is decidedly its own critter - in this case, cuckoo it is.

We had several opportunities to see Oriental Pied-hornbill in the park. Their size and loud calls make them conspicuous, so not so hard to see.

We sat one evening beside a pond, and got great looks at Brown-backed Needletails swooping over, an impressive large swift. It was accompanied by Dusky Crag-martin. An East Asian Porcupine then trotted up and showed us its hefty spines. Later that night, Nang scanned a flashlight across an open area to reveal a Civet and a Golden Jackal scampering off. Khao Yai is a great place for mammals!

Nightjars, too. Nang took us on a brief night ride to get looks at Indian Nightjar resting on the road. Nearby were Gray Nightjars, Large-tailed Nightjars, and the B-52 of the the family, a Great Eared-nightjar.

And more drongos, like this Greater Racket-tailed Drongo with its outrageous tail plumes.

Thailand is home to the original bird that became domesticated as the chicken (in one of the most significant steps in human agricultural development). They were calling from many places in the park, and can be approached if you are quiet. The Red Junglefowl (note the white spot on the cheek) is a colorful creature indeed.

Asia has a lot of thrushes, a family not well represented in the new world. Eye-browed thrush is one example that we saw at close range, and Orange-headed Thrush really knows how to light up the dark forest.

Greater Coucal is exciting to see. We would later see them in urban areas, so they are not a forest specialist.

Bulbuls seem to be a hallmark of any trip to Thailand, since they are non-existent in the new world. This Gray-eyed Bulbul posed close enough for a photo.

We saw at least one bulbul each day of the trip, and usually multiple. In 11 days, we compiled this collection: Black-headed, Black-crested, Striated, Red-whiskered, Brown-breasted, Sooty-headed, Stripe-throated, Flavescent, Yellow-vented, Streak-eared, Puff-throated, Gray-eyed, Black, Ashy, and Mountain Bulbuls, as well as Crested Finchbill.

Another treasure for new-world birders is the family of Broadbills, or Eurylaimidae. They are chunky flycatchers with enormous flat bills and bold colors, as well as loud voices. My best photos were of Banded Broadbill, at the Haew Suwat waterfall area in Khao Yai. When a broadbill was announced by the guide, all other matters were promptly set aside.

We have seen many kingfishers on our tropical America trips. But a unique member of the family is Banded Kingfisher, which needs no water: it has adapted to forest habitat. Pretty sharp looking, too.

My photos do not do justice to the magnificent Khao Yai National Park. Steep mountain hillsides, cool temperatures (we wore down coats at the top), jungle-like vegetation, the constant calls of barbets, monkeys, owlets, and babblers. And protected well from poachers loggers and livestock, too. A week seemed too short to take it all in. Thank you, Ms. Nang!

Asian Elephants at their salt lick (mineral lick) after sunset in Khao Yai

Ms. Nang on the lookout for forktails at Khao Yai

Next: Chiang Mai