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10 Most wanted Thais birds

The Kingdom of Thailand covers a wide

variety of natural habitats across its country. One
could enjoy birdwatching in every single part of
which hosts its own avian rarities. The editor of
Bird Conservation of Thailand bulletin has come
up with an idea of making a short compilation of
the most sought-after species by asking opinions
from a number of well-known, experienced birdwatchers to come up with their personal lists of
species they have always been longing to see.
The results reveal ten of the most elusive birds
that top ranking birdwatchers have in common
in their wishlist. Most require the highest skilled
knowledge and utmost preservence in order to
track them down just to have a glimpse.

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(Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Trochalopteron milnei)

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Photo by Mr.Warawut Promsawat

An inhabitant of hill evergreen forests starting from approximately 1,800 m above sea level.
There are only a handful of records in the past ten
years. It is said that only 5 or less people have
photographed this elusive bird in Thailand. Virtually all records are from mountains in the northern
tip of Chiang Mai bordering Myanmar namely Doi
Angkhang and Doi Pha Hom Pok.

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(Crested Kingfisher, Megaceryle lugubris)

Photo by Mr.Jaray Mekkaew

(Great Thick-knee, Esacus recurvirostris)

Photo by Mr.Watchara Sanguansombat

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Arguably the largest kingfisher in Thailand
with unmistakably loud and squeaky noises given
in flight. Despite its wide-ranging distribution from
northwestern to southwestern parts of the country,
the Crested Kingfisher is generally rarely seen. Let
alone photographing. Its habitats are large streams
of hill slopes from 600 to 1,200 m above sea
level. Popular sites for this species include Mae
Wong National Park, Kampaengphet, and several
patches of forests in Mae Hong Son. Surprisingly,
many birdwatchers have heard its calls, but failed
to actually see it.

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...

A regionally threatened waterbird which is

rarely seen in the past 20 years outside its regular
sites, this species is rather secretive as its Thai
name implies (Nok-kra-tair-pee-yai meaning the
great ghost lapwing). Most birdwatchers based in
Bangkok and lower central Thailand may have had
this species ticked in their life-lists from occasional
dispersed non-breeding individuals along the inner
gulf, whereas their only known breeding sites are
located on sandbanks along Mae Kong River in
the East. It is largely crepuscular and nocturnal.
Despite its large size, it can be surprisingly difficult
to spot due to the plain grey-brown camouflage
colouration.

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(Chestnut-capped Thrush, Geokichla interpres)

Photo by Mr.Santi Lee

(Beautiful Nuthatch, Sitta formosa)

Photo by Mr.Wichyanan Limparungpatthanakij

One of the secretive specialties confined
to Southern lowland rainforests habitats which
have seriously been threatened by deforestation,
mainly owing to the ever expanding oil palm and
rubber plantations. It has been found in Krung
Ching Waterfall in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Ton
Ngachang Waterfall in Songkhla, and Khao PraBang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary in Krabi. It is so
scarce that there is a saying Wherever someone
finds this bird, I will have to be there even if my
leg is broken.

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It is worth risking your life to see, said an
experienced birdwatcher who had made attempts
to see this rare gem by hiking up a steep and slippery hill of Doi Pukha National Park, Nan, where it
is most frequently sighted in Thailand. Even when
one makes it all the way up there, it can no way
be guaranteed that this rare beauty would show
up as its population density is seemingly very little.

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(Large Frogmouth,
Batrachostomus auritus)

(Crested Wood Partridge, Rollulus rouloul)

Photo by Mr.Thiti Tanaree

Photo by Dr.Kaset Sutasha

This bizarre nocturnal bird is said to be

heard on occasion by the staff of Hala-Bala Wildlife
Sanctuary and several birdwatchers who visited the
place, but is yet to be actually seen by anyone
despite its enormous size. Its first record came
from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, but its occurrence
nowadays is only confirmed further south in Yala
and Narathiwat, which together with Pattani make
up the most dangerous zone in Thailand.

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The Malay Peninsula is home to a variety

of obscure and spectacular members of Galliform
order. Unfortunately, most of them are driven to
the verge of extinction and a few species may
already be extirpated from Thailand. Among those
left to be rediscovered is the stunning Crested
Wood Partridge, a uniquely sexual dimorphic and
socially monogamous species that used to thrive
in broadleaved evergreen forests from south Tenasserim mountains downwards. Due to hunting
pressure, human disturbance and deforestation,
It has become a highly sought-after species and
has not been recorded anywhere for many years.

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(Storms Stork, Ciconia stormi)

Photo by Mr.Jitti Wiseskarn

(Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Dendrocopos mahrattensis)

Photo by Mrs.Wanna Tantanawat

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Despite being a huge wading bird foraging

mainly on aquatic vertebrates, this large enigmatic
stork inhabits lowland forests in Khao Sok National
Park, Surat Thani. It is classified as globally endangered by IUCN. After Sueb Nakhasathien found a
nesting pair on 29 September 1986, the survival
of this species in Thailand had always been very
little-known. Until over a decade later, pictures of
a pair were captured unintentionally by a camera
trap used for Fishing Cat research in 2004. This
particular incident generated a substantial unrest
in birdwatching society and triggered the aspiration
in twitching it.

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..

Arguably one of the rarest resident birds

in Thailand, this compact-sized, predominantly
black-and-white woodpecker had only been
recorded once in a lowland deciduous forest of
Kampaengphet in 1932 the year in which Thailand had its first constitution. The current situation
of this species is unknown. Given the fact that the
particular forest patch had largely been converted
into agricultural lands, an optimistic guess is that
there may still be a few small populations surviving
in deciduous forests in the vicinity. Nevertheless,
the area still faces further risk from a proposed
dam construction project, which would wipe out
virtually all of its remaining habitats.

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(White-eyed River Martin, Pseudochelidon sirintarae)
H.E. McClure
Photo by H.E. McClure

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..

The extraordinary White-eyed River Martin
receiving number one position in this list may be
somewhat predictable to most readers. Since it
is an especially little-known species with instantly
recognizable appearance, and also most likely
endemic to Upper Central Plains of Thailand, no
bird species in the country could rival that. Its
characteristics include broad-based yellow bill, long
central tail-streamers, and white irises with broad
eye-rings. The latter component is what helped
extablishing its unofficial Thai name, Nok-TaPong, meaning a bird with swollen eyes. It was
discovered among swallows and wagtails netted
by local people while roosting in Bung Boraphet,
Nakhon Sawan. This enormous lake and surrounding wetlands now make up a non-hunting area,
which is the only place with confirmed sightings
of this species. It was last seen in 1971. Although
it may be widely regarded as extinct, but if it is
ever rediscovered, it would be one of the most
glorious news in bird and conservation networks,
not only locally, but throughout the globe.

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