Thailand bird guide
From colourful kingfishers in the mangroves to hornbills in the rainforest: meet 100 remarkable bird species and find out exactly where to see them.
Thailand is home to more than a thousand bird species, more than all of Europe. That is thanks to its varied landscapes: cool montane cloud forests in the north, vast rice fields and wetlands in the central plains, and tropical rainforest and mangrove coasts in the south. Between November and March, millions of migrants from Siberia and China join them.
For each species this guide gives a photo, a short description, its habitat, the best season and a map of the places where you are most likely to see it. Click a hotspot on the large map to see which birds live there.
Pinch with two fingers to zoom; tap a spot to see its birds.
Gallus gallus · Bankivahoen
The wild ancestor of the domestic chicken. The cock is a striking orange-red with a metallic green tail; it crows like a farmyard rooster, but is far shyer.
Lophura nycthemera · Zilverfazant
The male is silvery white with a black belly and a red face. Often seen in small parties along forest trails in the early morning.
Pavo muticus · Groene pauw
The endangered green peafowl, larger and slimmer than the Indian blue peacock. In Thailand mainly at Huai Kha Khaeng; rare and local.
Buceros bicornis · Dubbelhoornige neushoornvogel
A giant with a yellow casque on the bill; its wingbeats sound like a steam train. Khao Yai is the classic place to see them at fruiting trees.
Anthracoceros albirostris · Bonte neushoornvogel
The most commonly seen hornbill: black and white with a yellow bill. Often spotted even around hotels in Krabi and on the islands.
Rhyticeros undulatus · Gewone jaarvogel
Flies in flocks high over the forest. The male has a yellow throat pouch, the female a blue one.
Buceros rhinoceros · Gewone neushoornvogel
With an orange, upcurved casque on the bill; in Thailand only in the deep south. Rare.
Rhinoplax vigil · Helmneushoornvogel
Critically endangered by poaching for its solid “ivory” casque. Its call ends in a maniacal laugh.
Alcedo atthis · IJsvogel
The same kingfisher as in Europe: a blue flash along the water. In Thailand especially numerous in winter.
Halcyon smyrnensis · Smyrna-ijsvogel
A striking chocolate-brown and blue kingfisher with a white breast and a large red bill. Often perches on power lines over rice fields.
Halcyon pileata · Zwartkapijsvogel
Black cap, white collar, purple-blue back and a red bill. Typical of mangroves in winter.
Todiramphus chloris · Witkraagijsvogel
Turquoise-blue with a bright white collar; noisy and common along the entire coast.
Merops viridis · Maleise bijeneter
An elegant bee-eater with a chestnut head and blue throat; breeds in colonies in sandbanks.
Merops orientalis · Aziatische kleine groene bijeneter
Small, green and graceful with elongated central tail feathers. Catches insects from wires and fences.
Merops philippinus · Blauwstaartbijeneter
Green with a blue tail and brown throat; flocks hunt gracefully over open country.
Coracias affinis · Indochinese scharrelaar
Thailand's roller. Looks rather brownish up close, but in flight the wings flash bright blue. Likes roadside posts and wires. (Formerly treated as a subspecies of Indian roller.)
Psilopogon haemacephalus · Kopersmid
A small green bird with a red forehead, famous for its endless “tok-tok-tok,” like a metalsmith tapping.
Psilopogon asiaticus · Blauwkeelbaardvogel
Green with a bright blue face and a red crown. Often heard, harder to spot in the canopy.
Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus · Grote goudrugspecht
A large woodpecker with a golden-yellow back and (in the male) a red crest.
Hemicircus canente · Hartvlekspecht
A small black-and-white woodpecker with heart-shaped spots on the wings and a large crest.
Psittacula alexandri · Alexanderparkiet
A green parakeet with a pink-orange breast and a black “moustache”; noisy flocks.
Loriculus vernalis · Indische vleermuisparkiet
A tiny green parrot that hangs upside down at night like a bat.
Psarisomus dalhousiae · Papegaaibreedbek
Bright green with a black head, yellow throat and a long blue tail. A favourite with photographers.
Eurylaimus javanicus · Javaanse hapvogel
A wine-red broadbill with a broad blue bill; its rattling call carries through the forest.
Serilophus lunatus · Wenkbrauwbreedbek
Grey-brown with blue wing patches and a black eyebrow stripe; often in quiet little parties.
Hydrornis cyaneus · Blauwe pitta
A shy ground bird with a blue back and a streaked belly. Often heard only.
Hydrornis gurneyi · Gurneys pitta
One of the world's rarest birds. Formerly found in the lowlands around Krabi (Khao Nor Chu Chi), but not reliably recorded there for years and considered (almost certainly) gone from Thailand. Today mainly in southern Myanmar.
Pitta sordida · Westelijke kappitta
A green pitta with a black head; arrives to breed in the rainy season.
Oriolus chinensis · Chinese wielewaal
A canary-yellow bird with a black band through the eye; its whistling call can be heard even in Bangkok.
Dicrurus paradiseus · Vlaggendrongo
Glossy black with two long tail streamers ending in “rackets.” A master mimic of other birds.
Dicrurus macrocercus · Koningsdrongo
A black bird with a forked tail; sometimes rides on the backs of water buffalo.
Pericrocotus speciosus · Scharlaken menievogel
The male is fiery red and black, the female yellow and grey; they fly in colourful flocks.
Terpsiphone affinis · Oriëntaalse paradijsmonarch
Males have a tail up to 30 cm long, white or rufous. A fairy in the forest. (Taxonomy: sometimes treated as T. paradisi; uncertain.)
Eumyias thalassinus · Azuurvliegenvanger
An entirely turquoise-blue flycatcher that perches conspicuously on branches.
Calliope calliope · Roodkeelnachtegaal
The male has a ruby-red throat. A shy winter visitor from Siberia.
Copsychus saularis · Dayallijster
Black and white with a cocked tail and a beautiful song; one of the best-known garden birds.
Copsychus malabaricus · Shamalijster
Perhaps Asia’s finest songster: black, with an orange belly and a long tail.
Enicurus leschenaulti · Witkruinvorkstaart
Black and white with a long forked tail, found along waterfalls and streams.
Phoenicurus fuliginosus · Waterroodstaart
The male is slate-grey with a rufous tail that it constantly fans.
Aethopyga nipalensis · Groenstaarthoningzuiger
A colourful sunbird; the Thai subspecies occurs only on the summit of Doi Inthanon.
Cinnyris jugularis · Filipijnse honingzuiger
Small, with a yellow belly; the male has a glossy purple throat. Common in hotel gardens.
Arachnothera longirostra · Kleine spinnenjager
Olive-green with a long curved bill; fond of banana flowers.
Irena puella · Indische blauwrug
The male has a gleaming cobalt-blue back and red eyes; flocks gather at fruiting trees.
Chloropsis aurifrons · Goudvoorhoofdbladvogel
Leaf-green with a golden forehead and a black throat; perfectly camouflaged.
Rubigula flaviventris · Zwartkuifbuulbuul
A yellow bulbul with a black head and crest; very common and easy to see.
Pycnonotus jocosus · Roodoorbuulbuul
A little crest, a red cheek patch and white cheeks; cheerful and noisy.
Melanochlora sultanea · Sultanmees
The world’s largest tit: black with a bright yellow crest and belly.
Mixornis gularis · Geelborsttimalia
A small brown-and-yellow bird with fine streaks; sings a monotonous “tuk-tuk-tuk.”
Leiothrix argentauris · Zilveroortimalia
An explosion of colour: black head, silver ear patch, orange breast. Parties on Doi Inthanon and Doi Lang.
Anastomus oscitans · Indische gaper
A stork with a gap between the bill halves for crushing snails. Thousands around Bangkok.
Mycteria leucocephala · Indische nimmerzat
A white stork with pink wing plumes and a yellow bill.
Porphyrio poliocephalus · Grijskoppurperkoet
A large purple-blue rail with a red bill and frontal shield and a greyish head. Formerly lumped with Purple swamphen.
Hydrophasianus chirurgus · Waterfazant
Walks on water lilies with enormous toes; in breeding plumage it sports an elegant long tail.
Metopidius indicus · Bronsvleugeljacana
Dark with bronze wings and a white eyebrow stripe.
Calidris pygmaea · Lepelbekstrandloper
A critically endangered little sandpiper with a spoon-shaped bill; Pak Thale is one of the best places in the world to see it.
Tringa guttifer · Nordmanns groenpootruiter
An endangered wader, resembling the Common Greenshank but with shorter yellow legs.
Recurvirostra avosetta · Kluut
The avocet: black and white with an upturned bill; in Thailand a scarce winter visitor.
Himantopus himantopus · Steltkluut
Black and white with absurdly long pink legs.
Charadrius peronii · Maleise plevier
A small plover of pristine sandy beaches; near-threatened by beach tourism.
Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus · Bruinkopmeeuw
Bangkok’s winter gull: thousands gather at Bang Pu pier.
Microcarbo niger · Indische dwergaalscholver
A small black cormorant, often drying with wings spread.
Anhinga melanogaster · Indische slangenhalsvogel
A long, snake-like neck; swims with only the head above water.
Pelecanus philippensis · Grijze pelikaan
A greyish pelican with a spotted bill; near-threatened. (Status in Thailand uncertain/local.)
Threskiornis melanocephalus · Indische witte ibis
A white ibis with a bare black head and a curved bill.
Ardea purpurea · Purperreiger
A slender rufous-brown heron, shy among reedbeds.
Ardeola speciosa · Javaanse ralreiger
Unobtrusive brown at rest, but pure white in flight; breeding plumage with a cinnamon head.
Spilornis cheela · Indische slangenarend
An eagle that eats snakes; circles noisily calling over the forest.
Haliastur indus · Brahmaanse wouw
Rufous-brown with a white head; the signature raptor of the Krabi coast.
Haliaeetus leucogaster · Witbuikzeearend
A large white-and-grey sea eagle along the Andaman coast.
Microhierax fringillarius · Musvalk
A falcon the size of a sparrow; hunts dragonflies from dead branches.
Pernis ptilorhynchus · Aziatische wespendief
In autumn tens of thousands migrate over Thailand, especially along the Gulf coast.
Ninox scutulata · Zuid-Aziatische boeboekuil
A hawk-like little owl with yellow eyes; calls “whoo-up” at night.
Glaucidium cuculoides · Koekoeksdwerguil
A small barred owl that is also active by day.
Carpococcyx renauldi · Siamese grondkoekoek
Large, shy, with a coral-red bill; a sought-after species in Khao Yai.
Centropus sinensis · Chinese spoorkoekoek
A black cuckoo with chestnut wings; gives a deep “hoop-hoop-hoop.”
Eudynamys scolopaceus · Indische koël
You hear it before you see it: “ko-el!” rings out everywhere in spring, even in Bangkok.
Harpactes erythrocephalus · Roodkoptrogon
Red head and breast, quiet in the canopy.
Ducula badia · Indische muskaatduif
A large pigeon with a deep “woom” call; often high in fruiting trees.
Treron vernans · Maleise papegaaiduif
A green pigeon; the male has a pink-purple neck and an orange breast.
Caloenas nicobarica · Manenduif
The pigeon with rainbow iridescence and a “mane”; on the Similan Islands often tame near the ranger post.
Antigone antigone · Saruskraanvogel
The world’s tallest flying bird; extinct in Thailand and reintroduced in Buriram. (Bueng Boraphet as a site is uncertain.)
Ploceus hypoxanthus · Geelbuikbayawever
In breeding plumage golden yellow with a black mask; weaves hanging nests in the reeds.
Acridotheres tristis · Treurmaina
A brown myna with a yellow eye-ring; everywhere in town.
Caprimulgus macrurus · Horsfields nachtzwaluw
A perfectly camouflaged night bird that rests on the ground by day. At dusk its rhythmic 'chonk-chonk' sounds like an axe on wood.
Aethopyga siparaja · Geelrughoningzuiger
The male is fiery red with a long glossy tail. Often at flowering shrubs along forest edges and in gardens.
Arachnothera magna · Gestreepte spinnenjager
Olive-yellow with dark streaks and a long curved bill. Noisy at wild bananas in hill and montane forest.
Pericrocotus solaris · Grijskeelmenievogel
Similar to the Scarlet minivet but with a grey chin and head. Moves in colourful flocks through montane forest.
Garrulax leucolophus · Witkuiflijstergaai
Snow-white crest and head with a black mask. Flocks burst into a loud, laughing chorus together.
Ceyx erithaca · Zwartrugdwergijsvogel
A tiny jewel in orange, lilac and blue, hunting along shady forest streams. (Taxonomy: sometimes lumped with Rufous-backed as 'Oriental dwarf kingfisher'.)
Pelargopsis capensis · Ooievaarsbekijsvogel
A large kingfisher with a massive red bill and an ochre head. Sits quietly above rivers and mangroves.
Lacedo pulchella · Zebra-ijsvogel
A forest kingfisher that lives far from water. The male has a blue cap; the female is barred in black and rufous.
Merops leschenaulti · Bruinkopbijeneter
A green bee-eater with a chestnut head and a yellow throat. Often in small groups along forest edges and clearings.
Psilopogon virens · Grote baardvogel
The largest barbet: blue head, yellow bill and a red vent. Its plaintive 'piao' calls echo through montane forest.
Urocissa erythroryncha · Roodsnavelkitta
A spectacular magpie with a red bill and a very long blue-and-white tail. Glides between trees in small groups.
Dendrocygna javanica · Indische fluiteend
A brown duck that makes a whistling call. Rests in large flocks on lakes, often among lotus.
Charadrius leschenaultii · Woestijnplevier
A stocky plover with a heavy bill. Winters in flocks on the coastal salt pans and mudflats.
Lophura diardi · Kuifloze prelaatfazant
Thailand's national bird: the male is blue-grey with a red face, a yellow back and a curved black tail. In Khao Yai it often walks along the roads.
Sitta magna · Reuzenboomklever
The world's largest nuthatch, grey with a black eye-stripe. A vulnerable species of open pine forest on the northern mountains.
Hydrornis phayrei · Phayres pitta
A shy brown pitta with long pale 'ear tufts' behind the eye. Kaeng Krachan is a well-known site to see it from a hide.
Berenicornis comatus · Langkuifneushoornvogel
A hornbill with a shaggy white crest; the male has a white neck and breast. Lives in family groups in the lower storeys of rainforest.
The best months for birdwatching at each site in Thailand.
Best time: December – February
Thailand's highest mountain; cloud forest with sunbirds, flycatchers and other montane species. Start at the summit and the Ang Ka bog.
Best time: December – March
The place for northern specialities and Himalayan winter visitors such as the Giant nuthatch.
Best time: December – April
Thailand's largest national park: hornbills, broadbills and the Eared pitta. The upper section is often closed in the rainy season (roughly Aug – Oct).
Best time: November – April
World Heritage park with four hornbill species, easy to reach from Bangkok.
Best time: November – March
Salt pans and coast: thousands of shorebirds, including the rare Spoon-billed sandpiper.
Best time: December – February
Thailand's largest freshwater lake: ducks, herons, jacanas and raptors.
Best time: January – April
Southern rainforest with hornbills, pittas and limestone cliffs; mangrove birds around Krabi.
November to March. It is dry and cool and many migrants from Siberia and China are present. In the north December and January are best; on the coast November to March for shorebirds.
Top sites are Doi Inthanon and Doi Lang in the north, Khao Yai and Bueng Boraphet in the centre, Kaeng Krachan in the west, Pak Thale and Laem Phak Bia on the coast, and Khao Sok and Krabi in the south.
Thailand has more than 1,000 bird species, more than all of Europe. This guide covers 100 well-known and special species with photos and maps.
Khao Yai and Kaeng Krachan are the best places; in the south you can also see them in Khao Sok and even around Krabi and the islands.
It isn't required, but a local bird guide helps a lot for rare species such as pittas in Kaeng Krachan or night birds on Doi Inthanon.
Best period: November to March, when it is dry and cool and the migrants are present. Start early: birds are most active from sunrise to 9 am. Hire a guide: local guides in Kaeng Krachan and Doi Inthanon know exactly where the rare species are. Useful: binoculars (8x42), the eBird app and the Merlin Bird ID app with the Thailand pack.
Descriptions and hotspot links are based on general field-guide knowledge. Always check recent sightings on eBird Thailand. The Doi Lang location is approximate and is therefore shown as an area.
