Dates: February 15 - March 2, 2026

Leaders: Max Breckenridge & Local Leader

E-bird

Total Species: 305 birds

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Overall Summary

Our close-knit group of keen travelers began our exploration of Cambodia in the steamy city of Siem Reap. Famed for its proximity to the impressive abundance of ancient temple complexes surrounding Angkor Wat, Siem Reap is also an excellent base from which to visit a number of the country’s most significant birding sites, including Tonle Sap—the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. 

We spent most of our first day exploring several temple complexes and the surrounding forests of Angkor Wat. Our local guide, Yim Sithon, provided us with a great deal of information about the architecture and history of the site. After a stunning sunrise over the main temple complex, we made our way into the spectacular and well-preserved forests here. Highlights included Oriental Pied-Hornbill; two species of owls; White-throated Rock-thrush; four species of drongos; Himalayan Cuckoo and Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo; Forest Wagtail; Alexandrine and Red-breasted parakeets; and good looks at two species of microbats roosting inside the Bayon Temple. After a great time soaking up the place, we beat the heat and headed back to our very pleasant hotel and what must be one of the largest pools in Siem Reap. 

Our second full day was spent exploring the waterways of Tonle Sap. This was a great experience, combining abundant and varied birdlife with an insight into the way of life for the people living here on floating villages. A roosting Spotted Wood-Owl (expertly spotted by Nara) kicked off the birding, and then after a slight delay while we procured a new battery, we were off again down the narrow waterways teeming with egrets, Whiskered Tern, Oriental Darter, Spot-billed Pelican, cormorants, Gray-headed Fish-Eagle, and hundreds of storks overhead. At a tower overlooking a colony of nesting Painted Storks, we could really appreciate the magnitude of the place and just how many birds were out there. While Milky Stork proved too tough for some to pick out of the flocks of Painted Storks overhead, we had much more satisfying views of the vulnerable Greater Adjutant, as well as several Lesser Adjutants. In the afternoon, we visited an area of lotus ponds where we located several species of waders, good numbers of Eastern Yellow Wagtails, Oriental Pratincole, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, and nearby, a small nesting colony of the threatened Asian Golden Weaver. 

From Siem Reap, we headed to the north of the country for three nights, before returning to the cultural capital. Our first stop on the way was the Prolay grasslands, east of the city and on the northern shores of Tonle Sap. Here our local guides expertly led us to a patch of native grassland where we had great views of a critically endangered Bengal Florican. The grasslands here were alive with the songs of Oriental Skylarks and Singing Bushlarks; we also flushed several King Quail, no doubt attracting the several Eastern Marsh and Pied harriers we saw, and a feeding flock of Sarus Cranes were another highlight of the morning. From Prolay we took the road north and eventually arrived in the small town of Chheb, where we would stay for the next three nights (in place of the usual Tmat Beauy, which is now off limits due to the regional unrest between Cambodia and Thailand). In the late afternoon, we visited the dipterocarp savanna north of town where most of our target species reside. The heat made things a bit slow, but we rounded out the day nicely with a pair of huge Great Slaty Woodpeckers and distant looks at one of the two critically endangered ibis species that inhabit these parts—White-shouldered. 

Over the next two days we explored the bird-rich woodlands around Russey Treb and Veal Krous—both community managed and protected areas of forest. The conditions at times were hot, smoky, and dusty, but we had a number of very enjoyable sessions in the field, punctuated by midday siestas and excellent local food. This region of Cambodia is famous for its woodpecker diversity, and we notched up 10 species during our time here, including the beautiful Black-headed and White-bellied woodpeckers. At Veal Krous we enjoyed great looks at three different critically endangered vultures: Red-headed, White-rumped, and Slender-billed. Cuckoos were evident, with good looks at Green-billed Malkoha and Indian and Banded Bay cuckoos. Other highlights included a pair of White-rumped Falcons; roosting Brown Wood-Owl; nesting Crested Treeswift; nest-prospecting Vernal Hanging-Parrot; and finally, on our last attempt, three critically endangered Giant Ibis at their roost tree, preparing to head off to some secluded forest pool for the day. 

We returned to the comforts of Siem Reap for three nights and spent two days birding at two very different locales on the outskirts of the city. First up was Ang Trapeang, an impressive area of rice paddies and flooded fields surrounding a large reservoir. Here we were impressed by huge quantities of herons, shorebirds, and ducks—including a flock of Garganey that probably numbered well over 3,000 birds. We notched up 15 species of shorebirds, including the lovely Greater Painted Snipe, and located several Greater Spotted Eagles, among others. The next morning, after an early start, we found ourselves sitting quietly in a hide at the Changkran Roy community forest reserve. We waited patiently and were rewarded with several short but excellent looks at two Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoos!—a mega bird anywhere in its range, and this is surely the best place to see one. Other highlights from our morning in the hide were Scaly-breasted Partridge, Siberian Blue Robin, three species of bulbuls, abundant Asian Emerald Doves, striking White-crested Laughingthrush, and a pair of new mammals—Northern Treeshrew and Indochinese Ground Squirrel. 

Leaving Siem Reap, we made our way east for the town of Kratie on the east bank of the impressive Mekong River. Here we spent a pleasant afternoon birding some rice paddies just out of town with highlights being Small Buttonquail, Watercock, Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, Golden-bellied Gerygone, and large numbers of hirundines, cisticolas, and cormorants flying overhead to roost. The next morning we had a fantastic boat trip out on the Mekong River in an area of rapids and small islands. Here we quickly encountered the attractive Mekong Wagtail, which was then interrupted by a family of the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin surfacing beside our boat! At least six dolphins proceeded to show wonderfully as they fed around us. Other highlights from our time on the river included amazingly close views of Small Pratincole, Little Heron, Osprey, Little Ringed Plover, and numerous Gray-throated Martins. 

From the mighty Mekong we made our way further east to the area of Senmonorom. Here on the border of Vietnam is an area of elevated rolling hills at the southern end of the Annamite Range, where dry grassy hillsides, dominated by native pines, are bisected by forested evergreen valleys. We birded in the vicinity of Dak Dam (a stone’s throw from Vietnam) and in the extensive forests of the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary. Our visit was timed with an outbreak of thunderstorms in the region, so birding time was reduced somewhat, but we still made the most of several birdy sessions not far from our also very birdy lodge. On our way to Keo Seima, our bus encountered “mechanical difficulties,” but this unplanned stop yielded some fine birds nearby—Green Peafowl was an excellent discovery, as was Annam Prinia, Eurasian Jay, Mountain Imperial-Pigeon, Indochinese Barbet, and close looks at Ashy Woodswallow. Back on the road again, after some stellar work by our driver/mechanic, we were soon birding the trails in Keo Seima—here a Bar-bellied Pitta called from cover, eluding us, whereas Scaly-crowned Babblers, Blyth’s Paradise-Flycatcher, and Crimson Sunbird were more obliging. The highlight came as we were leaving, when a Jerdon’s Baza was spotted circling low overhead—always a scarce species across its scattered distribution. A troupe of the endangered Black-shanked Duoc also graced us with their presence, although at some distance. Visiting Dak Dam the following day was a great experience. The forest here was different from anything else we had experienced so far in Cambodia, and it was ringing with birdsong on what was a clear, sunny morning. A noisy party of White-cheeked Laughingthrushes started the show, then a pair of stunning Silver-eared Mesias revealed themselves, before a bit of tape work brought out some gorgeous Silver-breasted Broadbills; Maroon and Black-naped orioles were splashes of color, as were Van Hasselt’s, Crimson, and Black-throated sunbirds; Orange-breasted Laughingthrush sang loudly but resolved to stay hidden, unlike a cute Speckled Piculet, or the Crested Goshawk that circled overhead with its distinctive puffy tail edges. When not in the field, birding around the lodge proved productive, with Plain-backed Sparrows nesting on the grounds, Orange-breasted Green-Pigeon, Black-winged and Oriental cuckooshrikes, and Golden-fronted Leafbird all noted. 

The time had come to return to civilization, so our last full day was spent mostly driving to Phnom Penh. On the way, however, we made one last important stop at an area of unassuming roadside vegetation. Here, on the outskirts of the capital, a pair of Cambodian Tailorbirds quickly revealed themselves, giving us great looks at this overlooked species only discovered as recently as 2009. It was a fitting end to a great tour, where birding at times was tough but frequently punctuated by wonderful encounters with some of the region’s rarest and most spectacular species. We were truly fortunate to be able to visit this rapidly developing country and find so many of the threatened and enigmatic species that still survive here—a testament to the hard work of local community conservation groups. 

Day-by-Day Summary

February 17 - (AM) Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom; (PM) Bayon Temple. 

February 18 - (AM) Tonle Sap – Prek Toal boat trip; (PM) Phnom Krom. 

February 19 - (AM) Prolay grassland; (PM) Chheb, Russey Treb. 

February 20 - (AM) Russey Treb; (PM) Veal Krous. 

February 21 - (AM) Veal Krous; (PM) Russey Treb. 

February 22 - (AM) Russey Treb, Beng Mealea; (PM) Siem Reap. 

February 23 - (AM) Ang Trapaeng; (PM) Siem Reap. 

February 24 - (AM) Changkran Roy; (PM) Siem Reap. 

February 25 - (AM) Siem Reap; (PM) Kratie. 

February 26 - (AM) Kampi boat trip; (PM) Semonorom. 

February 27 - (AM) Ou Reang, Keo Seima WS; (PM) Oromis hydro plant. 

February 28 - (AM) Dak Dam; (PM) Senmonorom. 

March 1 - (AM) Senmonorom; (PM) Tonle Bet, Phnom Penh 

March 2 - Departures. 

Wildlife Seen: 

MAMMALS: 

OLD WORLD MONKEYS (CERCOPITHECIDAE) 

Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina) – Several seen along the road while driving through Keo Seima WS. 

Black-shanked Douc (Langur) (Pygathrix nigripes) – Distant looks at a troupe of these endangered langurs feeding in a large fig tree in the Keo Seima WS. 

Indochinese Lutung (Langur) (Trachypithecus germaini) – At least two individuals observed briefly from the boat in riverside vegetation near Prek Toal, Tonle Sap. 

SQUIRRELS (SCIURIDAE) 

Black Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor) – A single animal seen distantly at Dak Dam. 

Finlayson's Squirrel (Callosciurus finlaysonii) – Seen frequently in woodland and monsoon forest during the tour, including at Angkor Wat. All individuals observed were an attractive maroon color, with a white base to the tail, but pelage varies greatly across their range. 

Pallas’s Squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus) – Several individuals observed around our accommodation at Senmonorom and in forest at Dak Dam. 

Cambodian Striped Squirrel (Tamiops rodolphii) – Seen occasionally during the trip in a variety of habitats. Common around Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. 

Indochinese Ground Squirrel (Menetes berdmorei) – One seen from the hide at Changkran Roy. 

TREESHREWS (TUPAIIDAE) 

Northern Treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) – Two different individuals observed from the hides at Changkran Roy. 

FLYING FOXES (PTEROPIDAE) 

Lyle’s Flying Fox (Pteropus lylei) – Several hundred roosting in large trees at a colony in downtown Siem Reap. 

BATS (CHIROPTERIDAE) 

Black-bearded Tomb Bat (Taphozous melanopogon) – At least four individuals observed roosting at the Bayon Temple near Angkor Wat. 

Wrinkle-lipped Bat (Mops plicatus) – Hundreds noisily roost inside the Bayon Temple near Angkor Wat, we could see a few between cracks in the roof here. 

DOLPHINS (DELPHINIDAE) 

Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) – Wonderful repeat views of up to eight individuals feeding close to our boat during our excursion on the Mekong River at Kampi.

REPTILES: 

Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor) 

Siamese Blue Crested Lizard (Calotes goetzi) – One spectacular individual observed at Beng Mealea.

Flying dragon sp. (Draco sp.) 

Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) 

Monitor sp. (Varanus sp.) 

Longtail Mabuya (Eutropis longicaudata) 

Gallery