Dates: February 1-21 2026

Leader: Dion Hobcroft

E-bird

Total Species: 425 birds

Click Here to view list.

Overall Summary

Yet another highly successful, much-complimented tour to the Land of Smiles. Our wonderful crew of Mike, Surat, Goh, Lam, and Sakhon ensured our comfort, great food, and seamless logistics as we traversed the country. The birding and wildlife watching were fantastic as ever, and our timing in February kept temperatures and humidity lower while giving us the chance to see a variety of winter visitors from far northern countries. You can see the full list in the attached eBird trip report.

From Bangkok, our first expedition was toward the east, based in Khao Yai National Park—home for three nights. Highlights were many: stunning views of Silver Pheasant, Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Banded Kingfisher, Moustached Barbet, Red-breasted Parakeet, Long-tailed Broadbill, Rosy and Brown-rumped Minivets, Sultan Tit, White-crested Laughingthrush, Hill Myna, and Cambodian Flowerpecker, to mention a few. Mammal watching was also good. We observed several Malayan Porcupines, two species of civet (Asian Palm and Small Indian), and a Golden Jackal. Hoofed mammals included Sambar, Common Barking Deer, and Wild Boar. We were lucky to encounter Asian Elephants on two occasions, including a large bull. Other notables included Vogel’s Pit-viper and Indochinese Water Dragon. Strategic stops allowed us to find the rare Rufous Limestone Babbler (one of Thailand’s few endemic birds) and the extraordinary Siamese Fireback, which gave us the show of a lifetime.

Next, we flew to the far north to spend eight nights exploring different mountain forests, which provided a great sample of the extraordinary Himalayan avifauna. First up was Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak. We had superb birding here, with Green Peafowl, Rufous-throated Partridge, Ashy Wood-Pigeon, Hodgson’s Frogmouth, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Booted Eagle, Speckled Piculet, Yellow-bellied Fairy-fantail, Clicking Shrike-Babbler, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Silver-eared Laughingthrush, Gray-headed Parrotbill, Chestnut and Dark-sided Thrushes, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Himalayan Bluetail, Mrs. Gould’s and Green-tailed Sunbirds, and the rare Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker.

Other stops at Doi Chiang Dao (Pin-tailed Green-Pigeon, Gray-headed Lapwing, Streaked Wren-Babbler, Wire-tailed Swallow) and Fang (Long-billed Plover, Small Pratincole, Red Avadavat, Citrine Wagtail) positioned us for two days exploring Doi Lang and Doi Ang Khang. Doi Lang proved to be the most fantastic day of the tour. The roll call of great birds was impressive, including stunning views of Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant, Mountain Bamboo-Partridge, Lesser Yellownape, Red-eyed Scimitar-Babbler, Himalayan Cutia, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, and Siberian Rubythroat. At Doi Ang Khang, we had another excellent day with many highlights, including Great Barbet, Slender-billed Oriole, Crested Finchbill, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Giant Nuthatch, Silver-eared Mesia, White-browed Laughingthrush, Gray-winged Blackbird, and Gray-sided Thrush.

Before flying back to Bangkok, we spent the morning at Chiang Saen Lake. Our biggest highlight here was the critically endangered Baer’s Pochard. Ferruginous Duck, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, and Eastern Marsh Harrier were also present. We also made a visit to the Golden Triangle.

Our final exploration was four nights south of Bangkok. A day in the Gulf of Siam gave us an hour with a Spoon-billed Sandpiper at close range. Nordmann’s Greenshank, Asian Dowitcher, Broad-billed Sandpiper, and White-faced and Malaysian Plovers were among 32 species of shorebirds present in huge numbers.

Our final site was Kaeng Krachan National Park. Another impressive roll call of forest birds followed, including Gray Peacock-Pheasant, Kalij Pheasant, Scaly-breasted and Bar-backed Partridges, Yellow-vented Green-Pigeon, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Orange-breasted Trogon, Rusty-cheeked Hornbill, Red-throated Barbet, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Blue Pitta, and Collared Babbler. Add incredible views of Sun Bear, Yellow-throated Marten, White-handed Gibbon, Dusky Leaf Monkey, and an Asian Giant Forest Tortoise, and you can see why this tour was such a success.

Day-by-Day Summary

February 1 - Arrival, group meets, and prepares for the cross‑country birding journey.

February 2 - Drive east toward Khao Yai National Park; first wildlife encounters and settling in for a three‑night stay.

February 3 - Excellent forest birding with Silver Pheasant, Great and Wreathed Hornbills, Banded Kingfisher, Moustached Barbet, and Red‑breasted Parakeet. Evening mammal watching includes Malayan Porcupine and civets.

February 4 - More superb birding with Long‑tailed Broadbill, minivets, Sultan Tit, Hill Myna, and Cambodian Flowerpecker. Encounters with Sambar, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, and Asian Elephants.

February 5 - Strategic stops produce Rufous Limestone Babbler and a show‑stopping Siamese Fireback. Final night in Khao Yai.

February 6 - Flight to northern Thailand; transfer toward Doi Inthanon for the start of eight nights in the mountains.

February 7 - Superb birding with Green Peafowl, Rufous‑throated Partridge, Ashy Wood‑Pigeon, Hodgson’s Frogmouth, Mountain Hawk‑Eagle, and a suite of high‑elevation specialties.

February 8 - Continued success with Clicking Shrike‑Babbler, Silver‑eared Laughingthrush, Gray‑headed Parrotbill, Himalayan Bluetail, Mrs. Gould’s and Green‑tailed Sunbirds, and Yellow‑bellied Flowerpecker.

February 9 - Birding around Chiang Dao with Pin‑tailed Green‑Pigeon, Gray‑headed Lapwing, Streaked Wren‑Babbler, and Wire‑tailed Swallow.

February 10 - Riverine and farmland birding with Long‑billed Plover, Small Pratincole, Red Avadavat, and Citrine Wagtail.

February 11 - One of the best days of the tour: Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant, Mountain Bamboo‑Partridge, Lesser Yellownape, Red‑eyed Scimitar‑Babbler, Himalayan Cutia, Scarlet‑faced Liocichla, and Siberian Rubythroat.

February 12 - Another excellent mountain day with Great Barbet, Slender‑billed Oriole, Crested Finchbill, Giant Nuthatch, Silver‑eared Mesia, and Gray‑winged Blackbird.

February 13 - Morning birding with the critically endangered Baer’s Pochard, plus Ferruginous Duck, Pheasant‑tailed Jacana, and Eastern Marsh Harrier. Afternoon visit to the Golden Triangle.

February 14 - Return to Bangkok and prepare for the southern portion of the tour.

February 15 - A major highlight: close‑range views of Spoon‑billed Sandpiper. Additional shorebirds include Nordmann’s Greenshank, Asian Dowitcher, Broad‑billed Sandpiper, and White‑faced and Malaysian Plovers.

February 16 - Begin exploring Thailand’s largest national park with Gray Peacock‑Pheasant, Kalij Pheasant, and forest specialties.

February 17 - More excellent birding: Scaly‑breasted and Bar‑backed Partridges, Yellow‑vented Green‑Pigeon, Rufous‑bellied Eagle, Orange‑breasted Trogon, and Rusty‑cheeked Hornbill.

February 18 - Great Slaty Woodpecker, Black‑and‑yellow Broadbill, Blue Pitta, and Collared Babbler. Mammal highlights include Sun Bear, Yellow‑throated Marten, White‑handed Gibbon, and Dusky Leaf Monkey.

February 19 - Final morning of forest birding and wildlife watching; Asian Giant Forest Tortoise provides a memorable finale.

February 20 - Travel back to Bangkok, final review of highlights, and farewell dinner.

February 21 - Tour concludes; guests depart after an exceptional February journey through Thailand’s forests, mountains, and coastal wetlands.

Wildlife Seen: 

MAMMALS:

Indochinese Ground Squirrel (Menetes berdmorei)

Black Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor)

Northern Gray-bellied Squirrel (Callosciurus caniceps)

Pallas’s Squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus)

Variable Squirrel (Callosciurus finlaysoni)

Himalayan Striped Squirrel (Tamiops mcclellandii)

Malayan Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura)

Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica)

Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)

Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)

Yellow-throated Marten (Martes fulvigula)

Dusky Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus)

Robinson’s Banded Langur (Presbytis robinsoni)

Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

Northern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina)

White-handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar)

Northern Tree Shrew (Tupaia belangeri)

Wid Boar (Sus scrofa)

Common Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak)

Sambar (Cervus unicolor)

Lesser Mouse Deer (Tragulus javanicus)

Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)

Lyle’s Flying-fox (Pteropus lylei)

Lesser False Vampire Bat (Macroderma spasma)

Andersen’s Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros rufus)

Great Himalayan Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposiderso armiger)

Hardwicke’s Woolly Bat (Kerivoula hardwickii)

REPTILES:

Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys)

Vogel’s Pit-Viper (Trimesurus vogeli)

Long-nosed Vine Snake (Ahaetulla prasina)

Indochinese Water Dragon (Physignathus cochinchinensis)

Draco Clouded Monitor (Varanus nebulosus)

Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator)

Tokay (Gekko gecko)

Gallery