- Beijing, Thailand
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Doi Inthanon has so many birding highlights it is almost impossible to mention them all without giving the entire checklist for the National Park. This mountain spans a number of habitats and consequently contains the birds associated with them. The summit area, which is higher than any other in Thailand, provides some of the most memorable birdwatching on the mountain, perhaps even the whole country; Chestnut-tailed Minla, Green-tailed Sunbird, Rufous-winged Fulvetta and Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush are very abundant in this area and both Speckled and Ashy Woodpigeon are frequently seen.
A little further down the mountain Green and Purple Cochoas steal the show, with many species of Flycatchers to be seen from the park HQ to the summit. Brown-throated Treecreepers are easily found as are many colourful birds such as Maroon Oriole and Minivets.
In the rivers near the waterfalls Slaty-backed Forktail and Plumbeous Water Redstart can be seen foraging amongst the rocks and White-capped Water Redstart (River Chat) is a must see bird which no illustration does justice to; to me this is one of the most beautiful birds to be found in Thailand.
The drier forest contains birds seldom seen anywhere else. Black-headed Woodpecker, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch and White-rumped Falcon are the most sought after birds here and Black-backed Forktail is present in the streams.
The sheer size of Doi Inthanon means that a high species total can be accumulated on any visit, and by staying for 3 or 4 days and birding at a variety of altitudes a large number of exciting birds can be seen.
Doi Inthanon National Park, at 482 square kilometres, protects four major watersheds and, of course, Thailand''s highest mountain, Doi Inthanon, which has its summit 2565 metres (8415 feet) above sea level.
This National Park, in Chiang Mai province, is unique in Thailand as it is 300 metres higher than any other mountain in the country which allows it to support a tract of upper montane forest and Thailand''s only sphagnum bog (albeit a very small one).
Although there is quite extensive deforestation in places, due to a sizeable hilltribe population, there remain large areas of quality habitat which is home to a very high number of species. The long road to the summit provides many places to stop and access the forest which is magnificent in places; particularly the moss-clad forest at higher altitudes. There are a number of accommodation options inside and outside the park allowing bird watchers to spend lots of time on the trails to look for the many ornithological treats that await. Birds seem to be in greater densities here than in many other locations in Thailand, meaning that this is an ideal place to see a large number of species in a short space of time and one of the most memorable locations for bird watching in Thailand.
