BIRDING THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS

With a tour of the three mountains of Doi inthanon, Doi Lang and Doi Ang Khang you will experience a diverse range of bird species. See the Doi Inthanon tour for a detailed description of birding spots at Doi Inthanon.

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DOI ANG KHANG

This is another popular birding hotspot in northern Thailand, located 157 km or approximately 2.5 hours away from the city of Chiang Mai towards Fang. Giant Nuthatch is commonly found in the reforestation pine forest, along with Chestnut-vented Nuthatch and Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrushes, which are often seen perched on broken trunks.

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The Royal King's Garden, with its cherry trees producing beautiful flowers and fruits, attracts Mrs. Gould's Sunbird and White-eyes. Spot-winged Grosbeak is quite common during the winter months; it is usually friendly but exhibits quiet behavior when feeding and can be somewhat difficult to spot. The secondary growth and scrub throughout the grassy area at elevations of 1065-2285m are habitats for Crested Finch-bill, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Long-tailed and Grey-backed Shrike. Early morning is the best time to look for Common Rosefinch and Little Bunting perched on dead snags. Lower scrub and bushes are home to the shifting Spot-breasted Parrotbill, White-browed Laughingthrushes, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, many bush warblers, Black-breasted Thrushes, Eyebrowed Thrushes, White-necked Laughingthrush and other ground-feeding species. White-tailed Robin is also seen in this area.

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DOI LANG

Doi Lang is situated in the Fang and Mae Ai districts along the Thailand-Myanmar border road, covering the Doi Pa Hom Pok National Park area.

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Western Slope (Doi Sun Ju)

Doi Lang is renowned among birdwatchers and bird photographers in Southeast Asia. The western side is locally known as Doi Sun Ju. The road from Fang ascends to a top point where pine and oak forests are found at an altitude of about 1,200 meters.

Be on the lookout for the brightly colored Eastern Ultramarine Flycatcher. Continuing along the road for about 3 km, this area is the preferred habitat of Mrs. Hume's Pheasant, Mountain Bamboo Partridge, Giant Nuthatch, Rusty-Cheeked Scimitar Babblers, White-browed Laughingthrushes, Grey Bushchat, Long-tailed Minivet, and Sapphire Flycatcher. Further along there is a mixture of open dense grassland with stands of scattered oak and pine. The undergrowth here supports Slaty-blue Flycatcher, Siberian Rubythroat, White-tailed Robin, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Rufous-fronted Babbler, Aberrant Bush Warbler, Grey-crowned Warbler, and Silver-eared Laughingthrushes. Larger trees in the narrow forest should be checked for the beautiful Himalayan Cutia, Grey Treepie, and Rufous-backed Sibia. In dense, bushy trees, Pygmy-blue, Pale Blue, and Verditer Flycatchers may sometimes be seen. Continue to the military checkpoint, and carefully observe and listen by a few dead trees in the area which support Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Stripe-breasted Woodpecker, and Lesser Yellownape. A few hundred meters along the roadside the taller grass is good for Crested Bunting and Chestnut Bunting in winter. Other rarities, such as Scarlet Finch, have also turned up in recent years. There are several hides along the road which are good for photography.

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Eastern Slope

The steep road climbs up to an army camp and runs along a ridge with open secondary growth and a fair number of cherry trees that bloom extensively in January. After descending the mountain to the valley, stop and park by the large bridge for a while to search for Pale-billed Parrotbill and Bamboo Woodpeckers, which are scarce resident species. Striated Yuhina, White-browed Piculet, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, and White-hooded Babblers are often seen here. The military camp is a good spot for photography and birdwatching, with sightings of Black-throated Bushtit, Whiskered Yuhina, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Spectacled Barwing, Dark-backed Sibia, Large Niltava, and Silver-eared Laughingthrushes. Some years, Chestnut Thrushes, Grey-winged Blackbirds, and small species such as Himalayan Bluetail and Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher can be found during the winter season.