Wild Bird Eco : Top Birding Site

Doi Ang Khang
Chiang Mai Province

        Doi Ang Khang is one of the first-class birdwatching points in the North of Thailand. It is located in the north of Chiang Mai Province, about 160 kilometers far or two and a half hours drive from Chiang Mai city.

        Though the forest condition here is not much fertile or the number of birds is not as fertile as those in Doi Inthanon or Doi Suthep, the several special bird species - the resident and the migrant-, which could not be found in any other habitats, are there. Besides, the superstars like Hume's Pheasant, Fire-capped Tit, Red-faced Liocichla and Red-tailed Laughingthrush, make this location become one of the most famous birdwatching points in the country.

White-headed Bulbul         Ang Khang's geographical condition is mostly mountain ranges. Its border is closed to Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary and Doi Pha Hom Pok. Unfortunately, the invasion from those hilltribers has made the one-piece fertile forest separated. However, some parts of those fertile forests are still remained in the area of Doi Ang Khang. Besides, some of Doi Ang Khang landform is functioned as a natural divider of Thai and Myanmar.

        Sometimes, in winter, birdwatchers may have opportunities to see those rare ones, which migrate from Myanmar to reside in Ang Khang's area. Most of the forest condition is composed of Dry forest, Deciduous forest and Hill everygreen forest and Pine Forest. The summit point is about 1,900 meters above sea level. Because of such a geographical condition, the temperature at Doi Ang Khang is cool all the year. Especially during the New Year period, the temperature is often decreased to minus 3 degree Celsius that produces frosty or frozen dewdrop called "Mae-Ka-Ning" all over the mountain.

White-throated Fantail         The area called Ang Khang, in Thai language means a-pan-shape landform in the valley. There are many resorts and shops. The Ang Khang Royal Agricultural Station is there also. The station has a foreign plants laboratory and a career developing workplace for the hilltriber, which promotes agricultural career and aimed to stop the hilltribers from opium planting. Presently, Ang Khang remains cultures of those hilltribe communities, such as Mong, Thai-Yai, Muser and Hor (Chinese).

Daurian Redstart Photo by Birder Journal         The reported number of bird species is no less than 250 kinds that included habitats, migrants and passage migrants. You can find birds everywhere in Ang Khang, however, you can see the superstars in only some locations in some trails and some times; and you need the expert one like us to help you in birding here. Therefore, if you have enough time birding in the north, this is one place you can't miss. To optimize birding in this place, at least 2 days would be the most worth.

Interesting Places:

Wonderful Valley
        It is not too good to be true because along that 2-kilometer little trail, you will see so many kinds of birds. Starting from the back of Mae Pur sub-headquarters, then going along the right-hand side of the stream in the moist evergreen forest (on the left-hand side is a hill slide). On the trail, you may find like Silver-eared Mesia, Crimson Sunbird, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Long-tailed Broadbill, Emerald Dove, Green-billed Malkoha, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Blue-eared Barbet and Mountain Bulbul.

        Around a half-way of that trail, there is a junction separated from the main one. You have to walk across many streams. However, sometimes you might see nothing, while another time you might see many birds. By the way, it is worth to have exciting moment to see White-crowned Forktail. And if there are bird waves, you may have a good opportunity to see many bird species like Small Niltava, Grey-headed Flycatcher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and Asian Fairy Bluebird.

        In winter, it is a big challenge for birdwatchers to classify those in Warbler group which has many different kinds of birds. Those in the Babblers we often see are such as Buff-breasted Babbler, Rufous-fronted Babbler and Grey-throated Babbler. Besides, there are those in Fulvetta and so on. Nonetheless, to let you know that birding in this trail is risky because you may have to face with sucking leech.
Ang Khang Royal Agricultural Station
The hostel and the agricultural station are situated in the pan-shaped landform as mentioned above. In this area, there are many developed hill tribe community and local facilities. A cost-saving resorts are approximately 200 to 300 USD per room per night. Though this place supports many people, it makes birdwatchers astonish in many beautiful birds. Those found birds like Crested Finchbill, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, White-headed Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Daurian Redstart and Japanese White-Eye ,are not shy to live together with people.

There are also many bird species found around the agricultural station, especially those in Thrush group and Bulbul that usually seen in vineyard or strawberry field. We often see Burmese Shrike, Grey-back Shrike, Richard's Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit and Rosy Pipit. In December, Ang Khang is generally decorated with pink blossom flowers, because kind of little pink flower trees that are mostly found in this valley naturally bloom in this period. Then, those flowers induce birds like Great Tit, Green-tailed Sunbird and White-eye, to suck sweet-drop from them all days. It is such a beautiful month of the year.
Birding Point
From the pan-shaped landform, backward to the main road from the main entrance, there is a signage written "Birding Point" on your left. That area is very natural and has interesting habitats like scrubs, pine forests, hill slides, fire protecting shields and hill evergreen forest. In the evenings, many attractive birds like Red-faced Liocichla, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Mountain Bamboo-Partridge, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-winged Minla, Maroon Woodpecker, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler and Spot-breasted Parrotbill, are often found.
Phra Dhat Ang Khang
This is another place we usually bring our customers to bird. We often see many interesting bird species, for examples, Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Black Eagle, Long-tailed Minivet, Short-tailed Minivet, Mountain Bamboo-Partridge, Spot-breasted Laughingthrush and Spectacled Barwing.