Where Are All The Birds?

[aletta]

Gazza

I don't believe there are any pure white doves here.There are small pockets of a pied dove called the Pied Imperial Pigeon which is stunning.It is white with black primary and black tail feathers.Robson says there are some at the far south of the Thai/Cambodian border and also in the deep South.

Think you may have seen some albino Rock Pigeons.

[sbk]

I've heard of many farmers killing lots of wild birds for fear of bird flu. But down here in the South (they don't really eat birds here) the birds are suddenly very active. I have noticed it in the past week or so, very noisy, lots of different birds and all busy during the day as well as early am and early pm. Maybe it's mating season?

We have kingfishers, Drongoes, doves, and lots of other birds I don't know the names of; some annoying bird that goes whoo whoo whoo very loudly, a little tiny bird about the size of a hummingbird (but not a hummingbird), a few sea eagles about, and a few hawks (too bad they don't eat my neighbor's chickens, those kinds of birds I can do without!)

The birdwatching here is great, even if you aren't that interested in birds, it is still quite interesting. Especially the escaped banded pigeon hanging out at the neighboring bungalows. Seems a bit lonely but probably happy to fly around a bit.

[srisatch]

Well done chaps,you've brought me some good luck.

This morning there was a commotion coming from a large tree in the garden with the finches fleeing.Looked out to see a small grey raptor which Robson says is a Shikra.New to me but small and beautiful.

srisatch,where did you buy the fantails.Am a huge pigeon fan.

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No! No!

The Fantails are Rhipidura javanica and Rhipidura aureola..Robson p 170...in the garden..but they have got some stunning Chickens in Chatuchak!!

[Simbo]

Try Wat Phai Lom and its environs in Nonthaburi.

Bird watching is like fishing. Patience and stealth are required!

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I practice it everyday in a bar just off the beach road, Pattaya. Great fun.

[Diggerbasher]

Plenty of bird life down by the Mun river although could not tell you what they are.

[chico]

As i sit and type this topic i am looking out of my window here in Korat at the blue sky and it is totally empty of any bird larger than a mynah.So are the fields and trees.Its always been this way even before the bird flu.You would think in a tropical climate the sky would be full of raptors and carrion species.None.A dog or cat gets killed and lives by the road for weeks with no scavenging birds.

Are the locals poisoning them or eating them as in Isarn they do seem to eat anything that moves?

There are not even that many small species of bird and very litttle colour.The only flash of colour is an occasional scarlet backed flowerpecker.Are there any other bird watchers out there or am i the only bird watching geek on the forum.?

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there are plenty of different birds in burirum area, not only in the refuge near Prakhonchai.

Actually we have a very beautiful one in our garden, he likes it. since my wife loves lotus, has three ponds with different lotus in them, and lots of small fish -perfectly set table for the bird who loves to sit on a vantage point nearby, make his choice - and lunch is here!!

silver blue on the back, yellow (into orange) in the front, about 2-3cm long pecker

really beuatiful and fun watching getting his lunch!

[srisatch]

Birds breeding in the garden/compound:

Copsychus saularis Oriental Magpie Robin

Rhipidura javanica Pied Fantail

Aegithina tiphia Common Iora

Acridotheres tristis Common Myna

Acridotheres grandis White Vented Myna

Passer domesticus House Sparrow

Passer montanus Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Pyconotus jocosus Red Whiskered Bulbul

Pyconotus blanfordi Streak Eared Bulbul

There are also:

Nectarinia jugularis Olive Backed Sunbird

Geopelia striata Peaceful dove

….but I have not seen a nest nor young

There are also:

Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow

Hirundo daurica Red Rumped Swallow

Cypsiurus balasiensis Asian palm Swift

Apus affinis House Swift

And I have seen

Apus pacificus Fork Tailed Swift

Overhead

I don’t know where they nest!

And Bats...!

[Diggerbasher]

Got some flocks of cattle egrets, i believe ,following the local buffaloes around.

[srisatch]

Got some flocks of cattle egrets, i believe ,following the local buffaloes around.

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In your garden!?

[PeaceBlondie]

Here in Chiang Mai, close to the mountain Doi Suthep, I've got lots of birds around my balcony. Rich lady just below me is out feeding them at sunrise, so when I did the same, they came to my balcony. And one province away, they're in the trees, chattering away. But perhaps in the inner city there aren't as many trees to roost in. I never have known the names, but when they came to the balcony, there were a fair variety of sizes, shapes, colors, etc.

[aletta]

srisatch,

Sorry mate but just before reading your post i was thinking of pigeons as i would love to set up a loft out here but never see any rollers or tumblers or even fantails.Only mangy old rock pigeons.

Great list you gave though do feel kind of jealous as the only nesters here are a flock of Scaly Breasted Munias and a pair of Oriental Magpie Robins.

[srisatch]

srisatch,

Sorry mate but just before reading your post i was thinking of pigeons as i would love to set up a loft out here but never see any rollers or tumblers or even fantails.Only mangy old rock pigeons.

Great list you gave though do feel kind of jealous as the only nesters here are a flock of Scaly Breasted Munias and a pair of Oriental Magpie Robins.

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There probably ARE pigeons in Chatuchak...possibly in the new bit beyond where there are a lot of birds...though I never saw them..too busy being dragged round the mutt kennels by the missus!

still no mutts!

[cobra]

Once I saw several birds eating a dead bird in the early morning. really got scared. And sometimes birds relax on my balcony. But they are all in black, ...

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.. Thought I was at a poetry slam in Frisco ...

now I'll never get to sleep, thanx for the Halcyon imagery ....

(but I understand what your saying, I think ...)

[aletta]

I think someones been eating the wrong kind of mushrooms.

[Payne]

One finds no shortage of beautiful birds where we live in Phuket. However, there don't seem to be many variaties of ducks about. How so?

[jef]

I just returmned from an Issaan trip around Udon Thani and you are right, close to no birds. All I saw was some sparrow-like couple and a group of very small birds. I am affraid all got eaten by hungry Issaan people.

I live around Chumpon and we have plenty of birds. Lots of birds singing waking me up early morning. I am not native english speaker and can not give the names of the birds around here. Sometimes even see birds of pray.

I did see open storks bills North of Don Muang airport though.

Kao Yai is a good place to see birds also

[srisatch]

I just returmned from an Issaan trip around Udon Thani and you are right, close to no birds. All I saw was some sparrow-like couple and a group of very small birds. I am affraid all got eaten by hungry Issaan people.

I live around Chumpon and we have plenty of birds. Lots of birds singing waking me up early morning. I am not native english speaker and can not give the names of the birds around here. Sometimes even see birds of pray.

I did see open storks bills North of Don Muang airport though.

Kao Yai is a good place to see birds also

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The thing about cars is...they are good for watching birds if you stop..the birds do not flap off...if you stay in the car...but actually you see nothing...birds on the wires that is all.....

There is no substitute for sitting, watching, waitiing

Yes down Chumpon you should have lots of birds- in the woods and on the beaches/marshes...

I am not convinced by this 'mist netting/eating of everything'...I think DDT etc. and loss of habitat are more to blame...If I go out into the paddies there are lots of birds,,,waders, ducks, raptors, egrets, herons...I was not busy logging them..but now I might ...so thanks you guys...

[Jockstar]

They have all flown the coop.

[jef]

I just returmned from an Issaan trip around Udon Thani and you are right, close to no birds. All I saw was some sparrow-like couple and a group of very small birds. I am affraid all got eaten by hungry Issaan people.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The thing about cars is...they are good for watching birds if you stop..the birds do not flap off...if you stay in the car...but actually you see nothing...birds on the wires that is all.....

There is no substitute for sitting, watching, waitiing

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I did not mention I saw these Issaan birds from a car

I was walking around the village and spent a day on the families rice field 2km out of the village. I did some bird watching in the Everglades, Negev desert, Donau delta, Hula valley to name a few.

Issaan is a sad place for birds.

[Tarragona]

Birds breeding in the garden/compound:

Copsychus saularis      Oriental Magpie Robin

Rhipidura javanica  Pied Fantail

Aegithina tiphia    Common Iora

Acridotheres tristis    Common Myna

Acridotheres grandis White Vented Myna

Passer domesticus House Sparrow

Passer montanus        Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Pyconotus jocosus Red Whiskered Bulbul

Pyconotus blanfordi Streak Eared Bulbul

In the breeding list you have the House Sparrow, but I understood the

House Sparrow is a somewhat rare visitor to Thailand though possibly pushing into the North from Burma. Admittedly, I've let my interests drop over the last couple of years but I'm sure I remember reading that breeding House Sparrows would not be completely unexpected but might cause some excitement when actually discovered.

[aletta]

If I go out into the paddies there are lots of birds,,,waders, ducks, raptors, egrets, herons..

Srisatch,if you don't mind me asking are you close to the coast?

I'm an idiot really because i have chosen to live in the part of Thailand which seems to be devoid of much bird life.It's like someone has gone through Korat and wiped out all life.

[aletta]

Robsom says House Sparrows are resident all over Thailand so not a rare sighting except in the South.

[Tarragona]

Robsom says House Sparrows are resident all over Thailand so not a rare sighting except in the South.

Thanks for that. I'm a few years out-of-date and this thread has revived a bit of interest. I haven't noticed House Sparrows in my area (Samut Prakan) but will look more carefully. They are still worthy of mention in the BCST Bulletin. I found a reference from about a year ago:

House Sparrows were said to be common and breeding in villages in the three-crop (irrigated) rice area east of Bung Boraphet, on 20 February

http://www.worldtwitch.com/2004_thailand_bird_reports.htm

(Recent Reports February-March 2004.

[aletta]

No House Sparrows here in Korat, but hundreds of Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

[srisatch]

Birds breeding in the garden/compound:

Copsychus saularis      Oriental Magpie Robin

Rhipidura javanica  Pied Fantail

Aegithina tiphia    Common Iora

Acridotheres tristis    Common Myna

Acridotheres grandis White Vented Myna

Passer domesticus House Sparrow

Passer montanus        Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Pyconotus jocosus Red Whiskered Bulbul

Pyconotus blanfordi Streak Eared Bulbul

In the breeding list you have the House Sparrow, but I understood the

House Sparrow is a somewhat rare visitor to Thailand though possibly pushing into the North from Burma. Admittedly, I've let my interests drop over the last couple of years but I'm sure I remember reading that breeding House Sparrows would not be completely unexpected but might cause some excitement when actually discovered.

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Do not know where you read that!

I am not a wizz twitcher but I don't think I am wrong...anyway see Robson p 256

[srisatch]

If I go out into the paddies there are lots of birds,,,waders, ducks, raptors, egrets, herons..

Srisatch,if you don't mind me asking are you close to the coast?

I'm an idiot really because i have chosen to live in the part of Thailand which seems to be devoid of much bird life.It's like someone has gone through Korat and wiped out all life.

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Sorry I have been 'away'! to nan and the North..nice Asian Fairy Bluebirds and Great Egrets!

No I am in Sukothai!

[Diggerbasher]

Some small brown finch like birds are building a nest in one of the mango trees in my garden.

[tutsiwarrior]

I'm interested in planting a mango tree in my (future) garden for the purpose of attracting birds, fruit, etc...In central america they can grow quite large (50 ft tall with a 50 ft radius canopy). What can one expect in Central Thailand?

[Jai Dee]

I'm interested in planting a mango tree in my (future) garden for the purpose of attracting birds, fruit, etc...In central america they can grow quite large (50 ft tall with a 50 ft radius canopy). What can one expect in Central Thailand?

With regular watering and plently of root space you can expect the same here in LOS tutsi.

There are many different varieties though, and some flower and fruit at different times of the year.

Make sure you have plently of land, or you'll be forever trimming them.

[srisatch]

I'm interested in planting a mango tree in my (future) garden for the purpose of attracting birds, fruit, etc...In central america they can grow quite large (50 ft tall with a 50 ft radius canopy). What can one expect in Central Thailand?

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With regular watering and plently of root space you can expect the same here in LOS tutsi.

There are many different varieties though, and some flower and fruit at different times of the year.

Make sure you have plently of land, or you'll be forever trimming them.

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Quite...lots of varieties..and they have in common a capability of dousing anything underneath with dross, goo, gum...on the car in our case...you need space..plant some bamboo, too..and there are, here, lots of birds in the crowns of the coconuts. We have lime trees. lychees, and bananas too in the garden...and the birds nest in all of them