Asian Openbill (Photo by Nick Upton)

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1 1. Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans For many people, Asian Openbill, cruising overhead, will be the first birds they see in Thailand as they drive along one of the many roads out of the airport. This impressive species is easily identified by its large size and large bill; be careful not to mistake it for an Ibis as its profile in flight can resemble these species. Asian Openbill Asian Openbill was one of the few large waterbirds to survive extinction in Thailand, surviving in a small pocket in northern Bangkok. Since the introduction of a species of snail which lives on rice plants, the population of Asian Openbill Storks has exploded. By providing this service, of keeping down snail numbers, to rice farmers they are left to do their job in ever-growing numbers. In recent years many other large waterbirds have begun to make something of a comeback in Thailand due to the fact that they are not hunted any longer, however, Asian Openbill numbers have increased dramatically for a very different reason - they can now be seen in large numbers in many places and have made it to almost every province of Thailand by At one point Asian Openbills were seen by the Thai Government as a major vector for bird flu and a cull was considered. Thankfully they realized this would be foolish, reactionary measure and the storks were spared. 2. Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger Little Cormorant is a very common resident bird throughout much of the country and it can often be seen flying overhead or sitting with its wings outstretched on roadside wetlands in a similar fashion to other cormorant species around the world as one drives away from the airport. Little Cormorant In flight Little Cormorant has a rather panicky, flappy action and this, together with its small size, tricks a number of visiting birders into thinking that they have seen a duck. Wild ducks are rather uncommon in Thailand away from just a few regular sites and, particularly when driving close to Bangkok, Little Cormorant is much more likely to be seen as one drives along the highway. One confusion species is Indian Cormorant which is slightly larger and has a much longer bill, something which can be seen even in flight. This species has a more leisurely flight pattern than Little Cormorant with flapping interspersed by glides. Indian Cormorant is less common than Little Cormorant although it is likely to be seen close to Bangkok where it is growing increasingly abundant.

2 3. Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta Eastern Great Egret (split from Great Egret by some authorities) is a common bird across much of Thailand in the "winter" months and is a fairly common resident around Bangkok and the Central Plains. Its abundance and conspicuousness make it highly likely that it will be spotted from the car window heading out of Suwarnapoom airport,on the way into Bangkok or traveling to birding sites in the west or north east. Eastern Great Egret In flight Great Egret can be separated from Little Egret by its larger size, heavier bill and black feet. If not in the car, its "Kraaark" call can often be heard as it flies away. Intermediate Egret is a confusion species but this bird is only fractionally bigger than Little Egret whereas Great Egret is much larger. Look out for recently drained fishponds or paddies being ploughed where an abundance of food often draws large groups of not only Great Egret but other species such as Little Egret and Pond Herons. In the breeding season you may spot some birds with bright blue facial skin and reddish legs - quite a sight! 4. Chinese Pond Heron & Javan Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus & Ardeola speciosa Most bird watchers visit Thailand in the northern hemisphere's winter - Thailand's dry season - when both of these species are in their identical and rather plain winter plumage. Chinese Pond Heron can be seen throughout Thailand in the dry season and Javan Pond Heron is common in the central plains all year round. Javan Pond Heron in breeding plumage An identification tip for these species in winter plumage mentioned in Robson's Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand is that Chinese Pond Heron has more distinct dark tips to its wings in flight; however, dark tips are more usually down to worn plumage meaning that this is not a reliable identification point. It does appear, though, that in freshwater habitats Chinese Pond Heron tends to outnumber Javan and in saltwater habitats Javan tends to outnumber Chinese; this becomes obvious as both species come into breeding plumage towards the end of February. It is also worth noting that Javan Pond Heron seems to come into breeding plumage slightly earlier than Chinese. As birders drive around Thailand in the dry season they are certain to see both of these species flying across the road, fishing in roadside ditches and farmland. In winter plumage these species appear brown and streaky when on the ground but in flight they are predominantly white. In summer plumage both of these pond herons are quite striking birds: a visit in March or April will see both species in summer plumage.

3 5. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis White-throated Kingfisher is one of the most obvious and easily identified birds that visitors will see perched on roadside posts and cables. It is a common bird which is resident throughout most of the country in well-watered and dry open-country, feeding mainly on insects and lizards but sometimes taking crabs and fish or even young birds. White-throated Kingfisher has a whinnying call which carries quite some distance. Like many other kingfishers, this species excavates a nest hole in a suitable earth bank usually raising one or two young. White-throated Kingfisher This is perhaps Thailand's most common kingfisher species and most definitely the most abundant in the wet season. It is practically a certainty that bird watchers will see a White-throated Kingfisher from the car window before very long. 6. Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Black-shouldered Kite is likely to be seen from the car window either perched on a power cable or hovvering in flight as it searches for prey. This species is one of Thailand's most common raptors, particularly in open-country, and is quite striking in appearance, leaving no difficulty in identification even from a moving vehicle. However, Black-shouldered Kite often remains inactive for much of the day, sitting perched, and usually does most of its hunting in the late afternoon. Black-shouldered Kite If visitors see Black-shouldered Kite from the car it is worth stopping to watch it properly as although common it is encountered far more often as one travels than from regular birding stops and it is possible that it will be the only chance to view it properly, particularly if only on a short trip. For birders from the US it is worth mentioning that this species has been split from the similar species in America.

4 7. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus Brahminy Kite Brahminy Kite is one of the more abundant species of raptor in Thailand and this is particularly true close to the coast and it is included here because of the frequency it is seen flying across the road as one leaves Bangkok and heads to Laem Pak Bia/Pak Thale - a journey made by many visiting birders. As well as being a bird of the roadside on this particular journey, any beach holiday in the south of Thailand will almost certainly result in sightings of the species. Adult Brahminy Kites are easily identified even from a fast moving vehicle due to their size and colouration and juveniles can be separated from Black Kites by their unforked tails. Brahminy Kites catch their own fish and also rob birds such as egrets and herons of their catch; an exciting spectacle. Although this species is still relatively abundant it has apparently undergone a massive decline since the 1970s, a decline which is thought to be due to dam construction, increased use of agrochemicals and persecution - it is still common around the coast south of Bangkok. 8. Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis Indian Roller is a common bird throughout Thailand and seems to favour drier country although it will also be found in smaller numbers in wetland areas. Sooner or later, birders driving around Thailand will see the distinctive outline of an Indian Roller sitting on overhead cables and when it flies its beautiful blue wings create a memorable spectacle, although it can appear quite dull when perched. Indian Roller (Photo by Alex Vargas) As tempting as it might be to leap out and photograph Indian Rollers at every opportunity, you can end up spending a lot of time doing this as, in some places, there will be a Roller on the cables every couple of hundred metres. It is worth waiting until you see one of these colourful birds sitting somewhere photogenic and in good light - silhouetted shots of the bird sitting on wires are not so exciting! An interesting paper on Indian Rollers can be seen here - Population, Diurnal Activity Patterns and Feeding Ecology of The Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis by N. Sivakumaran & K. Thiyagesan.

5 9. Feral Pigeon Columba livia Feral Pigeon So often, when one gets to a new country all the birds are lifers, every crow, sparrow and dove. Well, don't get excited this is just the same old Feral Pigeon that seems to get everywhere. In Robson and also in Lekagul & Round this species is rather grandly referred to as Rock Pigeon/Dove and whilst many birds do look like genuine Rock Pigeons and there are no doubt some genuine birds nesting on isolated cliffs, it seems somewhat optimistic to assume that most of the birds are anything other than Feral Pigeons. Feral Pigeons seem to do especially well in Bangkok where the typical design of apartments includes a balcony containing an air-conditioning unit, behind which the pigeons make their nest. This abundance of pigeons attracts Peregrine Falcons into the city as it does elsewhere in the world. 10. Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus Ashy Woodswallow is a fairly small but compact bird and is perhaps one of the cutest species that is likely to be seen on a Thailand birding trip due to its habit of sitting huddled together, often in large groups, making a rather attractive photo opportunity - similarly to how these two are perched. Ashy Woodswallows (Photo by Alex Vargas) The woodswallows are an Australian group of birds but this species is common throughout much of Thailand, in drier open-country and even in the centre of some smaller towns. Ashy Woodswallows seems to particularly like tall radio masts and suchlike where they will often nest - if one sees any large masts, stop and an Ashy Woodswallow will almost certainly be there. 11. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Common Myna is indeed a very common bird and it will be one of the first species that any visiting bird watcher is likely to see as it forages around in villages, farmland, petrol stations, parks and cities.. Common Myna As might be expected from a bird that does so well in proximity to humans, Common Myna is a generalist, feeding on worms, beetles, insect larva, fruits and raiding bins for scraps of food. On one occasion, at Suan Luang, I witnessed a Common Myna winning a three-way tug-ofwar over a katydid (a large insect) with a Streak-eared Bulbul and an Oriental Magpie Robin. In keeping with its often scruffy appearance and scruffy, bin-raiding lifestyle, Common Myna builds a scruffy ball of a nest which is sometimes parasitized by Koels; watching Mynas feeding juvenile Koels is an interesting sight.

6 12. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus In the "winter" months (October to April) Black Drongo is a very common bird across the country in farmland and can frequently be seen perched on posts and overhead cables as one is driving. This is the only species of drongo likely to be seen in this habitat so despite its superficial similarity to other drongos there is no difficulty identifying it, even from a speeding car. Black Drongo (Photo by Peter Ericsson) It is worth noting that although Black Drongo is listed as being resident in Robson's Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand, in reality most birds are migrants are of the migrant race, particularly in open-country and smaller numbers of the resident race remain in Thailand in the wet season, and most of those in lightly wooded parkland situations. In winter, Black Drongos can form impressive roosts, numbering in the thousands and it is quite a spectacle to watch them swooping in, in groups of as they gather. One such roost exists in the mangroves at the King's Project Area, Laem Pak Bia. 13. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Shrikes tend to be a sought-after group of species by most birdwatchers and Brown Shrike is one that can hardly be missed in the dry season as it can commonly be seen perched on posts, twigs and wires in all manner of open-country habitats throughout Thailand. Like most other shrikes, the Brown Shrike feeds on large insects and small lizards, sometimes impaling them on thorns before eating them; it has also been known to eat small birds. Brown Shrike mid August. At least four races have been recorded but most birds in Thailand are of two subspecies; cristatus and confusus, although due to worn plumage it can often be difficult to decide which subspecies has been seen.

7 14. Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica Red Collared Dove is probably the most attractive of the common dove species likely to be seen in Thailand. The male's beautiful red back contrasts with his grey head and black collar, making it a very pretty bird indeed. Red Collared Dove can be seen in ones and twos throughout the day, sitting on wires and foraging at the roadside, but in the late afternoon dozens of these birds can often be seen collecting on roadside wires before heading to their roosting places. Red Collared Dove For those looking to get good photos of Red Collared Dove, either Lumphini Park, Suan Luang or Suan Rot Fai are excellent places to get close to it. 15. Eastern Jungle Crow & Large-billed Crow Corvus levaillantii & Corvus macrorhynchos These two species were split after the publication of a comprehensive paper on crows throughout Asia. Despite this I find it difficult to accept that these are separate species as I have studied them and cannot observe any discernable difference between the "two species"; the culmen of the bills supposedly differ. There is supposed to be somewhere in Thailand (around Petchaburi/Prachuab Kiri Khan?) where one species takes over from the other although this spot has not been identified and "intermediate" birds are known. Eastern Jungle Crow (Photo by Alex Vargas) However, although they are just crows, these two species provide easy ticks for visitors as the species can be seen in any open country, forest clearings, campsites, farmland, parks and even in Bangkok city centre. Although most birders are likely to see one of these species from the car window (Eastern Jungle Crow in most of the country, Large-billed in the south) soon after arrival in Thailand, it is worth taking time to observe it closely as they are birds which do all sorts of funny things. Like all crows, Large-billed Crow is a very intelligent species and can be seen performing various tricks depending on the habitat. I have seen them "mugging" mynas for food, masquerading as chickens to steal their feed and one individual, at Ko Surin, that was admiring itself in a campsite mirror as it preened: it seems that vanity comes with intelligence.

8 16. White-vented Myna Acridotheres grandis White-vented Myna is one of the most common species in Thailand and will most certainly be encountered by visiting birdwatchers before getting out of the car. This species is almost as common as Common Myna, indeed, in well-watered open-country outside of urban areas it is probably more common.. White-vented Myna In rice-farming areas White-vented Myna can often be found in large groups following mechanical or buffalodrawn ploughs, collecting the invertebrates that are disturbed in the process. White-vented Mynas perched on the backs of buffalo and other cattle make nice photographs. Birdwatchers heading to Kaeng Krachan national park will inevitably see large groups of White-vented Mynas on the roads that approach it; these birds seem to be wellpracticed at dodging speeding vehicles although I always slow down for them. 17. Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis Oriental Magpie Robin may be one of the slightly harder species on this list to spot when driving as it is only the size of a European Blackbird. However, it will only be a matter of time before one is seen early in the morning singing from a roadside wire or post, perhaps outside your hotel room's window early in the morning. Oriental Magpie Robin (Photo by Zhao Chao) As well as being of similar size to European Blackbird it would be fair to say that occupies a similar niche as it can be found in parks, gardens, open land and forest edge. It even jumps around on lawns cocking its tail whilst foraging for invertebrates, similarly to Blackbirds. Magpie Robins also sit of rooftops and sing in the late afternoon to advertize their presence. Oriental Magpie Robins are highly territorial and frequently sing to warn competitors away. This territoriality also manifests itself in aggressive clashes with intruders, both other Magpie Robins and other species.

9 18. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt is one of the few waders that is a resident bird in Thailand and it can be seen in a variety of wetland habitats from rice fields to salt farms. Anyone driving anywhere around the Central Plains is almost certain to see this species from the car window somewhere on the journey; they are easily spotted and recognized even when travelling fast along the highway. Black-winged Stilt Black-winged Stilt nests in a variety of open situations including trampled vegetation and the bunds between salt pans and pools; the juveniles can be seen in July and August - quite a cute bird. Juveniles can have a superficial resemblance to Common Greenshank or Marsh Sandpiper at a distance so check carefully in the breeding season. For those visitors who like to take photographs a trip to the Environmental Research and Development Project initiated by H.M King Bhumibol at Laem Pak Bia is an excellent location where you are guaranteed to get really close to Black-winged Stilts. 19. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Anyone familiar with the decline of the Tree Sparrow in Europe might well be surprised how they thrive in Thailand. Perhaps they appreciate the warmer climate, but whatever the reason for their abundance, this species is ubiquitous around human habitation and it is likely that it will be one of the first species seen by any visiting birder; you can look out for it as soon as you get off the plane. Eurasian Tree Sparrow One of the reasons for the Tree Sparrows success in Thailand is certainly its ability to nest in cavities in buildings, something it does not seem to do very often in Europe, and as one drives through villages any small birds seen on and around buildings are likely to be Tree Sparrows. The plumage of town-dwelling Tree Sparrows in Thailand is dark and scruffy, similarly to that of House Sparrows in Europe and be sure that you do not leave plates of rice unattended outside or you may find that one of these cheeky characters makes off with your food.

10 20. Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus Eastern Cattle Egret is a common bird in both wellwatered and dry open-country and is usually seen in groups, sometimes quite large. This is one species that is well-named as it is frequently seen alongside cattle and other livestock, often riding on the back of buffaloes but also large flocks follow tractors through fields during ploughing; I have seen groups numbering in the hundreds near Petchaburi. Eastern Cattle Egret (Photo by Peter Ericsson) In the breeding season Eastern Cattle Egrets are rather handsome with their buffy, straw-coloured necks, but in the dry season they are all white but easily identified by their rather squat stature. Most authorities have now split this species from Western Cattle Egret; it does look quite different from this species in breeding plumage and there are some minor structural differences too.