For many birdwatchers in Thailand, and other parts of the
tropics, a sighting of any pitta species is the pinnacle of
a day's birding. Indeed, when discussing the birds of Thailand
with other birders the conversation always quickly progresses
to subject of pittas. The difficulty in finding this group
of birds combined with their ground-dwelling habits and colourful
and/or unusual plumages makes pittas very desirable indeed.
Thailand has fourteen species of pitta which are of varying
difficulty to find and to see all fourteen of them in Thailand
would take a huge amount of effort not to mention discovering
one species that has never actually been observed in the wild
in the country. Finding pittas in Thailand relies on knowing
both where and when to look for them, with sightings at some
times of the year being almost impossible but becoming much
more likely at other times. Below are notes on all twelve
of Thailand's pitta species, including where birdwatchers
are most likely to encounter them. I have listed them in the
order they appear in "Birds
of Thailand" published by Lynx Edicions in 2018.
If
anyone wants any further advice on how to find pittas in Thailand
please don't hesitate to contact me for help:
nickupton@thaibirding.com
Confined to broadleaved evergreen forest below 200 metres
in the Malay peninsula, the only place in Thailand this fantastic
bird is likely to be found is in Hala-Bala
Wildlife Sanctuary along the river accessible from
the research station at the Bala sector. This very rare resident
exists probably in only very small numbers in Thailand due
to deforestation of the lowlands.
Those lucky enough to get to the extreme south of Thailand
to look for this bird should listen out for its drawn out
monotone whistle, which is very similar to that of Malaysian
Rail-babbler, along lowland river valleys. A few people, including
myself, have been lucky and found Garnet Pitta at the Bala
section of Hala-Bala Wildlfie Sanctuary where it is should
be looked for along the rather leech-infested trail across
the stream at the rear of the research station. This species
usually calls from slightly elevated perches and in thorny
palms. Due to the extreme rarity of this species in Thailand
the only time it is likely to be detected is when it is calling
during the breeding season; mid February to June and perhaps
into July/August is when it should be calling, outside of
those times it is highly likely to be silent. There used to
be fairly regular reports of birds from territory at Bala
but these dried up around 2015 and rumours are that someone
trapped them. If this is correct it may be that Garnet Pitta
is now extinct in Thailand.
Although in Thailand Garnet Pitta should be regarded as critically
endangered, internationally it is listed as "near threatened"
by and it is much easier to find in Peninsula Malaysia, parts
of Sumatra and in Borneo.
Eared
Pitta is an uncommon resident and rarely seen by visiting
birdwatchers. However, in Lekagul
and Round it is listed as an uncommon to common resident
and it may be that the low number of sightings is due
to the fact that its habitat below 900 metres is not as
widely visited as it might be.
Sightings do occur from Khao
Yai National Park, particularly from the
trails that are close to the headquarters and Eared Pitta
has also been photographed from Kaeng
Krachan National Park too: I have seen and
heard it between streams 2 and 3 near Ban Krang on several
occasions, particularly in the breeding season.
Eared Pitta has also been photographed on a number of
occasions from blinds around Kaeng Krachan; a morning
or afternoon in one of these blinds can be arranged through
the owners of Ban Maka.
A number
of tourist lodges around the southwest edge of Khao Yai have
access to low level forest and at one of these, near Nakorn
Nayok, Peter
Ericsson photographed an Eared Pitta - so this is perhaps
an option for those determined to get a sighting.
Despite the fact that Eared Pitta is not commonly seen in Thailand
it is fairly widespread, but mainly confined to regions rarely
visited by birdwatchers. Its international conservation status
is "Least concern" as classified by IUCN.
Unless you are very lucky you will have to be very determined
and focused to see Eared Pitta in Thailand.
Take a look at this video clip of an Eared Pitta taken in Khao
Yai National Park in 2004: Eared
Pitta clip.
Rusty-naped
Pitta is one of the hardest pittas to observe in Thailand
under normal circumstances as it lives in montane forest with
dense undergrowth and steep slopes. However, it is not uncommon
where it occurs in northern and western Thailand and its call
carries a long way when it is active, usually between the
months of mid March and end of July.
Almost all Rusty-naped Pitta sightings in Thailand occur when
birds a re visiting photographic feeding stations. This is
usually restricted to the driest months of February and March
although sometimes if they become very habituated to receiving
food they may be showing from December and into April. Strangely
enough the times at which Rusty-naped Pitta is easiest to
see, at stakeouts, does not coincide with when it is most
active and vocal.
At Doi Chiang
Dao Rusty-naped Pitta used to be frequently seen
at the beginning of the "nature trail" and in the
temple gully. Rather too many people have resorted to playing
the bird's call at this location and now I havent heard of
any sightings there for some time; the trail has become extremely
overgrown too so it is probably not a good place to look.
On the higher altitudes at Kaeng
Krachan National Park this species can frequently
be heard calling in the wet season but getting a sighting
of one there is exceptionally rare. Rusty-naped Pittas have
appeared at feeding stations at Doi
Lang, Doi
Ang Kang and Doi Tung over recent years but none seem
predictable from one year to the next. One of the most reliable
sites has been at Mae
Wong National Park where birds have visited a
stakeout in most years BUT not in all years. Doi
Inthanon has also been a site where people have seen Rusty-naped
Pitta but while it may be possible to track one down when
they are calling and when birding alone, due to the nature
of the narrow trails and steep hillsides it is highly unlikely
that birders will be successful here in a group.
Rusty-naped Pitta is one of the most infrequently "observed"
pittas in Thailand, it is an uncommon resident whilst the
international listing of Birdlife
International is of "least concern".
Rusty-naped Pitta can be a very difficult bird to
see properly; whilst there are many "sightings"
after talking to many of those who have observed the bird,
it seems very few people get much more than a glimpse unless
they have seen it at a photographic feeding station.
4.
Blue-naped PittaHydrornis nipalensis
Blue-naped
Pitta
Blue-naped
Pitta was predicted as a possible addition to the Thai
bird list in Round
& Lekagul's A guide to the Birds of Thailand and
was finally discovered on 1st March 2009 at around 900m
above sea level at Pu Suan Sai national park, Loei province.
This species has not yet been photographed in Thailand
and was found in thick bamboo forest, so the opportunities
for viewing it and photography are not good. It has been
seen by just a handful of observers and very few have
even heard it. I was lucky enough to hear one call twice
at Pu Suan sai in early July 2010 but the dense bamboo
and rampant leeches gave me no chance to see the bird
- I have been told that this species calls from trees
and other elevated perches.
It is quite possible, even likely, that Blue-naped Pitta
occurs in a few other areas of northern/northeastern Thailand.
Internationally Blue-naped Pitta is listed by the IUCN
as "least concern" as it has a very wide range
throughout Asia even though it is thought to be declining
in many areas.
Blue-rumped
Pitta is confined, in Thailand, to the extreme southeast
of the country. The most accessible place for birdwatchers
to find this species is Khao
Soi Dao in Chantaburi province, although
there are a few other national parks in the region which
have limited visiting access where it may also be found:
Khao Kitchakut and Khao Srabab. Very few visiting birdwatchers
(or resident birders) get to see this pitta as Khao Soi
Dao is not a heavily visited area which is a shame as
the habitat is of excellent quality.
Whilst Blue-rumped Pitta has a very restricted range in
Thailand and is an uncommon resident, it has quite a large
range, stretching from south east Thailand, through Indochina
and into China itself. The conservation status is listed
as "least concern" by the IUCN.
Giant
Pitta is a very rare resident and very seldom seen by
visiting or resident birdwatchers alike. This species
is confined to evergreen forests of the lowlands in the
peninsula and has been seen on a very few occassions at
Kaeng Krachan
National Park although it is almost a mythical
bird at this location. It has also been videoed at Khao
Nor Chu Chi some years ago and a few have
also been lucky enough to see Giant Pitta on the riverside
loop accessible from the research centre at Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary.
In March 2011 I was lucky enough to see a female Giant
Pitta on two occasions when the forest was extremely dry
and the only water was a few puddles in the stream bed
between stream crossings 2 and 3. Others also saw the
male during this time and perhaps these are the best conditions
under which to find this bird.
Whilst Giant Pitta is a rare resident and probably endangered
in Thailand due to lowland deforestation it is only listed
as "near threatened" by the IUCN
and as with many other lowland specialists it is far more
likely to be encountered in Malaysia or Indonesia.
Don't come to Thailand expecting to see a Giant
Pitta, it is almost never seen, other countries will give
you a better chance.
Blue
Pitta is one of Thailand's more common pittas, occurring
in moist forest from the plains to about 1500 metres.
This species is frequently observed by determined visiting
birdwatchers at Khao
Yai National Park on numerous different trails
and Kaeng Krachan
National Park close to the campsite at Km
15 in damp gulleys and similar spots and myself and others
have also seen this bird a number of times at Nam
Nao. Whilst Blue Pitta's range includes most
of the west and the north, as well as the south east and
parts of the northeast, it is absent from most of the
south.
The Blue Pitta's call is "pleoow-whit" but particularly
at Kaeng Krachan and parts of Khao Yai replays of this
call are being overused meaning that many individuals
are no longer reacting, making them very difficult to
see.
Reflecting its situation as a fairly common resident,
the Blue Pitta's international conservation status is
"least concern" as stated by the IUCN.
Whilst
Blue Pitta is elusive and hard to observe, it is fairly abundant
and those who are determined should eventually get a good view
of this species.
The
small population of Gurney's Pitta still holds out at
Khao Nor
Chu Chi, near Krabi, with around 15 estimated.
Although a few individuals may still hold out in nearby
forest fragments and a large
population has been discovered in Myanmar, KNC is
the best chance for most birders to see this species.
Most birders make the frustrating wait on U-trail in order
to get a glimpse of Gurney's Pitta but there are also
frequent sightings from some of the other nearby, but
overgrown, trails and also from B-trail so don't spend
your whole time sat in a mosquito infested puddle on U-trail!
Gurney's Pitta is now classified as endangered by Birdlife
International but it remains important to refrain
from using taped or imitated calls to lure it into view
as too many people do. There are fewer and fewer independent
sightings of Gurney's Pitta these days, although some
people have seen it in the breeding season - most people
hire the assistance of Yothin Meekao to see this bird.
Take a
look at Jan Wilczur's fabulous painting of a Gurney's
Pitta.
I
am not aware of any sightings of Bar-bellied Pitta in
recent years and certainly not by holidaying birdwatchers,
indeed it appears that it may never have been seen in
the wild in Thailand - known only from an individual in
a market in Ubon Ratchatani. This species has a severley
restricted range in Thailand occurring only in the extreme
southeast and east of the country in forest below 400
metres. With the destruction of almost all forest below
this altitude there are only a very few patches of habitat
left close to the Cambodian border. For those determined
to find this bird in Thailand a couple of national parks
and wildlife sanctuaries in Ubon Ratchatani province may
be the place to look.
Despite Bar-bellied Pitta being endangered in Thailand
its international conservation status is listed as "least
concern" by the IUCN
due to its extensive range through Cambodia, Laos and
Vietnam.
Banded
Pitta is one of the most beautiful species in Thailand
and is confined to forest up to 610 metres in the southern
peninsula. Never an easy species to find, most sightings
of Banded Pitta in Thailand are from Khao
Nor Chu Chi which has more to do with the
number of visitors to this location than its abundance.
Those searching for this species would do well to visit
Khao Sok
National Park or Krung Ching Waterfall where
very reliable stakeouts for Banded Pitta exists and other
quality areas of forest in the south such as Hala-Bala,
Sri Phang
Nga and Thalebun
have also provided some lucky birdwatchers with a view
of this pitta.
This species has a soft call which consists of a falling
"pouw" followed by a whirring "kirrr"
and it is said that Gurney's Pitta responds to the playback
of Banded Pitta's call. For this reason birdwatchers at
Khao Nor Chu Chi should avoid the use of this species
call.
The status of Banded Pitta is as an uncommon resident
and internationally it is classified as "Least concern"
by the IUCN.
Banded
Pitta is one of the most findable Pittas in Thailand and those
who are determined should see one in the south.
Take a look at Jan Wilczur's fabulous painting of a Banded
Pitta.
Blue-winged
Pitta is perhaps Thailand's most common pitta species,
although it is not seen by too many visiting birdwatchers
as it mainly spends the dry season in Malaysia and Indonesia
although small numbers are resident in the south. This
bird is regarded as a common wet season breeder and can
be found in all sorts of places during migration, even
turning up in parks and gardens in Bangkok. For visiting
birders one of the best chances of finding Blue-winged
Pitta is at Khao
Nor Chu Chi in April/May when it is often
seen in the garden of the Morakot resort as well as on
the trails. Although this site accounts for many sightings
this species can be found over a large part of the country
in the breeding season and is particularly common at Kaeng
Krachan in May-July.
The international status of Blue-winged Pitta reflects
its abundance in Thailand as it is listed as "least
concern" by the IUCN
with a range stretching from India, through China to The
Philippines.
By
far the easiest Pitta in Thailand at the right time of year
(mid April toJuly) when it is common in many places and calls
from high in trees. It can probably be found into August and
September too but for much of the dry season (November to
early April) it is completely absent in most of the country
with just a few birds resident in parts of the South.
Although
restricted to mangroves on the west coast of the southern
peninsula, Mangrove Pitta is probably one of the easiest
pittas to find in Thailand. Its habit of sitting high
up in mangrove trees and calling makes it reasonably easy
to spot if you can get into the right habitat. Many birders
see this species in Krabi
on a boat trip with Mr Dai who has been able to find this
bird for many people, although he seems to be putting
in less effort these days. There are also some reliable
spots for Mangrove Pitta at Ao Phang Nga National Park,
accessible a few kilometres south of Phang Nga town, where
there are several boardwalks and jetties that one can
walk into the mangroves or take a boat trip - I am told
that the pitta is easily found here. Others have seen
this species in Phuket, near Takua Pa and Kuraburi - anywhere
that one can get into mangroves along the western coast
is worth a look.
Internationally Mangrove Pitta is listed by the IUCN
as "near threatened" as, although its range
stretches from Bangladesh to Indonesia, its mangrove habitat
continues to be destroyed in all countries it occurs in.
Fairy
Pitta was first recorded in Thailand at Phuttamoton
Park near Bangkok when one individual stayed from
11th to 17th April 2009 and was widely observed and photographed.
Since then this species has been discovered to be an annual
passage migrant in Eastern Thailand, regularly being recorded
at the ringing station at Ko Mun Nai in Rayong province
and other surrounding islands. A few others have turned
up on the mainland so if the weather conditions are right
in April it could be worth a closer look at any Blue-winged
Pittas that appear in parks and gardens.
Internationally Fairy Pitta is listed by the IUCN
as "vulnerable" as, its habitat is subject to
deforestation in its breeding range and its population
is thought to be only a few thousand individuals.
More photos of Fairy Pitta can be seen here: Fairy
Pitta.
14.
Hooded PittaPitta sordida
Hooded Pitta
(Photo by Thomas Ruedas)
Hooded
Pitta is a wet season migrant to most of Thailand although
it is present throughout the year in the peninsula. It
occurs far further north than the distribution maps in
either Robson's
or Lekagul &
Round's field guides but is not often seen by visiting
birdwatchers. I have seen this species in the temple gully
at Doi Chiang
Dao in early May and it has been seen breeding
as far north as Chiang
Saen. As with many other pittas, Hooded Pitta
has been photographed a number of times at nests at Kaeng
Krachan, where it can be fairly easy to find
just after it arrives in late April and May, and also
at Khao
Yai National Park and any site in the south
could provide a sighting of this species. Hooded Pitta
seems to be found more or less annually at Phuttamonton
Park just outside Bangkok in the early wet
season.
Hooded Pitta calls in a similar manner to many other pittas
with a "fluty raew-raew" similar to that of
Blue-winged Pitta.
In Thailand Hooded Pitta is an uncommon to locally common
bird and its international status is listed as "least
concern" due to its large range from India and Nepal
in the west to Japan in the east and as far south as Papua
New Guinea.
In
the wet season Hooded Pitta can turn up anywhere and its habit
of calling from within trees makes it relatively easy to see
for a Pitta from mid April to July/August.
The
best time to look for pittas in Thailand is
in the breeding season and the lead up to
it. Most of my Pitta sightings are between
the end of January and August.
Anyone requiring assistance in finding pittas
or any of Thailand's other species should
take a look at the suggested itineraries for
ideas on possible trips:
view details or can contact me
nickupton@thaibirding.com
Kazakhstan,
May 2020 - Ibisbill, Himalayan Snowcock, Azure
Tit, White-browed Tit-warbler, Black Lark, Sociable Lapwing,
Caspian Plover, Saxaul Sparrow: Coming Soon 
