KRUNG CHING
THAILAND
LOCALE
| Area (ha): | 57,000 |
| Altitude (m): | 50-200 |
| # Species: | 327 |
| # Excl Vagrants: | 327 |
| # Endemics: | 0 |
| # Near Endemics: | 0 |
| Species/100 ha: | 0.6 |
| Habitat: Broadleaf evergreen forest | |
ABOUT THE BIRDING
Krung Ching sector of Khao Luang National Park is the premier birding site on the central Thai peninsula. Some 250 bird species have been recorded in the area. The main birding consists of the 2 kilometer entrance road, the headquarters area, and the waterfall trail. It's worth spending two full days birding the park.
The entrance road is partially denuded but offers forest edge habitat. This is a good place to find several species of broadbills, including Green Broadbill, Black-and-red Broadbill, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, and Dusky Broadbill. Also possible but less easily seen is Banded Broadbill. Mixed flocks of malkohas, ioras, bulbuls, leafbirds, and flycatchers move through on a regular basis. The top of the hill is good for cuckoos, woodpeckers, and minivets. A night walk along the road may produce Sunda Scops-Owl, Brown Boobook, and Javan Frogmouth.
Around the car park and campsite near the headquarters are usually trees in fruit that attract many birds, including green-pigeons, 3-4 species of barbets, bulbuls, flowerpeckers, and sunbirds. The streams near the headquarters area are good for Chestnut-crowned Forktail and White-crowned Forktail. At night trees in the campsite may produce Buffy Fish-Owl and Brown Wood-Owl.
The waterfall trail offers the best birding in the park and is the main reason to visit. It's best to start birding the trail as early as possible, leaving the other sites above until later. Vegetation is thick so a guide who knows bird vocalizations is essential. The first hundred meters of the trail is good for species such as Diard's Trogon, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Orange-breasted Trogon, Rufous-winged Philentoma, Fulvous-chested Jungle-Flycatcher, and Gray-headed Babbler. As the trail goes uphill birds such as Rufous-collared Kingfisher and Malayan Banded-Pitta can be found. As the trail levels out look for Wallace's Hawk-Eagle that commonly nests in the area, trogons, and babblers. Sala 2 is an excellent spot to look for Banded Kingfisher and the prized Malaysian Rail-babbler. In addition to birds, it's possible to see several species of squirrels and monkeys in the forest.
LOCATION OF SITE
Krung Ching is part of Khao Luang National Park. It's located 3 hours drive from Krabi in southern Thailand.