Birding in Phuket
Birding in Phuket pales in comparison to birding in the nearby provinces of Phang Nga and Krabi. With little natural habitat left to speak of, birding can be slow and frustrating. Birders planning on spending their entire birding time on the island should not place their hopes too high or expect a long list of sightings during their stay. I’d recommended one to hire a guide for the day, in order to maximize the chances of seeing a higher number of species. This would help to save time trying to figure out which places would be “hot” and which places are “not”.

This is not to say that Phuket is worthless as a birding destination. While some have complained that the selection of birds here is limited, others have been blessed with a high number of quality birds in one outing. There are a number of species unique to Phuket which cannot be found in the other west coast provinces. Not just that, but the geographical positioning of Phuket also makes it a prime stopover for many migratory species; this helps explain why one will occasionally come across species for a few short days of the year, such as Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle and Common Cuckoo, to name a few.

Phuket is still rich in bird life and it’s only a matter of going to the right places and looking for it. Timing and weather can make all the difference it deciding what kind of day you will have. Again, if you want to make the most of your day, a guide would be recommended.

Birding Sites in Phuket
Sirinat National Park
Khao Prataow National Park – Ton Sai Non-hunting Area
Talang Forest Nursery
Laguna and Laypang Beach
Phuket Future Plan Site
Chao Fah City Site
Laem Panwa Marine Biological Center – Koh Tapao Yai
Laem Hin Mangrove Reforestation Project
Koh Kaeo Mangroves
Laem Mum Nai
Suan Lor Gao (Rama IX Park)
Sapan Hin
Khao Rang Park