Birds in Kalaw

Bird watching in Kalaw

Kalaw, a former colonial hill station, is a small town situated on the western edge of the Shan Plateau. It has an elevation of 1310 metres . Although most of the original forest has long since been lost, there are still patches of evergreen, broad-leaf forest as well as secondary pine forest. Of special interest to bird watchers is the Ye Ayekan Reserve Forest (centered on 20° 35’ 51.2”N, 96° 31’ 49.2”E), which is situated south-west of Kalaw township. Together with surrounding fields and thickets, some 189 bird species have been recorded from this area. The forest of Yay Ayekan, the best area for bird watching , is popular with hikers and is easy to visit. Kalaw is a center for outdoor activities, especially trekking, but also cycling and horse riding as well as bird watching.

Some of the common bird species recorded in and around Kalaw are:-
Acrocephalidae: Spotted Bush-warbler
Apodidae: Himalayan Swiftlet
Campephagidae: Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Scarlet Minivet
Cettiidae: Slaty-bellied Tesia, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Bianchi’s Warbler, White-tailed Leaf-
warbler, Asian Stubtail. Aegithalidae: Black-throated Tit
Certhiidae: Hume’s Treecreeper
Chloropseidae: Blue-winged Leafbird, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Orange-bellied Leafbird
Cisticoloidae: Common Tailorbird, Brown Prinia, and Hill Prinia
Columbidae: Oriental Turtle Dove, Yellow-footed Green-pigeon, Pin-tailed Green-pigeon,
Wedge-tailed Green-pigeon
Corvidae: Eurasian Jay, Red-billed Blue Magpie
Estrildidae: White-rumped Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia
Eurylaimidae: Silver-breasted Broadbill, Long-tailed Broadbill
Falconidae: Crested Serpent-Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Ruffous-winged Buzzard,
Himalayan Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard
Fringillidae: Black-headed Greenfinch, Crested Bunting, Chestnut Bunting
Laniidae: Grey-backed Shrike.
Megaluridae: Striated Grassbird
Meropidae: Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Motacillidae: Grey Wagtail
Nectariniidae: Black-throated Sunbird, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Green-tailed Sunbird, Streaked
Spiderhunter
Oriolidae: Slender-billed Oriole, Black-hooded Oriole, Maroon Oriole
Paridae: Japanese Tit, Yellow-cheeked Tit.
Phylloscopidae: Marten’s Warbler, Grey-crowned Warbler, Davison’s Warbler, Hume’s Warbler,
Yellow-streaked Warbler.
Picidae: Speckled Piculet, Greater Flameback
Pycnonotidae: Crested Finchbill, Black-headed Bulbul, Flavescent Bulbul, Brown-breasted
Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Puff-throated Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul,
Himalayan-black Bulbul. Hirundinidae: Red-rumped Swallow.
Rallidae: Black-tailed Crake.
Rhipiduridae: White-throated Fantail.
Scolopacidae: Green Sandpiper.
Sittidae: Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Giant Nuthatch.
Stenostiridae: Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher.
Sturnidae: Black-collared Starling, Asian Pied Starling, Chestnut-tailed Starling.
Timaliidae: Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Chestnut-flanked White-eye, Oriental White-eye,
Japanese White-eye, Burmese Yuhina, Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, Rusty-capped
Fulvetta, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler, White-browed Scimitar-babbler,
Golden Babbler, Rufous-capped Babbler, Rufous-fronted Babbler, Spot-throated
Babbler, Streaked Wren-babbler, Black-throated Laughingthrush, Lesser
Necklaced Laughingthrush, White-browed Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia,
Dark-backed Sibia, Rufous-backed Sibia, Spectacled Barwing.
Trogonoidae: Red-headed Trogon.
Turdidae: Orange-headed Thrush, Black-breasted Thrush, White-tailed Robin, White-
capped Water-redstart, Daurian Redstart, BlueRock-thrush. Muscicapidae: Black-
backed Forktail, White-crowned Forktail, Vivid Niltava, Pale-blue Flycatcher, Hill-
blue Flycatcher, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, White-gorgeted
Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher,
Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie Robin.
Vireonidae: White-browed Shrike-babbler, Green Shrike-babbler, White-bellied Erpornis.

Go to Top