Birds of Thong Nai Pan

The double bay of Thong Nai Pan is backed by a series of hills covered in jungle. Other than the occasional residential villa this jungle is free of human interference. There are a wealth of animals living near the beaches of Thong Nai Pan Noi and Thong Nai Pan Yai. 

Anyone who has stayed at the Panviman will have noticed the monitor lizards sunning themselves on the rocks by the edge of the swimming pool dining area. Most of the other animals in the area keep to the jungle as there is plenty of food to be had. When the animals don’t start making forays into human habitation it is a sign that the surrounding eco-system is healthy.

One of the more spectacular demonstrations of that are the big birds to be spotted in Thong Nai Pan. They are often to be seen soaring on the thermals created by the hills behind. They feed on snakes, mice and other rodent-like creatures. 

An investigation into naming these birds has been carried out recently from Sunrise Villa. The balcony from the villa is at the top of a hill and the surrounding area is very quiet and a haven for birds to gather.

These are the spotting results. The pictures are from elsewhere on the net. It is notoriously hard to get a good photo of a bird without a big telescopic lens.

Black Eagle

 

This is a large bird that is identified by its widely splayed and long primary fingers. They hunt mammals and birds.

The Greater Racket Tailed Drongo

 

Few birds have such a charming name! These birds have distinctive elongated outer tails. They are able to make a wide range of calls; they can even imitate the call of other birds. These drongos are found all over Asia and vary a lot in appearance due to genetic drift.

Sea Eagle

 

Sea Eagles are some of Thailand’s largest birds. They live a long time by bird standards and are slow to reproduce. Obviously, the coastline next to Thong Nai Pan Bay has waters rich in fish.

Shikra

 

A shikra is similar in appearance to a sparrow hawk. Their calls are imitated by drongos. This bird has short rounded wings and a narrow long tail. The average shikra is about 30 cm long. They feed on rodents, squirrels, small birds and insects.

It is hoped that at some point a twitcher or birder will come to stay at Thong Nai Pan and make a more thorough study of the birds of Thong Nai Pan. It is this kind of information that helps to make people more interested and connected with nature. By knowing more about the jungle, it is hoped that the task of preserving it is made easier.