Birding Tours in Asia

Introduction to Asia

Asia is the Earth’s largest and most populous continent and supports dense and large human settlements as well as vast and barely populated areas. Located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres, Asia shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa. Asia is subdivided into 49 countries and six regions: North Asia, Central Asia, Western Asia (Near East), South Asia (Indian Subcontinent), East Asia (Far East), and Southeast Asia.

In terms of biogeography, the Asian continent is made up of four biogeographic realms, the whole of the Indomalayan realm (also known as the Oriental Region), a large portion of the Palearctic realm (the entire Eastern Palearctic, and a thin sliver of the easternmost edge of the Western Palearctic), part of the northeast of the Afrotropical realm (the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula), and the northwest of the Australasian realm (eastern Indonesia).

Asia has extremely diverse climates and geographic features and ranges from Arctic (Siberia is one of the coldest places in the Northern Hemisphere) and Subarctic in the north to tropical in southern India and Southeast Asia, and is dry in the interior. The Himalayas between Nepal and China is the tallest mountain range in the world, the Yangtze River in China is the longest river in the continent, and the famous Gobi Desert is in Mongolia, Central Asia.

Following International Ornithological Congress (IOC) taxonomy, v10.2 (December 2020), the bird list of Asia stands at a staggering 3,832 species, 423 of these are globally threatened and several are monotypic families, like Ibisbill, Crab-plover, Spotted Elachura, Grey Hypocolius, Hylocitrea, Rail-babbler, Wallcreeper, and Przevalski’s Finch. We have an extensive range of exciting tours covering the breadth of the region, these are outlined below with links provided to more specific details like detailed tour itineraries, trip reports, client testimonials, and photo/video galleries. These tours make an ideal bird holiday:

South Asia (Indian Subcontinent) Birdwatching Tours

India Birdwatching Tours

India offers so much for the visiting birdwatcher and provides an excellent option for anyone interested in birds and wildlife, whether that be listing species, photographing them, or just enjoying them. Our Northern India tour provides an amazing Himalayan foothill birding experience, with opportunities for Ibisbill, Wallcreeper, Indian Skimmer, and Bengal Tiger at Corbett National Park. In Northwest India we have the chance to observe Asiatic Lion at the fantastic Gir National Park, plus top birds like Crab-plover, Grey Hypocolius, and Demoiselle Crane, while in Northeast India, in the amazing Eastern Himalayas at Eaglenest, spectacular birds like Temminck’s Tragopan, Spotted Elachura, Bugun Liocichla can be found, while below on the plains of Kaziranga National Park we can find White-winged Duck and Greater One-horned (Indian) Rhinoceros. Birdwatching in Southern India results in loads of Nilgiri and Western Ghats endemics like Malabar Trogon, Black-and-orange Flycatcher, and Nilgiri Thrush and many more. We also have a specific tour extension looking for the Endangered (BirdLife International) Forest Owlet, a great add-on to our other longer tours. For those looking for more endemics, our Andaman Islands tour is sure to suit with Andaman Woodpecker, Andaman Hawk-Owl, and Andaman Crake on the cards. Most of our Indian tours are during the early part of the year, though we do have one very good Monsoon Specialties tour looking for the Critically Endangered (BirdLife International) Great Indian Bustard along with Lesser Florican, Green Avadavat, and Indian Spotted Creeper. Incredible ancient cultures and amazing food to go with the great birds, wildlife, and scenery are on offer throughout India.

Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan Birdwatching Tours

Further Indian Subcontinent (South Asia) tours include an endemic-filled birding adventure in Sri Lanka where we find all the island’s endemics and specials like Serendib Scops Owl, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Malabar Trogon, and Red-faced Malkoha, along with overwintering beauties like Pied Thrush, Kashmir Flycatcher, and Indian Pitta. Our Nepal tour offers an easy introduction to Himalayan birding with some of the most spectacular scenery, great mammals (Bengal Tiger is possible), and the endemic Spiny Babbler. Bhutan is great year-round, and we have spring and fall (autumn) tours. Key birds in Bhutan include Ward’s Trogon, White-bellied Heron, and Black-necked Crane. As with all our Indian Subcontinent tours these amazing destinations offer so much more than just the birds. We also offer short extensions to our Bhutan tours in Northeast India, visiting Nameri and Kaziranga National Parks for more great birds and wildlife.

North and Central Asia Birdwatching Tours

Mongolia, China, Taiwan, and Japan Birdwatching Tours

Central Asia provides some of the most remote and thrilling birding opportunities in Asia and our Mongolia tour offers Henderson’s Ground Jay, White-naped Crane, Kozlov’s Accentor, and Altai Snowcock. Our East Asia tours include China (Yunnan, Sichuan, and Qinghai), Japan, and Taiwan. In Yunnan we look for White-eared Night Heron, Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant, and Giant Nuthatch as well as enjoying some amazing forest bird-feeding stations, while in Sichuan pheasants abound with Chinese Monal being one of the best, along with Giant Laughingthrush, Grandala, and Przevalski’s Finch. On the Tibetan plateau of Qinghai Tibetan Snowcock, Ibisbill, and Crested Tit-warbler can be found. The small island of Taiwan supports 28 endemic birds (including Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe’s Pheasant, and Taiwan Blue Magpie) and some top world birds like Fairy Pitta, Chinese Crested Tern, and Black-faced Spoonbill. Japan is a winter wonderland where endemic birds and cranes form a focal point, with Hooded Crane, Red-crowned Crane, White-naped Crane, and others all possible. The mighty Blakiston’s Fish Owl and Steller’s Sea Eagle are both highlight birds too.

Southeast Asia Birdwatching Tours

Thailand Birdwatching Tours

Southeast Asia is a biodiversity hotspot and is home to 20% of the world’s flora and fauna with over 2,500 bird species recorded from the subregion. Thailand has a national list of over 1,000 species, we have three tours to the country, these offer amazing birding, fantastic photographic opportunities, and great food. Central Thailand is a magnet to overwintering shorebirds with Spoon-billed Sandpiper, White-faced Plover, and Nordmann’s Greenshank being the most-wanted. Blue Pitta, Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo, and Great Hornbill are found in the forests here. Northern Thailand holds some excellent resident birds like Giant Nuthatch, Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant, and Rusty-naped Pitta, with a plethora of northern migrants like Siberian Rubythroat, Baer’s Pochard, and Pied Harrier. Southern Thailand is full of hornbills, pittas, and trogons with Malayan Banded Pitta, Critically Endangered (BirdLife International) Helmeted Hornbill, Green Broadbill, Crested (Shrikejay) Jay, and Scarlet-rumped Trogon.