Birding Tour China: Sichuan Birding Tour – The Best of Chinese Birding

Sichuan Birding Tour – The Best of Chinese Birding

May 2027

Sichuan offers an excellent introduction to birdwatching in China, with large numbers of endemic and special species set against some truly spectacular landscapes. Beginning in the vibrant city of Chengdu, we travel through lush foothill forests before climbing into the mighty Hengduan Mountains, with their steep ridgelines, deep forested valleys, roaring rivers, and alpine meadows. We then venture north to the sweeping grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau, interspersed with patches of conifer forest and dramatic wetlands. Along this route, we search for many of China’s most wanted birds – including many species that are staggeringly beautiful, often rare and threatened, and highly sought after by birders around the world. These include colorful gamebirds, parrotbills, laughingthrushes, and rosefinches, which occur in exceptional diversity in the region. Many are Chinese endemics, and a number are restricted to the Sichuan province alone. We also have chances of encountering some amazing mammals such as Red Panda, while enjoying Sichuan’s dramatic scenery, famously tasty (and spicy for those interested!) cuisine, warm hospitality, and excellent infrastructure, all of which help make this a truly memorable and rewarding bird-filled adventure.

Temminck’s Tragopan is one of the many spectacular target birds on this amazing Sichuan birdwatching tour (photo P. He).

We start our tour by visiting a site south of Chengdu near Yibin, at which we will hope to see the ultra-rare Sichuan Partridge from a hide, alongside other amazing gamebirds such as Silver Pheasant, Temminck’s Tragopan, and Chinese Bamboo Partridge. Travelling northwest, our next stop is the sub-tropical forests of the incredible and beautifully wild Longcanggou Forest Park. Amongst hundreds of possible targets, we will look for the staggeringly beautiful Golden Pheasant, highly sought Firethroat, and endemics such as Golden-fronted Fulvetta and Streaked Barwing. Next, we ascend the breathtaking Wawushan Mountain using cable cars to reach our hotel near the summit. This is also one of the best places in the world to see the charismatic Red Panda, one of our major tour targets. Aside from the panda, we will explore a range of elevations, birding against a stunning mountainous backdrop as we search for many endemics including Grey-hooded Parrotbill, Three-toed Parrotbill, Emei Shan Liocichla, Sichuan Treecreeper, Sichuan Thrush, Sharpe’s Rosefinch, and Slaty Bunting, along with the magnificent Golden Bush Robin. Continuing west, we bird the bamboo and conifer forests of the excellent Labahe Nature Reserve, where we have a brilliant chance to see the spectacular Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, gorgeous Fulvous Parrotbill, endemic Pere David’s Tit, and Chinese Thrush among many others.

The iconic and charming Red Panda is a top tour target, which we hope to see at Wawushan Mountain or Labahe Nature Reserve (photo P. He).

Travelling north we arrive at the majestic snowcapped mountains of Balang Shan, where we reach the highest altitude (14,750 feet, 4,500 meters) of our tour. Birding in this stunning landscape is just incredible, and the area is one of the best for bird watching in the whole of China, particularly for gamebirds and rosefinches. Chinese Monal, White Eared Pheasant, Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Partridge, Blood Pheasant, Red-fronted Rosefinch, and Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch being some of the most exciting. Other top targets among the rocky slopes and wild forested valleys include Sichuan Tit, Giant Laughingthrush, monotypic Wallcreeper, the vivid Grandala, Chinese Rubythroat, and Collared Grosbeak. Further north, in the transitional zone between the Sichuan Basin and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we explore the ancient forests on the mountain of Mengbi Shan for the odd looking Chestnut-throated Monal-Partridge, Sichuan Jay, and many other top birds. The birding is fun here, it is a peaceful location, and we will enjoy the high diversity of tits, laughingthrushes, treecreepers, redstarts, thrushes, accentors, and finches, many of which are endemic, such as the beautiful Three-banded Rosefinch.

Przevalski’s Finch (formerly Pink-tailed Rosefinch, and also known as Przevalski’s Pinktail) is a highly sought-after monotypic family which is found on the Tibetan Plateau. Sichuan is one of the best places to see this species in the world.

Leaving the mountains behind, we travel north for the sweeping grasslands and forests around Ruoergai. Along the way we target Przevalski’s Finch (also known as Pink-tailed Rosefinch), a highly sought-after monotypic family. At Ruoergai, we will bird at some of the most important wetlands within Sichuan, and while walking the boardwalks here we will look for elegant Black-necked Crane, the odd Ground Tit, Rufous-necked Snowfinch and mammals such as the bizarre Tibetan Fox. At the enchanting old alpine forests of Baxia we will search for Blue Eared Pheasant, the stunningly beautiful duo of White-browed and Crested Tit-warblers, and the rare Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush, among many others. Our last birding will be near Chuanzhusi, where we search for the elusive Chinese Grouse, rare subspecies of Ural Owl, known as Pere David’s Owl, Sooty Bushtit, Spectacled Parrotbill, and Przevalski’s Nuthatch. We then board a bullet train, when we transfer back to Chengdu, where the tour ends.

The gorgeous Golden Pheasant is one stunning member of the family and one of many we will see during the tour (photo P. He)!

This Sichuan tour can be combined with either our China Bird Tour: Spring Specias  Yunnan Birding Tour (before) or with our China Bird Tour: Qinghai & Tibetan Plateau Birding Tour (after), or both – to make a mind-boggling 40-day China mega tour! It is even possible to combine it with our Taiwan Bird Tour: Endemic Birding Extravaganza tour, which precedes the Yunnan tour.

Itinerary (18 days/17 nights)

Day 1. Arrival in Chengdu

Arrival into Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, where you will be met and taken to our nearby hotel for a welcome dinner. Depending on arrival times, there may be time for some relaxed birding in the city. For those interested in visiting the many attractions this vibrant and leisurely city has to offer (such as Sichuan opera, Chinese tea culture, spicy Sichuan cuisine), we recommend arriving earlier. Close by is the famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which plays a vital role in the conservation of this species, and makes an excellent day trip from the city.

Overnight: HL Rezen Hotel Chengdu, Chengdu

Day 2. Birding near Yibin

While the morning is mostly dedicated to traveling south to the city of Yibin, after checking in to our comfortable hotel for the night, we will spend the full afternoon in hides west of the city, hoping to encounter one of Sichuan’s most elusive endemics. This area is the best place in the world to see the ultra-rare Sichuan Partridge, a species listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List and one of the most threated of all gamebirds (Galliformes) globally. The hide setup offers excellent opportunities to observe shy species up close, including incredible species such as Temminck’s Tragopan, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, Silver Pheasant, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, and Grey-sided Laughingthrush. We will take our time to watch and photograph these often-skulking birds in comfort throughout the afternoon.

The tiny Black-throated Bushtit is a gorgeous little bird and is always a delight to see.

As this will be our first birding session as a group in China, we’re also likely to add a host of other exciting species to our fledgling trip list, such as Red-billed Blue Magpie, Collared Finchbill, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Black-throated Bushtit, Brown-flanked Bush Warbler, Rufous-faced Warbler, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Buffy Laughingthrush, White-browed Laughingthrush, Chinese Babax, Red-billed Leiothrix, Blue-winged Minla, White-tailed Robin, Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird, and Chinese Grosbeak. After a successful introduction to some of Sichuan’s best birds, we will enjoy some downtime at the hotel and a taste of famous Sichuan cuisine!

Overnight: Deshengyuan Hotel or similar, Yibin

Day 3. Travel to Longcanggou Forest Park

Depending on our success and views of the target species on the afternoon of Day 2, we may spend the morning once again in the hides near Yibin. By lunchtime, or sooner if conditions allow, we will travel to the scenic Longcanggou Forest Park to begin birding in the subtropical forests and more open habitats of the area. This beautiful, biodiverse region supports an impressive mix of species and is likely to be an early highlight of the tour. Our primary targets here include the stunning Golden Pheasant and the highly sought-after Firethroat, both true icons of Chinese birding. Other specialties include several species with restricted global ranges, such as Scaly-breasted Cupwing, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Spotted Bush Warbler, Sichuan Bush Warbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Golden-fronted Fulvetta, Streaked Barwing, Chinese Blue Flycatcher, White-bellied Redstart, and some spectacular laughingthrushes, with Black-faced, Elliot’s, Red-winged, and Spotted Laughingthrushes all possible. In addition to excellent birding, the area offers rich forest scenery and the chance to enjoy the peaceful ambiance of rural Sichuan, far from the crowds of the lowlands.

Over 300 species have been recorded in this area, so we are sure to enjoy our time here. Corvids, woodpeckers, tits, and flycatchers are all well represented, with five, nine, ten, and 14 species possible respectively. Leaf warblers are especially diverse, with at least 22 species recorded, including highlights such as Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Emei Leaf Warbler, and Kloss’s Leaf Warbler. Along the quiet forest watercourses, we may encounter fantastic species like Little Forktail, Spotted Forktail and White-crowned Forktail, along with Brown Dipper. After dark, we will have a chance to search for Oriental Scops Owl and Himalayan Owl, while during the day we will keep an ear out for the vocal Collared Owlet.

Overnight: Zhuoshan Heishi Hotel or similar, Longcanggou Forest Park

Days 4 – 5.  Wawushan Mountain Forest Park

After a final morning of birding at the impressively diverse Longcanggou, we will travel to Wawushan Mountain. Wawushan is one of the largest table mountains in China, reaching around 9,180 feet (2,800 meters) in elevation. Upon arrival, we will take the cable car up the mountain and check into our hotel near the summit for a two-night stay. The views here are remarkable, with lush forested slopes, towering waterfalls cascading down sheer cliffs, and jagged peaks stretching into the distance. In May, spring flowers are usually in full bloom, adding to the beauty of the landscape. It is therefore no surprise that Wawushan is a popular tourist destination, but by staying on the mountain we can avoid the crowds that usually arrive in the late morning or afternoon. The site is well set up for exploring, with good walking trails, extensive boardwalks, and cable car access to a wide range of elevations across the mountain.

Wawushan Mountain is an outstanding birding destination, where we will explore bamboo, rhododendron, deciduous, and Emei Fir forests in search of parrotbills, fulvettas, laughingthrushes, and babblers. It is also one of the best places in the world to search for Red Panda in the wild, and we will dedicate time and effort to finding this rare and undeniably charming mammal. Among the many avian highlights, our top targets include the elusive and range-restricted Sichuan Thrush, the striking Golden Bush Robin, and the subtly beautiful and threatened Emei Shan Liocichla. Wawushan lies just west of the famed Emei Mountain, namesake of both Emei Shan Liocichla and Emei Leaf Warbler. The latter is one of a small handful of migratory songbirds whose wintering grounds remain unknown!

We look for the stunning Firethroat while at Longcanggou (photo P. He).

Other Chinese endemic birds we will seek at Wawushan Mountain include the dazzling Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Grey-hooded Fulvetta, Grey-hooded Parrotbill, Three-toed Parrotbill, Barred Laughingthrush, Sichuan Treecreeper, Sharpe’s Rosefinch, and Slaty Bunting. Parrotbills are especially well represented here, and we will search for six species – in addition to the endemics already mentioned, we will also look for the striking Great Parrotbill, Brown Parrotbill, Grey-headed Parrotbill, and vibrant Golden Parrotbill. In the high-altitude forests we expect to find a number of species which are found across to the Himalayas, such as Temminck’s Tragopan, Speckled Wood Pigeon, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Grey-crested Tit, Spotted Bush Warbler, Bianchi’s Warbler, Chinese Hwamei, Himalayan Shortwing, White-bellied Redstart, and Vinaceous Rosefinch.

Overnight: Dove Tree Hotel, or similar, Wawushan Mountain National Forest Park

Day 6 – 7. Birding Labahe Nature Reserve

We will continue to explore the varied forests of Wawushan Mountain in the early morning before driving to the excellent Labahe Nature Reserve, where we will spend the afternoon and the following full day birding. The habitats at Labahe are similar to those at Wawushan, though with more extensive bamboo and conifer forests. This gives us a better chance of encountering the spectacular Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, as well as other key species such as the gorgeous Fulvous Parrotbill, endemic Pere David’s Tit and Chinese Thrush, and the tiny but charismatic Scaly-breasted Cupwing and Pygmy Cupwing. There is another opportunity here to see the beautiful and Endangered Red Panda, along with Tibetan Macaque, Sambar (deer), and sought-after birds including Temminck’s Tragopan, Emei Shan Liocichla, and Firethroat.

There are many stunning gamebirds possible on this Sichuan tour, one of the best must be Lady Amherst’s Pheasant (photo P. He).

There are plenty more exciting birds we will search for here, including Himalayan Swiftlet, Salim Ali’s Swift, Speckled Wood Pigeon, Bearded Vulture, Himalayan Vulture, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker (along with eight other species of woodpecker), Long-tailed Minivet, Southern Nutcracker, Fire-capped Tit, Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Claudia’s Leaf Warbler, Great Parrotbill, Brown Parrotbill, Three-toed Parrotbill, Ashy-throated Parrotbill, Stripe-throated Yuhina, White-collared Yuhina, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Elliot’s Laughingthrush, Red-winged Laughingthrush, Chestnut Thrush, Ferruginous Flycatcher, Fujian Niltava, Grey-headed Bullfinch, and Slaty Bunting.

Overnight: Luming Hotel, or similar, Labahe Nature Reserve

Day 8. Labahe to Wolong National Nature Reserve

After a final morning birding at Labahe we travel to the exceptional Wolong National Nature Reserve while keeping an eye out for any interesting birds along the way.

Overnight: Siyou hotel, or similar, Wolong National Nature Reserve

Days 8 – 9. Birding Balang Shan

Based in Wolong National Nature Reserve at around 4,900 feet (1,500 meters), we will spend two days birding across a wide altitudinal range, reaching beyond 14,750 feet (4,500 meters) in the breathtaking mountains of Balang Shan. We will explore a stunning landscape of wooded valleys, raging mountain rivers, alpine scrub and meadows, and rocky scree slopes, including the famous Balang Shan Tunnel, where around 200 species have been recorded. This area is one of the best birdwatching sites in all of China and is especially renowned for its remarkable diversity of gamebirds. During our time here, we will search for Chinese Monal, White Eared Pheasant, Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Partridge, Blood Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant, and Golden Pheasant.

We will look for White Eared Pheasant (pictured here) at higher elevations and we will also look for Blue Eared Pheasant later in the tour (photo P. He).

Birding is thoroughly enjoyable in this area, set against a backdrop of impressive mountains and grasslands stretching below. Aside from the gamebirds, we will target some truly awesome species, many of which are top priorities for birdwatchers worldwide. These include Snow Pigeon, Sichuan Tit, Spotted Bush Warbler, the beautiful Crested Tit-warbler, Giant Laughingthrush, monotypic Wallcreeper, the vivid Grandala, White-backed Thrush, Chestnut Thrush, Firethroat, Chinese Rubythroat, White-browed Bush Robin, Golden Bush Robin, Himalayan Bluetail, Collared Grosbeak, White-winged Grosbeak Plain Mountain Finch, and Brandt’s Mountain Finch. The rosefinches here are particularly magnificent, and we will look for Dark-breasted Rosefinch, Streaked Rosefinch, Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch, Chinese White-browed Rosefinch, Red-fronted Rosefinch, and Crimson-browed Finch.

Overnight: Siyou Hotel, or similar, Wolong National Nature Reserve

Day 10. Wolong to Rilong

We have another morning of birding on Balang Shan Mountain, focusing on the species targeted over the previous two days. In the afternoon, we will drive to Rilong, looking for birds along the way such as Chinese Leaf Warbler, Yellow-streaked Warbler, Marten’s Warbler, Blue Rock Thrush, and Chinese Long-tailed Rosefinch.

Overnight: Yalong Hostel, or similar, Rilong

There are a lot of spectacular birds on this tour and Grandala is one of the best (photo P. He)!

Days 11 – 12. Birding at Mengbi Shan

We will continue our transfer to the Maerkang area in the morning. Our destination is Mengbi Shan, a mountain within the Hengduan Mountains in the transitional zone between the Sichuan Basin and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which provides some important habitat for a large number of species. The variation in elevation, primeval old-growth conifer forests, and diverse meadows and scrubland make this an excellent birding location. Among the many target birds here, the most important are two endemics with limited global distribution: the unique Chestnut-throated Monal-Partridge and the elegant Sichuan Jay.

We should see Chestnut Thrush (pictured here) and the similar White-backed Thrush on tour.

After checking in to our hotel, we will begin exploring this peaceful and delightfully quiet area that afternoon, with a full day (Day 12) dedicated to birding here as well. We plan to drive up to the mountain pass at 12,800 feet (3,900 meters), then slowly walk or drive down the main road while birdwatching and exploring small trails. This is great fun, and we will take a relaxed pace, enjoying the stunning vistas of the surrounding forested mountains as we search for our targets. Aside from Chestnut-throated Monal-Partridge and Sichuan Jay, other species we will look for include Blood Pheasant, Black Woodpecker, Red-billed Chough, Rufous-vented Tit, Chinese Fulvetta, Przevalski’s Nuthatch, Hodgson’s Treecreeper, Long-tailed Thrush, White-backed Thrush, Himalayan Bluetail, White-throated Redstart, Rufous-breasted Accentor, and Maroon-backed Accentor. The diversity of finches here is impressive too, with more than 20 species possible! Among them, White-winged Grosbeak, Grey-headed Bullfinch, Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch, Pink-rumped Rosefinch, Three-banded Rosefinch, Chinese White-browed Rosefinch, and Crimson-browed Finch stand out as some of the best.

Overnight: Hanting Hotel, or similar, Maerkang

Day 13. Travel from Maerkang to Ruoergai

Today is one of our longer travel days, as we make the scenic journey from the mountains of Maerkang to the vast grasslands of Ruoergai. Along the way, we will make several key stops to search for some highly desirable species, including the handsome Tibetan Partridge, elegant Black-necked Crane, Przevalski’s Finch (a monotypic and much sought-after family, also known as Pink-tailed Rosefinch), and Tibetan Snowfinch. Other species we will be looking for include Little Owl, Saker Falcon, Azure-winged Magpie, White-browed Tit, Plain (Pere David’s) Laughingthrush, and Robin Accentor.

Overnight: Zunyue Ruitian Hotel, or similar, Ruoergai

Himalayan Bluetail can be found around Mengbi Shan and is a really good-looking bird.

Days 14 – 15. Birding at Baxi Forest and Flower Lake

For the next two days we will explore different habitats around Ruoergai. On one of the days we will venture to the edge of the Tibetan Plateau to visit the beautiful old alpine forests of Baxia. Our exciting targets include the characterful Blue Eared Pheasant, Chinese Grouse, the splendid duo of White-browed Tit-warbler and Crested Tit-warbler, Przevalski’s Nuthatch, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, and five laughingthrushes including the secretive and Threatened Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush. Other key birds include Rufous-necked Snowfinch, White-rumped Snowfinch, and again, another impressive selection of finches, with Three-banded Rosefinch, Tibetan Serin, and Godlewski’s Bunting among the highlights.

With a restricted global range, Black-necked Crane is a top target on the tour.

On the other day we have in the area, we will visit Flower Lake, a group of important wetlands known as the “lungs of Sichuan”. The abundant food resources attract a range of waterbirds such as Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Brown-cheeked Rail, Black-necked Grebe, and Eurasian Bittern, as well as raptors including Himalayan Vulture and Upland Buzzard. While slowly walking the boardwalks around the wetlands, we will be on the lookout for the highly sought-after Black-necked Crane, Ground Tit, Tibetan Lark, Black-winged Snowfinch, and Rufous-necked Snowfinch. We will also have the chance of seeing mammals such as Tibetan Fox, Tibetan Gazelle, Tibetan Wolf (a subspecies of Grey Wolf), Himalayan Marmot, Plateau Pika, and possibly even the elusive Chinese Mountain Cat.

Overnight: Zunyue Ruitian Hotel, or similar, Ruoergai

Rufous-necked Snowfinch can be found in the pretty wildflower meadows around Flower Lake.

Day 16. Travel Ruoergai to Chuanzhusi

We will have a final morning birding around the Ruoergai area and then will travel to Chuanzhusi. Along the way we will look for Collared Crow, Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Spotted Bush Warbler, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler, and Wallcreeper.

Wallcreeper (a monotypic family) will be looked for at higher elevations on this tour.

After checking in to our hotel in Chuanzhusi, we will spend time in the forest area of Gonggangling, focusing on birds we have not yet seen on the tour, including Sooty Bushtit, Spectacled Parrotbill, Spectacled Fulvetta, Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush, and Chinese Nuthatch. Other special targets include Plain (Pere David’s) Laughingthrush, Hodgson’s Treecreeper, Sichuan Treecreeper, Long-tailed Thrush, Maroon-backed Accentor, Tibetan Serin, and four tit species: Rufous-vented, Grey-crested, Pere David’s, and Sichuan Tits. With this as our penultimate birding session, we are sure to make the most of our time in these diverse forests. Other species we hope to see include Golden Eagle, Himalayan Buzzard, Black Woodpecker, Oriental Magpie, Southern Nutcracker, Red-billed Chough, Giant Laughingthrush, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Eurasian Nuthatch, White-throated Dipper, Brown Dipper, Chestnut Thrush, Indian Blue Robin, White-bellied Redstart, Chinese Rubythroat, Siberian Rubythroat, and White-throated Redstart.

Overnight: Yari Hotel, or similar, Chuanzhusi

Day 17. Birding at Gonggangling

With an early start, we will return to the local forests to search for the rare subspecies of Ural Owl, known as Pere David’s Owl, along with the elusive Chinese Grouse and any other species we may have missed during the previous afternoon’s birding session. In the afternoon, we will begin our fairly lengthy transfer back to Chengdu, travelling by bullet train. On arrival, a bus will take us to our hotel near the airport, where we will say farewell to our brilliant local guides and enjoy our final meal of the tour together.

Overnight: Tianfu Joyhub Cheer Hotel, or similar, at Tiangu Chengdu Airport.

White-browed Tit-warbler is always one of the most desired birds on the trip (photo P. He).

Day 18. Departure from Chengdu

Following a spectacular few weeks, this tour will conclude after breakfast with your departure from Chengdu. If you are continuing on our China Bird Tour: Qinghai & Tibetan Plateau Birding Tour you will fly on to Xining Caojiabao International Airport with your Birding Ecotours guide that morning.

Overnight: Not included (unless you continue on the Qinghai Tour)

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides, and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling or other factors.