Cambodia birding trip report of a 7-day Cambodia birding tour in January 2023 with Sam Veasna Conservation Tours (SVC).
Dates: 15th to 21st January 2023
Report Written By: Mony Sang, SVC Bird Guide
SVC Client: Tate Klaus, Germany
Locations: Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary, Angkor Wat, Ang Treapang Thmor, Bengal Florican Grasslands, Tmat Boey, Kratie, Cambodian Tailorbird Grasslands (Phnom Penh)
Total No. of Bird Species: 205
Map of Locations (not exact locations of birding spots):
Introduction
This is the start of the best birding season in Cambodia and it is also a dry season so it is easy to access all birding sites across the country. This is a 7-day trip with a single client from Germany.
We will be starting from Prek Toal Waterbird Breeding Colony to look for Lesser & Greater Adjutants, Milky Stork, Oriental Darter, Little & Indian Cormorants, including other water bird species.
Angkor Wat complex to look for Brown Boobook, Brown Wood Owl, Asian Barred Owlet, White-throated Rock-Thrush, Forest Wagtail.
Ang Trapaeng Thmor to look for Sarus Crane, Waterfowls, Pheasant-tailed & Bronze-winged Jacanas, Gray-headed Swamphen, Lanceolated Warbler, Oriental & Black-browed Reed Warblers.
Prolay Grassland to look for Bengal Florican, Sarus Crane, Australasian Bushlark, Oriental Skylark, Red Avadavat.
Tmatboey to look for Giant & White-shouldered Ibises, Black-headed & Great Slaty Woodpecker, Brown & Spotted Wood Owls, Savanna Nightjar, Common & Large Wood Shrikes, Indochinese Cuckooshrike.
Kratie to look for Mekong Wagtail, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Asian Golden Weaver, Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, Gray-throated Martin, Watercock, White-browed Crake.
Phnom Penh to look for the endemic bird species called Cambodian Tailorbird which is located outskirts of the city.
Highlights of the tour
- Lesser Adjutant
- Greater Adjutants
- Milky Stork
- Sarus Crane
- Bengal Florican
- White-shouldered Ibis
- Savanna Nightjar
- Giant Ibis
- Collared Scops-Owl
- Brown Boobook
- Spotted Wood-Owl
- Brown Fish-Owl
- Mekong Wagtail
- Small Pratincole
Trip Report
Day 1: Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary and Angkor Wat
We went bird watching to the Prek Toal Waterbird Breeding Colony, we saw our target bird species such as Lesser & Greater Adjutants, Milky Stork, Oriental darter, Little & Indian Cormorants, Spot-billed Pelican, Gray-headed Fish-Eagle, including some other water bird species.
As we planned to visit Angkor Wat, we left Prek Toal after lunch and spent our late afternoon in the forest behind the temple complex for a few hours and we spot some Brown Wood Owl, Asian Barred Owlet, White-throated Rock-Thrush, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Ashy Drongo and some other forest bird species.
Day 2: Ang Treapang Thmor (ATT)
We spent a whole day bird watching in Ang Trapaeng Thmor the Protected Landscape for Sarus Crane, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Lanceolated Warbler, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Garganey, Easter Marsh & Pied Harriers and some of other wetland bird species in this area. We missed the Crane as they did not arrive at the site yet according to water still existing in the rice paddy field. But we have had a good time here including a quick stop at the Lyle’s & Large Fruit-Bat colony in the center of Siem Reap town.
Day 3: Siem Reap to Tmat Boey via Bengal Florican Grasslands
Prolay Grassland is one of the best sites to look for Bengal Florican, Sarus Crane, Manchurian Reed Warbler, Australasian Bushlark, Oriental Skylark, Eastern marsh & Pied Harriers, Bluethroat, Siberian Rubythroat and some of other open grassland bird species.
We saw 3 Sarus Cranes flying directly to us when we were driving into the site and other locals flashed a molting male Bengal Florican which we had a great view of in flight.
We left the site at about 10:00 AM and continued to Tmatboey- Ibis Site for a 2 nights stay in the community eco-lodge.
We also went to look for White-shouldered Ibis in the roosting tree, and there were 12 birds that came to the roost at about 5:35 PM and other 7 birds came afterwards but they all roosting in the 2 different roost dead trees.
Day 4: Tmat Boey
We will spend our whole day bird watching here to look for the Giant Ibis in the nesting tree in the early morning and then we went to look for the Brown Wood Owl in the other different spot, and some of the other bird species in this dry dipterocarp habitat.
In the late afternoon we went to look for the Savanna Nightjar, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Oriental Scops-Owl, and some of the other bird species in the spot called Phnom Raeng which is located on the outskirts and near the highway. Oriental Scops-Owl was called in a few different spots but did not show up.
Day 5: Tmat Boey to Kratie
This is our last morning birding in Tmatboey and we managed to look for Spotted Wood-Owl, Brown Fish-Owl, and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch in the same areas.
First, we spotted a Brown Fish-Owl in its day roost but this guy was very skittish even though we were about 200m away from him/her. It flies away and disappears for ages. Then we went to look for Spotted Wood-Owl, 2 birds flashed by Mr. Suet (local guide) and luckily we spotted a bird perching on the bamboo beyond our guide. Later our local guide spotted Brown Fish-Owl again and we managed to get some distant shots then it flew again, then we left it alone and started to track back to the vehicle, and drive to Kratie in the late morning.
We spend about 2 hours birding in the Marsh Land of Kratie but it was so windy and we only spotted some birds species we saw about 120 Small Pratincoles fly out from the Mekong River to their roosting site, which is several flocks of 20, 15, 10 and less than 10 birds keeping flying over our head before sunset.
Day 6: Kratie to Cambodian Tailorbird Site (Phnom Penh)
In the morning we went to Kampi Pool to look for Mekong Wagtail, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Grey-throated Martin, Small Pratincole, and some other target bird species. We saw the rest of them except Small Pratincole and Irrawaddy Dolphin as he was keen on birding and then seeing the other animals, so we continued to do some birding somewhere outside of the town before we departed.
After about a 5-hour drive from Kratie to Phnom Penh we had spent more than an hour looking for the Cambodian Tailorbird somewhere in the 7NG area before heading to the hotel, we saw at least 4 Cambodian Tailorbirds and some other shrubland and wetland bird species.
Day 7: Phnom Penh
This is the last day of our 7-day trip and we went to Wat Pich M’Kot for a few hours before departure. So, we have to take a ferry and cross to the other side then cross back and take Klaus to the Airport.
END TOUR
Mony Sang
SVC Guide
Mony has over 15 years of bird guiding experience with SVC and has often represented SVC at international birdfairs including the Global Birdfair in 2022 and Asian Bird Fair in South Korea in 2022. Giant Ibis and White-shouldered Ibis are his favourite species to show clients in Cambodia.
Complete Bird List
Total No. of Bird Species: 205
See detailed bird lists for each location on the following link:
https://ebird.org/tripreport/102790
- Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica
- Cotton Pygmy-Goose Nettapus coromandelianus
- Garganey Spatula querquedula
- Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha
- Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus
- Chinese Francolin Francolinus pintadeanus
- Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
- Rock Pigeon Columba livia
- Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica
- Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis
- Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
- Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea
- Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis
- Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
- Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis
- Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
- Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
- Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus
- Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus
- Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris
- Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus
- Savanna Nightjar Caprimulgus affinis
- Germain’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani
- Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis
- Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata
- Eurasian Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
- Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
- Gray-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus
- Watercock Gallicrex cinerea
- White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
- Ruddy-breasted Crake Zapornia fusca
- Sarus Crane Antigone antigone
- Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
- Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
- Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
- Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus
- Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus
- Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
- Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
- Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator
- Small Pratincole Glareola lactea
- Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
- Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
- Asian Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus
- Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
- Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius
- Milky Stork Mycteria cinerea
- Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
- Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster
- Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger
- Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
- Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
- Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis
- Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
- Gray Heron Ardea cinerea
- Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
- Great Egret Ardea alba
- Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
- Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus
- Striated Heron Butorides striata
- Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
- White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni
- Giant Ibis Pseudibis gigantea
- Osprey Pandion haliaetus
- Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
- Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
- Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni
- Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes
- Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela
- Rufous-winged Buzzard Butastur liventer
- Eastern Marsh-Harrier Circus spilonotus
- Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos
- Shikra Accipiter badius
- Besra Accipiter virgatus
- Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
- Gray-headed Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus
- Barn Owl Tyto alba
- Collared Scops-Owl Otus lettia
- Oriental Scops-Owl Otus sunia
- Brown Fish-Owl Ketupa zeylonensis
- Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides
- Spotted Owlet Athene brama
- Spotted Wood-Owl Strix seloputo
- Brown Wood-Owl Strix leptogrammica
- Brown Boobook Ninox scutulata
- Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
- Oriental Pied-Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris
- Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
- White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
- Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
- Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
- Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
- Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
- Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti
- Indochinese Roller Coracias affinis
- Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus
- Lineated Barbet Psilopogon lineatus
- Gray-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Yungipicus canicapillus
- Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus
- Common Flameback Dinopium javanense
- Black-headed Woodpecker Picus erythropygius
- Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus
- White-rumped Falcon Neohierax insignis
- Blossom-headed Parakeet Psittacula roseata
- Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri
- Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea
- Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
- Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus speciosus
- Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus
- Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei
- Indochinese Cuckooshrike Lalage polioptera
- Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
- Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus
- Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus
- Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus
- Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus
- Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
- Malaysian Pied-Fantail Rhipidura javanica
- White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola
- Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
- Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
- Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus
- Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
- Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
- Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
- Burmese Shrike Lanius collurioides
- Red-billed Blue-Magpie Urocissa erythroryncha
- Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda
- Racket-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia
- Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
- Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
- Horsfield’s Bushlark Mirafra javanica
- Indochinese Bushlark Mirafra erythrocephala
- Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
- Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
- Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
- Cambodian Tailorbird Orthotomus chaktomuk
- Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps
- Brown Prinia Prinia polychroa
- Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens
- Gray-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii
- Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris
- Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
- Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
- Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps
- Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis
- Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Helopsaltes certhiola
- Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata
- Striated Grassbird Cincloramphus palustris
- Gray-throated Martin Riparia chinensis
- Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
- Black-headed Bulbul Brachypodius melanocephalos
- Black-crested Bulbul Rubigula flaviventris
- Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster
- Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
- Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus conradi
- Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
- Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi
- Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
- Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus
- Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes
- Pin-striped Tit-Babbler Mixornis gularis
- Abbott’s Babbler Malacocincla abbotti
- White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus
- Burmese Nuthatch Sitta neglecta
- Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
- Common Hill Myna Gracula religiosa
- Black-collared Starling Gracupica nigricollis
- Siamese Pied Starling Gracupica floweri
- Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica
- Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
- Vinous-breasted Myna Acridotheres leucocephalus
- Great Myna Acridotheres grandis
- Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
- Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
- Hainan Blue Flycatcher Cyornis hainanus
- Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus
- Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
- Siberian Rubythroat Calliope calliope
- Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
- White-throated Rock-Thrush Monticola gularis
- Amur Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri
- Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata
- Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile
- Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
- Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis
- Brown-throated Sunbird Anthreptes malacensis
- Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus
- Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis
- Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus
- Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata
- White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata
- Chestnut Munia Lonchura atricapilla
- Red Avadavat Amandava amandava
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Plain-backed Sparrow Passer flaveolus
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
- Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
- Mekong Wagtail Motacilla samveasnae
- Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus
- Milky x Painted Stork (hybrid) Mycteria cinerea x leucocephala
Mammal List
- Variable Squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonii
- Cambodian Striped Squirrel Tamiops rodolphii
- Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis
Reptile List
- Common Sun Skink Eutropis multifasciata
- Speckled Forest Skink Eutropis macularia