Though we probably saw fewer colorful birds than we expected throughout Thailand, this was partly due to the intense heat and drought we were experiencing, which often drove the birds into deeper foliage.
The one dedicated bird trip we did to Doi Inthanon was certainly fruitful, identifying over 50 species in a day. We kept on the move – more of a bird spotting trip than a bird photographing trip – but managed to capture a number on camera. As mentioned above, the heat kept most of the birds deep in the underbrush so the picture quality is a little suspect.
Why, since orioles are bug-eaters and nectar-sippers, did the black-naped and maroon orioles evolve such (relatively) heavy beaks? Why do they need something that size to nab bugs and drink from flowers?
Must have been fun just running around all day adding so many birds to your life list, eh?
Mom
The orioles around here also eat fruits, I’m not sure if that has something to do with it.
It was hard to keep up with the birds! We probably got a dozen more that I didn’t photograph but we positively identified.