Nestling at the foothills of Doi Suthep-Doi Pui National Park, the Centre of the Universe is a good base for bird lovers who also want to visit a range of tourist attractions during their time in Chiang Mai.

Our water tank tower, overlooking the treelines of neighbouring orchards, provides a good vantage point for observing birds in flight and those resting in the top branches. Over the course of a 12 month period a founding member of our swimming club, and a very knowledgeable ornithologist, recorded 54 different bird species in our gardens. As the topography of the area has not changed much over the last few years, we see the same species each season. Good birding opportunities abound within our locality, and, if you are prepared to travel a little further, Chiang Mai is a birder’s paradise!

We are 3 kms from Huay Tung Tao Reservoir, where over 200 bird species have been sighted. 14 kms away is Mae Hia – lowland paddy fields, scrubland, and home to, or visited by, 246 bird species. The high ground of Doi Suthep-Doi Pui, 348 recorded bird species, is 20 kilometres by car. Doi Inthanon National Park, the highest point in Thailand, is home to over 500 bird species. The park is 118 kms from the Centre of the Universe – doable in a day or stay overnight and observe night birds.

Centre of the Universe staff are not expert birders but we work with a local Thai guide who is, and who is fluent in English.  He offers a range of standard trips but will suggest personalised birding itineraries for our resident guests, should there be particular species on a birder’s life list.

Scroll down the page to find listed the 54 species of birds (and counting!) which have been sighted in and around our gardens and swimming pool Chiangmai. 

In the high season, November through February, the number of indigenous species is swelled by the arrival of many migrant birds, and visiting birders. Finding a guide at short notice is not easy and early booking is advised.
If you are interested in birding with the Centre of the Universe as “base camp”, please contact us for further details at info@therealcentreoftheuniverse.com  

As a service to fellow bird lovers, if you have already booked accommodation in Chiang Mai we will forward your details to a local freelance birding guide.

Checklist of birds seen in our gardens over a twelve month period (arranged, with no apologies to birding purists, in alphabetical order)

Click here if you prefer to see the photographs rather than read a list of species.

Disclaimer
Bird counts stated above are for all years and all months as recorded by a number of reputable birding resources. On any given day in any month, and dependent on the weather and local birding conditions on that given day, birders can optimistically expect to observe 15% – 20% of the number of species stated above.  We cannot be held legally responsible for unfavourable traffic conditions, inclement weather, forest fires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or any other act of God, adversely affect birding activities.