7-Day Yunnan Birdwatching Tour
The region is home to a variety of notable birds, including Giant Nuthatch, Yunnan Nuthatch, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Blue-winged Laughingthrush, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Chinese Babax, Chinese Thrush, and Black-breasted Thrush. Other species include Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Yellow-throated Fulvetta, Spectacled Fulvetta, Yunnan Fulvetta, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Brown-winged Parrotbill, Black-headed Greenfinch, Black-headed Sibia, Beautiful Sibia, Chinese Blue Flycatcher, Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler, Godlewski’s Bunting, Black-bibbed Tit, and with some luck, White-speckled Laughingthrush and Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant.
Day 1: Arrival in Kunming & Zixishan Nature Reserve
Arrive in Kunming and travel to Zixishan Nature Reserve. The reserve features coniferous and mixed broadleaf forests, providing a rich diversity of bird life.
Target species :
Giant Nuthatch, Yunnan Nuthatch, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Rosy Minivet, Long-tailed Minivet, Black-browed Bushtit, Black-throated Bushtit, Eurasian Magpie, Black-headed Greenfinch, Black-headed Sibia, Black-breasted Thrush, Chinese Thrush, Godlewski’s Bunting, Eurasian Jay, Ashy-throated Warbler, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Blyth’s Shrike-Babbler, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker.
Day 2: Zixishan Nature Reserve to Gaoligongshan
Enjoy morning birdwatching in Zixishan, then travel to Gaoligongshan, a chain of forested mountains along the Burmese border.
Day 3-4: Gaoligongshan
Spend the full day exploring Gaoligongshan, known for its rich variety of bird specialties in lush mid-altitude broadleaf forests.
Possible species:
Hume’s Pheasant, Mountain-bamboo Partridge, Rufous-throated Partridge, Long-tailed Broadbill, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Spotted, Grey-sided, Blue-winged, Black-throated, Striated, Scaly and Red-tailed Laughingthrushes, Red-faced Liocichla, Silver-eared Mesia, Red-billed Leiothrix, Streak-breasted, Spot-breasted, Coral-billed and Slender-billed Scimitar Babblers, Golden-breasted, Rufous-Winged, White-browed, Rusty-capped, Grey-Cheeked and Yellow-throated Fulvetta, Long-tailed, Black-headed and Beautiful Sibia, Great Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Green-eared Barbet, Maroon Oriole, Yellow-bellied Fantail, White-throated Fantail, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Striated Bulbul, Flavescent Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Spectacled Barwing, Streaked Barwing, Blue-winged Minla, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Red-tailed Minla, Whiskered and Stripe-throated Yuhina, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Vivid Niltava, Large Niltava, Grey-headed Canary-flaycatcher, Fire-breasted Flowpecker, Streaked Spiderhunter etc.
Day 5: Gaoligongshan to Lijiang
Depart Gaoligongshan and travel to Lijiang, an area with stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage.
Target species :
Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, Spotted Nutcracker, Grey-hooded Parrotbill, various tit species (Grey-crested, Coal, Japanese, Green-backed), Red-billed Blue Magpie, Indian Blue Robin, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher.
Day 6: Lijiang Area
Spend the day birdwatching in the Lijiang area, focusing on habitats between forested slopes and open fields.
Target species include:
White-spectacled Laughingthrush(or Biet's Laughingthrush ), Various warblers (Grey-crowned, Black-faced, Chestnut-crowned, Alpine, Blyth’s Leaf Warbler), Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Chinese Blue Flycatcher, Rufous-tailed Robin, Upland Pipit, Siberian Blue Robin, Brown-headed Thrush.
Day 7: Departure from Lijiang to Chengdu
Enjoy your last morning of birdwatching in Lijiang, targeting any remaining species.
Departure from Lijiang airport
