China Trip (Part II): Yunnan Province
Updated: Sep 17
19th - 30th October 2025
We now embarked on our trip to Yunnan Province in the far South West of China. This part of the country, which has an extensive border with Myanmar, is famed for its wildlife, particularly the diversity of birds many of which are more typical of India and Nepal rather than China. Joining Sabine and I on the trip would be our friend Bo, who spoke both Chinese and English, as well as a local guide who would shepherd us around the various sites for birds, but who spoke no English.
Sunday 19th October: The trip began with a 4 hour flight from Shanghai to Mangshi which conveniently takes you deep into Yunnan Province. We spent the night in Mangshi at a hotel in the town and readied ourself for 10 days of experiencing the wildlife of Yunnan.
Monday 20th October: After an early breakfast we spent the morning in the rain forest looking for Leaf Monkeys but unfortunately drew a blank on this occasion. However, we found our first Yunnan birds with both Blue-throated Barbet and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. The weather was warm, with light rain, and when the sun came out butterflies started to appear including Common Grass Yellow, Common Five Ring and Forest Pierrot.
Common Grass Yellow Common Five-Ring Forest Pierrot
The afternoon was spent driving to Ruili, approximately 3 hours away, which would be our base for the next leg of the trip.
Tuesday 21st October: During the morning we visited a popular rainforest in Ruili where we saw a number of Macaques as well as Red-whiskered Bulbul and some White-cheeked Seria. By midday the temperature was in the high twenties centigrade and several large and colourful butterflies were spotted including Dark Yellow-bandied Flat, Sullied Brown Sailer, Red Based Jezebel and Common Nawab.
Dark Yellow-bandied Flat Sullied Brown Sailor Red-based Jezebel
In the afternoon we drove northwards to Yingjiang and spent the afternoon on the Ruili Jiang river looking for birds. Here we found our first White-throated Kingfisher together with Siberian Stonechat, a distant River Lapwing, Yellow-browed Warbler, Common Iora, Long-tailed Shrike, Red-vented Bulbul and some delightful Indian White-eyes.
Yellow-browed Warbler Indian White-eye Siberian Stonechat
Prior to checking in to the hotel we visited Yingjian Park where we found a Little Cormorant as well as Grey Herons and Great Egrets.
Wednesday 22nd October: The next morning we returned to the Yingjiang river where despite the early start the temperature was already in the high twenties centigrade. Here we found a group of Black-collared Starlings and a flock of Collared Myna sitting on the telegraph wires. Several Grey-headed Lapwing flew overhead. In the bushes we located a Gray-breasted Prinia and a Black Kite drifted by. Moving on to a local town we saw Common Tailorbird, Hoopoe, Indian Myna, several House Crow, Garden Sunbird, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul and Oriental Magpie Robin.
Common Myna Red-vented Bulbul Gray-headed Lapwing
After lunch we visited our first bird hide or ‘pond’ as they are referred to locally. These bird-watching areas are typically located a few hundred metres off the road into the forest where the local owners put out food for the birds allowing superb views of species that would otherwise be difficult to see. The range of birds we saw was truly spectacular including Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia, Large Niltava, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Black-throated Thrush, Puff-throated Babbler, Black-breasted Laughingthrush, Golden Babbler, Gray-throated Babbler, White-throated Fantail, White-rumped Shama and Rusty-capped Fulvetta.
Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Silver-eared Mesia Large Niltava
Black-breasted Thrush Scarlet-faced Liocichla Rusty-capped Fulvetta
Finally at the end of the day we paid another visit to the Yingjiang river picking up new birds such as Paddyfield Pipit, Cinnamon Bittern, Eastern Cattle Egret, House Swift and Little Ringed Plover as well as Siberian Stonechat and a Black Kite. All in all a truly memorable day for Yunnan birds.
Paddyfield Pipit Cinnamon Bittern Water Buffalo
Thursday 23rd October: In the morning we visited a local lake in Yingjiang where we took a boat trip to get better access to the birds. White-throated Kingfishers and a Chinese Pond Heron waded perched on posts and a Grey Heron flew over the lake. However the highlights were a small flock of Citrine Wagtails and a juvenile Pheasant-tailed Jacana together with a group of Indian Spot-billed Ducks. Also.
White-throated Kinfisher Chinese Pond Heron Grey Heron
Citrine Wagtail Pheasant-tailed Jacana Indian Spot-billed Duck
Late afternoon we visited another stretch of the Yingjiang river where there was a herd of Water Buffalo and butterflies including Great Eggfly and Eastern Bath White.
Eastern Bath White Great Eggfly Butterfly Great Eggfly Butterfly
Friday 24th October: Our final excursion in Yingjiang involved an early morning trip to the Wetland Park where the local main attraction was a flock of Alexandrine Parakeet. The Park has an excellent boardwalk allowing access to the reedbeds and wetlands from where we saw Ruddy Shelduck, a distant Asian Green Bee Eater, Dusky Warbler, a flock of Scaly-breasted Munia and Gray-headed Lapwing.
Alexandrine Parakeet Dusky Warbler Scaly-breasted Munia
In the afternoon we drove north to Nabang close to the border with Myanmar and immediately headed to the river to see what we could find. High up in the tree we spotted a Striped Spider Hunter and an Oriental Honey Buzzard soared overhead. We had fairly close views of Asian Green Bee Eater, Gray-backed Shrike and Crested Myna and a Pied Kingfisher flew around occasionally perching on telegraph wires.
Oriental Honey Buzzard Asian Green Bee-eater Crested Myna
Pied Kingfisher Pied Kingfisher Gray-backed Shrike
Saturday 25th October: The following morning our guide had arranged a special early morning trip to a local hide with the hope of seeing one of the local specialities. We arrived at dawn and sat waiting for it to get light and sure enough after about an hour a Stork-billed Kingfisher appeared and sat for about 5 minutes in front of us. The hide looked on to an area of water surrounded by reeds from where a couple of White-breasted Waterhens emerged as well as a Greater Coucal and Red Junglefowl. In the bushes around the hide we spotted a singing Striated Grassbird, Common Kingfisher, Chestnut-tailed Starling and Burmese Mynah.
Stork-billed Kingfisher White-breasted Waterhen Greater Coucal
Striated Grassbird Chestnut-tailed Starling Burmese Mynah
By mid-morning we decided to move on and go in search of another target bird along the Nabang river. Our guide was having a really good day as he excitedly pointed out a pair of Wire-tailed Swallows sitting on a line across the river. We also saw a Little Heron and as we drove back along the river our good luck for the day continued with some Red-wattled Lapwings and River Lapwings, both new species.
Wire-tailed Swallow Red-wattled Lapwing River Lapwing
Our luck was riding high so we carried on to Shiti Village stopping at another hide on the way. Here we saw many new species including White-crested Laughingthrush, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, a male Kalij Pheasant, Fulvescent Bulbul, White-throated Bulbul, both male and female Rufous-bellied Niltava, a female Hill Blue Flycatcher, Collared Treepie, Peacock-tailed Pheasant, a stunning Common Green Magpie, Blue Whistling Thrush, Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler and an Ashy Drongo.
White-crested Laughingthrush Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Kalij Pheasant
Blue Whistling-thrush Rufous-bellied Niltava Rufous-bellied Niltava
Hill Blue Flycatcher Common Green-Magpie Ashy Drongo
Sunday 26th October: Another early morning start was rewarded with a distant sighting of an Oriental Hobby sitting in a tree. Thereafter we moved on to a hide in Hongbenghe where we spent the next couple of hours marvelling at various new birds for the trip including Gray-sided Laughingthrush, Lesser Yellownape, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, White-tailed Robin, Red-billed Scimitar-Babbler and Common Emerald Dove. We also saw several Flavescent Bulbuls and a couple of Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes.
Gray-sided Laughingthrush Red Scimitar-babbler White-tailed Robin
Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush Red-tailed Laughingthrush Common Emerald Dove
We then moved to a different hide close by where we saw more firsts including White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Black-throated Laughingthrush, Browned-Crowned Scimitar-Babbler, Gray Treepie, Red-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, White-hooded Babbler and Collared Treepie. Other birds included Lesser Yellownape, Black-throated Thrush and more Flavescent Bulbuls.
Black-throated Laughingthrush Flavescent Bulbul Gray Treepie
Red-billed Scimitar-babbler Red-billed Scimitar-babbler Streak-breasted Scimitar-babbler
The afternoon was spent walking and looking over a wooded valley near Hongbenghe where we spotted a delightful pair of Collared Falconets and also heard a Black-hooded Oriole singing which we eventually managed to track down. The warm sunny weather brought out the butterflies including a Vagrant and Red Lacewing.
Red Lacewing Black-hooded Oriole Collared Falconet
The final hide of the day near Honghbenghe produced yet more new birds see and photograph including Large Scimitar-Babbler, Gray Treepie, Orange-headed Thrush and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush. A Striped Spider-hunter posed while taking a shower. Other birds included Gray-throated Babbler, Black-throated Laughingthrush, Fulvescent Bulbul, White-crested Laughingthrush, Gray Peacock-pheasant and Common Emerald Dove. Best of all as we were preparing to leave we saw a Blue-naped Pitta.
Orange-headed THrush Streaked Spider Hunter Gray Peacock-Pheasant
Large Scimitar-babbler Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Blue-naped Pitta
Monday 27th October: The next day we spent the morning overlooking a wooded valley near Shiti Village trying to find Hornbills, but to no avail. We did however see several new species namely Ashy Woodswallow, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Pin-tailed Green-pigeon and Brown-cheeked Fulvetta. In Shiti village we found Red-vented Bulbul and Blue Rock Thrush but the undoubted highlight was an Eastern Imperial Eagle which flew close enough to obtain some photos.
Orange-bellied Leafbird Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Pin-tailed Green-pigeon
Ashy Woodswallow Eastern Imperial Eagle Red-vented Bulbul
To round off another amazing day we visited a hide near Shiti Village where we saw a Gray-headed Woodpecker feeding on the ground. Also Gray-throated Babbler, White-fronted Bulbul, Yunnan Fulvetta and Hill Blue Flycatcher. On the way back to our accommodation for the night we saw a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch and our guide spotted several Crested Treeswifts sitting high in a tree in the centre of the village.
Gray-throated Babbler Gray-headed Woodpecker White-throated Bulbul
Yunnan Fulvetta Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Crested Treeswift
Tuesday 28th October: Our last day of birding started with an early morning walk through Shiti Village where we saw Blue-throated Barbet, large numbers of both Eastern Red-rumped Swallow and Barn Swallow perching on telegraph wires, Little Pigeon and both male and female Scarlet Minivet. Again butterflies were prevalent including a Commander and Common Cerulean.
Eastern Red-rumped Swallow Barn Swallow Blue-throated Barbet
Scarlet Minivet Commander Common Cerulean
In the afternoon we visited Hongbenghe Hide No. 13 for a second and last time. After waiting for a while a White Partridge eventually started calling in the forest. Even after nearly 10 days in Yunnan we still saw some new birds including Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Bronzed Drongo and Black Bulbul. Other highlights were Flavescent Bulbul, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Red-whiskered Bulbul, White-throated Bulbul, Puff-throated Babbler, Black-throated Laughingthrush, Common Emerald Dove, White-headed Laughingthrush, Collared Treepie, Red Junglefowl and Hill Blue Flycatcher.
Red-vented Bulbul Red Jungelfowl Puff-throated Babbler
Hill Blue Flycatcher Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Collared Treepie
Black-throated Laughingthrush Collared Treepie Black Bulbul
Wednesday 29th October: Having spent the night in Tongcheng, the next day we headed to the airport for our flight to Kunming and then on to Tianjin. Thursday 30th October was spent at the Tianjin Institute of Biotechnology and the following day we flew on to Shanghai. Finally on Saturday 1st November, after nearly a month in China, we headed home on the long flight back to London.
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