PHETCHABURI — 17 April 2026, a rare Great Eared Nightjar has been spotted in Kaeng Krachan National Park after 30 years, drawing hundreds of tourists and wildlife photographers to the area.
The bird was seen near Ban Krang Camp after images circulated on social media during the Songkran holiday.
Visitors travelled to the site, parking along roadsides before walking to a nearby stream along the route to Phanoen Thung, where the bird was perched motionless on a vine. They took turns photographing it at close range while avoiding disturbance.
Park chief Mongkol Chaiphakdi said the species is rarely observed, and many photographers had never previously encountered it in the wild.
Local photographers said the sighting marks the first time in three decades that the bird has been observed so prominently in the area.
Ban Krang Camp is one of Thailand’s top birdwatching and butterfly-viewing sites, attracting photographers who camp there to capture images of both resident and migratory species throughout the year.
The Great Eared Nightjar, the largest of its kind found in Thailand, is distinguished by prominent ear-like feather tufts and mottled brown plumage, which provide effective camouflage against tree bark and leaf litter.
The species is found across South and Southeast Asia and typically inhabits forests and woodland areas from lowlands up to elevations of about 1,200 metres. A nocturnal bird, it feeds mainly on large insects such as moths and flying termites, catching prey in flight, and remains motionless during the day to avoid detection.
