Exploring Central Highlands’ kingdom of birds

The Lang Biang Mountain is considered the roof of Lam Dong province. Covering more than 275,000 ha, the mountain was recognized in 2015 by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. It covers Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, one of Vietnam’s four natural biodiversity reserves, which has an area of about 70,000 hectares.

Lying 1,400 meters above the sea level, the park is surrounded by high mounts with, green pine forests and fresh air, making it an ideal habitat for rare birds.

According to the biologists, Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park has three important birds’ areas, namely Heaven Gate, Bidoup and Langbiang.  Among 301 bird species found in Lang Biang Mountain, 5 endemic birds have evolved to adapt to the typical habitat and climate here, and cannot be found in other countries.

Nguyen Minh Dung, a photographer from Ho Chi Minh City said that he often travels to Langbiang with a hope that he can take beautiful pictures of birds. 

Over 10 years "roaming" through the forests, Dung is able to see many species of birds, and realize their characteristics just by hearing birds singing.

According to Dung, if the photographers or tourists want to listen to birds’ singing and capture beautiful moments of them, they should avoid traveling to the area during the bird's mating and breeding season, which usually lasts from April to October every year.

"Birds don't sing very well during this period," Dung said, adding that the birds look not very beautiful as they are too busy feeding their children. Dung revealed that, the birds will sing better in dry season, from January to April.

Dung also recommends that photographers who want to take pictures of birds need to carefully check their personal belongings to prepare for a long trekking trip. They also need to carry large focal length camera lenses.

Another factor is health. Without the strength to go through the forest or have great passion, it is difficult for one to have enough perseverance to overcome the challenges of a long journey. The only way to “hunt” birds is to quietly walk through the old forests and strain all the senses to listen and observe.

The experience of the photographers and luck also importantly contribute to the success of a bird “hunting” trip in the primeval jungle in the Langbiang plateau.

Tran Nhat Tien, an environmental education instructor at Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, said that locating birds is  never an easy job. In the middle of the jungle, Tien said that photographers need to focus high to listen. Once you locate a bird, it is necessary for you to quickly arrange the equipment, then continue to quietly  approach it and take pictures of it.

Tien added that, many photographers have returned empty-handed after days of hunting in the forest.

“Personally, it took me 2 years to capture a gray-cheeked black-headed babbler a month ago. There are also lucky people who can see them and hear the song of this bird after just a few days of searching. It’s up to their luck”, Tien said.

Tien also informed that, in ​​Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, there are currently 127 bird species listed in the Vietnam Red Book 2007 and the IUCN 2012 World Red Book.

Among them, there are 5 species classified as Critically Endangered (CR) and Endangered (EN) which are the red-hipped babbler, the black-headed babbler, the striped pheasant, the yellow-throated pine sparrow and the yellow-billed tree-climbing tree. 

Regarding endemic species, there are 5 endemic species in the Langbiang Plateau, namely yellow-throated pine finches, Langbian ibis, red hiped babblers, Da Lat snub-billed babblers and gray-cheeked black-headed babblers.

However, the bird species endemic to this area is facing an increasingly narrow habitat and distribution range due to deforestation, encroachment of forest land and human hunting activities. Many rare bird species are still in danger of extinction.