Thailand Birding: Indochinese Bushlark

A few days ago I was looking for an Indochinese Bushlark just outside Kaeng Krachan national park for some visitors who had never seen one. After obtaining a few brief flight views of one bird in some scubby grassland a few minutes later one crossed the road in front of us and settled in the roadside vegetation.

We drew alongside it and the bird did not fly away allowing us good views which allowed us to notice that it was moulting heavily. I then got out of the vehicle to see if I could take a photo of the bird and was amazed that it did not fly away or run away, allowing me to take a number of photographs at very close range.

Indochinese Bushlark

We could only assume that as the bird was moulting it was in fact incapable of flight. Whatever the reason that it did not disappear, it gave me an opportunity to get close to it that I am not likely to ever have again.