Exploring Da Lat's kingdom of birds

Lying 1,400 metres above the sea level, Langbiang plateau in Da Lat is surrounded by high mountains, green pine forests and fresh air, making it an ideal habitat for rare birds. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

Several endemic birds have evolved to adapt to the typical habitat and climate in Langbiang, and cannot be found in other countries. Among them is Da Lat Shrike-Babbler, which could be identified with a bright white eyebrow and a black-and-orange panel on the wings. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

Vietnamese Cutia is one of the most impressive birds in Da Lat. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

At the Datanla waterfall tourist site, a few kilometres from downtown Da Lat, visitors can enjoy Streaked Spiderhunter with a long, curved black bill and black streaking all over its yellow-green upperparts, and lighter yellow underparts. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

The Annam Sunbird, an endemic sub-species of Mrs Gould’s sunbird found in Da Lat, has a blue crown, red breast and yellow rump. It lives in pine forests lying 1,000 to 2,500 metres above the sea level. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

An orange-headed thrush (Geokichla citrina) with a beak full of prey to feed its young. The species has an entirely orange head and underparts, uniformly grey upperparts and wings. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

A blue whistling thrush is captured at Datanla Waterfall. This whistling thrush is dark violet blue with shiny spangling on the tips of the body feathers, abdomen and under the tail. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

Tuyen Lam Lake and Dat Set Village host colourful birds living in low forest areas surrounded by pine trees and shrubs like slender-billed oriole, which has a beautiful golden oriole with a long, lipstick-red bill and an elegant black band across the eyes. (Photo: vnexpress.net)