Observations conducted in Khao Yai National Park, central Thailand, during the past twentyfive years have reported a range change for Siamese fireback Lophura diardi, now found at higher elevations, around 800 m, where previously silver pheasant Lophura nycthemera were mostly observed (Round & Gale, 2008). The suggested explanation for this expansion is climatic change, which during the past 100 years has affected habitat change on a global scale, by increasing average temperatures by about 0.6 C (Houghton et al., 2001). One consequence of rising temperatures is the change in otranspiration, which is higher in the lowlands than in montane and sub-montane
areas. This change in habitat characteristics has been suggested by Round & Gale (2008) as the primary cause leading to the recent significant increase in the numbers of Siamese fireback relative to the “resident” population of silver
pheasant in the study site.