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Top 7 Birdwatcher’s Paradise in Borneo

Written by Aleena Che Ramli


Interested in getting up close and personal with some of the brilliant birds of Borneo? Pick a date and plan your trip to Sabah, one of Malaysian state in northern Borneo. It is one of the nation’s popular wildlife hotspots, encompassing mountain ranges, lowland rainforest, swamps and coastlines that is home to as many as 667 of amazing bird species. Bird enthusiast all over the globe are draws to Sabah, with the promise of catching a glimpse some of the rare species that will dazzle you with their brightly coloured plumage and even startle you with their distinctive cries. And most of the species that breed in the north of Asia, migrate south in September-November to Borneo and will return in March-May. While, species that breed in Australia will migrate north in April-May and return in August-September. Therefore, it is quite a handful of bird species available for birders all year round. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your binoculars and camera, check out these 7 amazing birds hotspots that will take your breath away.


Kinabalu National Park

One of the premier birding destinations in Borneo is the Kinabalu National Park, home to many of Borneo’s endemic species. The Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage covers a huge 75,370 hectare of protected area, encompasses a range of habitats from lowland rainforest to sub-alpine, creating an ideal environment for dazzling array of birds. The riches bird community can be found particularly in the lowland rainforest, especially at the Poring Hot Spring region . Watch flocks of birds like the Ashy Drongo, the Shor-tailed Magpies, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, several flycatchers and babblers among the treetop. As you go to the higher altitude, the number of species in the area will reduce. Nevertheless, Kinabalu National Park offers variety of birds which 58 of the species can only be seen in the mountainous region and 17 of the species are endemic to Borneo. And, the highlights within this area of the Crocker range park include several species of hornbill, the endemic Golden Naped Barbet, the Great Angus Pheasant, the Whitehead’s Trogon, Whitehead’s Broadbill and the world’s smallest raptor, the White-fronted Falconet which is only found in the far Northwest of Borneo.


Kinabatangan River

Popular among the nature lovers and photographers, Kinabatangan river is known to be one of the best places to observe various bird species and nature wildlife. What is great about Kinabatangan is that you get to cruise around in boats to spot animals here, with early morning trips or night cruise which is highly recommend by other travellers. See hornbills, egrets, eagles and storks, including the impressive Rhinoceros hornbill, along the renowned river and it is the longest swamp waterway in Sabah, flowing 560k, from the Crocker range to the Sulu Sea. The lower Kinabatangan region is one of the richest wildlife areas in Southeast Asia, with tributaries, oxbow lakes and numerous forest trails for you to explore. And discover the Gomantong caves, a limestone outcrop which is an important nesting site for many birds along the river. Just one hour before sunset, watch an extraordinary sights of 2 million bats exit the caves en masse in search of food, at the same time, countless of swiftlets return to the caves for the night.


Danum Valley

Danum Valley is a nature conservancy that protects large area of primary lowland in Sabah, covering roughly 438 km2 and considered to be one of the best birding spots in Borneo, complete with luxurious rainforest lodge experience. It is full of exciting bird species such as pittas, barbets, bulbuls and houses around 10 of endangered species, kingfisher species and all 8 species of the hornbill including the endemic Helmeted Hornbill. Thus, during the jungle trekking keep your eyes peeled for long grey tail feathers with a white tip. And, watch out for the characterful little bird of White-crowned Shama which can only be spotted in the state of Sabah. You’ll most probably will hear its melodious call, which can be heard often throughout the Danum rainforest. Furthermore, to get a bird’s eye view, go for the canopy walkway where you can get even closer to the wildlife. Complete with seats on the 300 metres long platform, it is a perfect place to wait quietly for the birds to come to you. And when you are 27 metres above the ground, it gives you an unbelievable landscape views of the 130 million year old rainforest’s canopy.


Rainforest Discovery Centre

Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sandakan is a bird watcher’s paradise as it is home to an astounding 300 species of birds, as well as many variety of plants, trees and insects. It is actually more of a park where visitors get to learn more about flora and fauna of Borneo outdoors. The Rainforest Discovery Centre is categorised to be the most accessible natural rainforest with modern design, boasts a massive steel canopy walk that stretches almost 350 metres long and 25 metres high. It is a perfect place for you to bring your kids along and there are 3 towers along the canopy walk for wildlife spotting and birding opportunities to find birds among the treetops. Or you can go and explore the well marked jungle trails, where some of the bird species prefer their habitat near the forest ground, like Blue Headed Pitta, Black&Crimson Pitta, Giant Pitta, Kingfishers, Black Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Red Bearded Bee-eater, Scarlet Minivet, Woodpeckers, Spiderhunters and many more. And if you are lucky, you might see the iconic Bornean Bristlehead flying across the canopy. In fact, come and join the fun with the rest of the bird watchers at the Borneo Bird Festival, which are held annually at the Rainforest Discovery Centre.


Tabin Wildlife Reserve

Located in Lahad Datu, Tabin Wildlife Reserve is the largest wildlife reserve in Malaysia that is guaranteed to let you see some endemic birds of Borneo. Based on the record, Tabin has over 300 species of birds and if you stay a bit longer, you’ll probably be able to see almost 70 percent of these birds. The reserve area are comprise of primarily virgin lowland dipterocarp forest and surrounded by an outer zone of secondary forest, makes it a perfect paradise for the birds and the other wildlife. Since it is less dense than the other areas with mostly primary forest, this allow more light and visibility between the trees, which is ideal for birders to observe and take beautiful photos of the feathery creatures. Another unique features of Tabin forest is its natural mineral sources from the salt lake and the mud volcano which attract the wildlife, as well as several old palm estate where they get to eat the palm fruits. All 8 species of Borneo hornbills can be spotted here such as Rhinoceros hornbill, White-crowned hornbill and Wrinkle hornbill. And besides the hornbills, it houses 9 endemic bird species to Borneo, namely Blue Banded Pitta, Blue-headed Pitta, Bornean Banded Pitta, Black Throated Wren Babbler, Bornean Blue Flycatcher, Bornean Frogmouth, Bornean Black Magpie, White-crowned Shama and Bornean Ground Cuckoo.


Mount Silam

Standing majestically at 884 metres above sea level, Mount Silam is the highest point in the district of Lahad Datu, which is a great place to see a scenic hawk eyes view of Darvel Bay and the Lahad Datu town. Nestled within the Sapagaya Forest Reserve, Mount Silam is populated with various species of flora and fauna including numerous species of Bornean birds. It is a perfect base for you to enjoy the nature without the tourist crowd, at the same time you get to explore the jungle trails at your own pace. During your trek, lookout for Moustache Babbler, Little Spiderhunter, Black-Naped Fruit Doves, Green Imperial Pigeon or even the unique White-crowned Shama foraging within the jungle. Experience the chill breeze on top of the Mount Silam at the Tower of Heaven, observe ocean of green canopy across the horizon and watch eagles soaring high in the sky. Or hop on the saddle and enjoy a relaxing ride down the Mount Silam, where you might encounter with Bearded Wild Boar, Slow Loris, the mischievous macaques, Bornean gibbons and other residents of the forest.


Bukit Piton

If you are in Lahad Datu or before/after your trip to Danum Valley or Tabin Wildlife Reserve, bird watchers should consider going for a tour around Bukit Piton and observe abundance of beautiful birds living in this particular forest. Bukit Piton is also highly populated with wild orang utan and you get to watch them much closer here, than the Kinabatangan river where they tend to stay up in the canopy. Due to the efforts of WWF Malaysia, Yayasan Sime Darby, Sabah Forestry Department, Brothers Cycling and groups of passionate naturalists, this once degraded forest is now being restored and welcoming all the wildlife back to their home bound. Currently, there are a total of 177 bird species recorded in the area and 11 of the species are categorised in the IUCN Red List, such as Helmeted hornbill, Storm’s Stork, Black Crowned Pitta, Blue Headed Pitta, Bornean Wren Babbler, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Large Billed Blue Flycatcher, Large Green Pigeon, Short Toed Coucal and Wallace Hawk Eagle. Take a ride at the back of the pick up truck to further explore Bukit Piton and you might come across the other 6 species of endangered animals like Bornean Pygmy elephant, Bornean Orang Utan, Pig tailed Macaque, Sambar Deer and Bearded Pig.