Birding in Malaysia

by Frank E. Rheindt

30 July - 3 September 2003

formicarius.at.hotmail.com

After five months of birdwatching in Vietnam, China and Thailand (March–July 2003), I had one more month before returning home, which I was happy to spend in Malaysia.

The country is amazingly developed and rich. Some analysts currently fear a slow process of alienation from democracy, but in spite of this latest trend, the country has been stable and prosperous for many years now, and provides a rare example of peaceful co-existence among three major ethnicities and religions (Malay-Muslim, Chinese and Indian). Moreover, the end of Mahathir's presidency in early 2004 might actually put an end to those fears.

Communication is easy enough. While I had been very eager to refresh my average command of Bahasa Indonesia (which is almost identical to Melayu), I found that most people in West Malaysia refrained from speaking it with a foreigner (especially the Chinese and Indians, who themselves struggle with the language). In Sabah, however, the language came in handy, though even here English would have sufficed for basics.

Species harvest during this trip was astonishingly good, especially considering that my tape-recorder had broken down in China.

Species lists are given at the end of each site account. Scientific names in the lists are only given at first mention.

Bukit Fraser
July 31 – August 3

Logistics: Fraser's Hill is the most convenient highland site for visitors to West Malaysia, since it is within easy and quick reach of Kuala Lumpur (2 hours by bus), and is en route to Taman Negara. The drawback is that Yellow-breasted Warbler and Rufous-vented Niltava require higher elevations and can only be seen at more distant hill resorts such as the Cameron Highlands. There is a wealth of accommodation and restaurants in the village/resort.

It is recommended that you birdwatch around the neglected and overgrown network of trails in and around the resort (maps widely available), but you should also spend about half of your time on the access road to and from "the Gap", which is where the connection road to Fraser's Hill joins the main road. A newly constructed road that was intended to be a one-way route for descent has suffered from recent landslides. Therefore the old "dual system" has been re-instated (as of 2003) in which "up-only" hours and "down-only" hours alternate along the old road. Note that as a consequence of this arrangement, the road is completely closed at night and can only be used by vehicles every other hour at daylight. Both the old road and the eroded, dilapidated "new" road can be walked.

Birds: Bukit Fraser has its own little local birdwatchers' scene (rare enough in the tropics), and you may or may not find the friendly locals helpful in showing you around. Of three regional endemics, one (Mountain Peacock-Pheasant) is illusory and the second (Malayan Partridge, formerly Gray-breasted Partridge) eluded me and is apparently unreliable, though it is regularly recorded around the refreshingly well-kept trail from the mosque along the golf course. The third (Malayan Whistling-Thrush), in contrast, is said to have become irregular at its former stake-out at the upper road-block gate (in Bukit Fraser), but happened to show up three times, with excellent views, during my stay (one flushed at the upper road-block early-dawn, the other two seen well along the "new road" in the afternoon). On top of Bukit Fraser, low song activity was compensated by rich mixed flocks, containing Long-tailed Broadbill, Blue Nuthatch, Mountain Leaf-Warbler, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Blue-winged Minla, Silver-eared Mesia, Sultan Tit and all the laughingthrushes, babblers and flycatchers listed below. The dump provided excellent views of a perched Blyth's Hawk-eagle, Red-bearded Bee-eater and an unusually high Hill Blue-Flycatcher. The pines around "High Pines" held Javan Cuckooshrike and Fire-tufted Barbet, but Long-billed Partridge was only heard at its usual spot here (near the tennis court). Bamboo along the upper third of the old road (in use) had good activity in the form of Black Laughingthrush, White-hooded Babbler and Yellow-bellied Warbler, though the silent atmosphere toward the later morning precluded the detection of Marbled Wren Babbler at its stake-out 1-2km above the lower gate. The new road provides far views (Wreathed Hornbill) and produced perched Yellow-vented Green Pigeons.

Most remarkable about my stay at Bukit Fraser was, however, none of the above specialties, but a strange incident of elevational mass-displacement of birds on August 1. That day, which was unseasonably hot and sunny, I walked down the old road and re-ascended the deserted new road. In the process, I found more than a dozen species that were far above their elevational range as given by Robson (2000) in "Birds of South-east Asia". Most remarkable among these was a Rail Babbler on the new road embankment at forest edge, seen well at 5 meters' distance for about 5 sec. The bird appeared to have crossed the new road (at 1400m) and was on its way up to cooler elevations. Moreover, an Indian Cuckoo near High Pines (1525m) and a Malayan Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo below the upper gate (1475m) were far above their elevational ranges, as was a flock of Bushy-crested Hornbill (1450m), a Crimson-winged Woodpecker (1450m), a Scaly-breasted Bulbul (1400m) and a flock of Brown Barbet (1350m). Several other species were above their reported elevational ranges that day (albeit only slightly too high in a few cases), but conversations with the local birders indicated that some of these are actually recorded regularly at Bukit Fraser, though some are not (Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, White-bellied Erpornis, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Red-eyed and Stripe-throated Bulbul, Rufous-browed and Verditer Flycatcher, Red-billed Malkoha and Orange-breasted Trogon). I intend to provide details about these sightings elsewhere. Interestingly, the following day (cloudy and drizzly) along the same route, I did not manage to find again the great majority of these species.

Species List at Bukit Fraser:

Speckled Piculet – Picumnis innominatus
Greater Yellownape – Picus flavinucha
Lesser Yellownape – Picus chlorolophus
Crimson-winged Woodpecker – Picus puniceus
Fire-tufted Barbet – Psilopogon pyrolophus
Brown Barbet – Calorhamphus fuliginosus
Black-browed Barbet – Megalaima oorti oorti
Wreathed Hornbill – Rhyticeros undulates
Bushy-crested Hornbill – Anorrhinus galeritus
Orange-breasted Trogon – Harpactes oreskios
Red-bearded Bee-eater – Nyctyornis amictus
Malaysian (Hodgson's) Hawk-Cuckoo – Hierococcyx fugax
Indian Cuckoo – Cuculus micropterus
Green-billed Malkoha – Phaenicophaeus tristis
Red-billed Malkoha – Phaenicophaeus javanicus
Glossy Swiftlet – Collocalia esculenta cyanoptila
House Swift – Apus affinis
Mountain Imperial Pigeon – Ducula badia
Yellow-vented Green Pigeon – Treron seimundi
Little Cuckoo Dove – Macropygia ruficeps
Peaceful Dove – Geopelia striata: a few in Raub (near Bukit Fraser)
Blyth's Hawk-eagle – Spizaetus alboniger
Long-tailed Broadbill – Psarisomus dalhousiae
Blue-winged Leafbird – Chloropsis cochinchinensis
Orange-bellied Leafbird – Chloropsis hardwickii
Bronzed Drongo – Dicrurus aeneus
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo – Dicrurus remifer
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo – Dicrurus paradiseus
Common Green Magpie – Cissa chinensis
House Crow – Corvus splendens: coastal region en route to Bukit Fraser
Large-billed Crow – Corvus macrorhynchos
Rail Babbler – Eupetes macrocerus
Black-and-crimson Oriole – Oriolus cruentus
Javan Cuckooshrike – Coracina javensis
Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike – Hemipus picatus
Gray-chinned Minivet – Pericrocotus solaris
White-throated Fantail – Rhipidura albicollis
Malayan Whistling-Thrush – Myophonus robinsoni
Rufous-browed Flycatcher – Ficedula solitaris
Verditer Flycatcher – Eumyias thalassina
Gray-headed Canary Flycatcher – Culicicapa ceylonensis
Little Pied Flycatcher – Ficedula westermanni
Pygmy Blue Flycatcher – Muscicapella hodgsoni
Large Niltava – Niltava grandis
Hill Blue Flycatcher – Cyornis banyumas
Oriental Magpie Robin – Copsychus saularis
Slaty-backed Forktail – Enicurus schistaceus
Asian Glossy Starling – Aplonis panayensis: Raub near Bukit Fraser
Blue Nuthatch – Sitta azurea
Sultan Tit – Melanochlora sultanea
Pacific Swallow – Hirundo tahitica
Black-crested Bulbul – Pycnonotus melanicterus
Stripe-throated Bulbul – Pycnonotus finlaysoni
Red-eyed Bulbul – Pycnonotus brunneus
Ochraceous Bulbul – Alophoixus ochraceus
Ashy Bulbul – Hemixos flavala
Mountain Bulbul – Hypsipetes mcclellandii
Yellow-vented Bulbul – Pycnonotus goiaver
Scaly-breasted Bulbul – Pycnonotus squamatus
Rufescent Prinia – Prinia rufescens
Mountain Tailorbird – Orthotomus cuculatus
Common Tailorbird – Orthotomus sutorius
Dark-necked Tailorbird – Orthotomus atrogularis
Mountain Leaf-Warbler – Phylloscopus trivirgatus
Chestnut-crowned Warbler – Seicercus castaniceps
Yellow-bellied Warbler – Abroscopus superciliaris
Everett's White-eye – Zosterops everetti
Black Laughingthrush – Garrulax lugubris
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush – Garrulax mitratus
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush – Garrulax erythrocephalus
Buff-breasted Babbler – Pellorneum tickelli
Golden Babbler – Stachyris chrysaea
Gray-throated Babbler – Stachyris nigriceps
White-browed Shrike-Babbler – Pteruthius flaviscapis
Black-eared Shrike-Babbler – Pteruthius melanotis
Blue-winged Minla – Minla cyanouroptera
Silver-eared Mesia – Leiothrix argentauris
Mountain Fulvetta – Alcippe peracensis peracensis
White-hooded Babbler – Gampsorhynchus rufulus
Long-tailed Sibia – Heterophasia picaoides wrayi
White-bellied Erpornis (=Yuhina) – Erpornis zantholeuca
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker – Dicaeum chrysorrheum
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker – Dicaeum trigonostigma
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker – Dicaeum ignipectus
Black-throated Sunbird – Aethopyga saturata
Streaked Spiderhunter – Arachnothera magna
Gray Wagtail – Motacilla cinerea
White-rumped Munia – Lonchura striata

Heard only: Long-billed Partridge, Gold-whiskered Barbet, Collared Owlet, Pygmy Wren Babbler.

Taman Negara
August 4-11

Logistics: In view of the new road, the expensive boat ride to Kuala Tahan, which can be ornithologically dull, is no longer necessary. I found some of the cheapest accommodation and food (during 6 months in Asia) at inexpensive places just across the river from the trail system in Kuala Tahan, so there is absolutely no need to stay at the luxurious resort with the frequently-changing name. Staying in Kuala Tahan does have a drawback, though, because you are dependent on the boat people to take you across the river in the early morning. My boatman did not particularly like me for my early requests and started to ignore me in the mornings, which resulted in a few late starts. Note also that the one-week trek to the distant peak now has to be done with a guide, and the lodge at Kuala Trenggan is no longer operating. I highly recommend the hike to Kuala Trenggan, on which I saw quite a few specialties. However, if you don't have a tent, be prepared to spend the night under very basic conditions on a wooden floor at the deserted lodge. I failed to check out any trail system other than the main one for lack of time.

Birds: The short Swamp Loop behind the lodge yielded the promised Malayan Peacock-Pheasant in addition to a perched Gould's Frogmouth and two sightings of possibly the same male Banded Pitta. Crested Fireback was seen almost on a daily basis, especially a large and confiding family group along the main trail towards the canopy walkway. A Great Argus male still holds his arena along the higher parts of Jenet Muda Trail and cannot be missed if you get there early enough.

The canopy walkway opens when the morning show is over, and is usually crowded with too many loud tourists, so expectations should not be set too high. Nonetheless, a Violet Cuckoo, Whiskered and Gray-rumped Treeswifts, Silver-rumped Needletails, Black-and-yellow Broadbills (2 occ.), Greater and Lesser Green Leafbirds, Lesser Cuckooshrike (1 occ.), Fiery Minivet (2 occ.), Sultan Tit, Golden-bellied Gerygone and two Gray-bellied Bulbuls rewarded me for substantial time investment on the walkway.

The lodge clearing is worth some effort: Blue-rumped Parrot (2 occ.), Little Green Pigeon and a perched Black-thighed Falconet, were only seen here.

The hike to Kuala Trenggan gets you away from the crowds around the lodge and leads you into some stunningly diverse forest. Some of the treats along here were a pair of Crestless Fireback (apparently a rare-enough sighting), at least two male and four female Crested Partridges, a Rufous-collared Kingfisher, two parties of Black-throated Babbler (which was also seen near the canopy walkway), two Rail Babblers (one also along Jenet Muda), two Gray-chested Jungle-Flycatchers, one singing Gray-breasted Babbler, Striped Wren Babbler (3 occ.) and an amazing six sightings of Large Wren Babblers.

To give an impression of the abundance of some of the rarer species, the amount of sightings (during 7 full field days) of the following birds is given in brackets: Rufous Piculet (2), White-bellied Woodpecker (1), Banded Woodpecker (2), Olive-backed Woodpecker (2), Great Slaty Woodpecker (1), Maroon Woodpecker (2), Rufous Woodpecker (1), Orange-backed Woodpecker (3), Diard's Trogon (2), Banded Kingfisher (2), Gray-headed Babbler (4), Red-billed Malkoha (2), Emerald Dove (3), Maroon-breasted Philentoma (3), Rufous-chested Flycatcher (2), Malaysian Blue Flycatcher (1 along river), Rufous-tailed Shama (1), Chestnut-naped Forktail (3), Straw-headed Bulbul (2 along river), Finsch's Bulbul (3, especially stream crossings at dusk), Rufous-tailed Tailorbird (2), Ferruginous Babbler (3) and Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler (3). Most of the remaining species in the following list were seen almost daily.

Species List at Taman Negara:

Crested Partridge – Rollulus rouloul
Crested Fireback – Lophura ignita
Crestless Fireback – Lophura erythrophthalma
Malayan Peacock-Pheasant – Polyplectron malacense
Great Argus – Argusianus argus
Rufous Piculet – Sasia abnormis
White-bellied Woodpecker – Dryocopus javensis
Banded Woodpecker – Picus mineaceus
Checker-throated Woodpecker – Picus mentalis
Olive-backed Woodpecker – Dinopium rafflesii
Great Slaty Woodpecker – Mulleripicus pulverulentus
Maroon Woodpecker – Blythipicus rubiginosus
Rufous Woodpecker – Celeus brachyurus
Orange-backed Woodpecker – Reinwardtipicus validus
Buff-rumped Woodpecker – Meiglyptes tristis
Buff-necked Woodpecker – Meiglyptes tukki
Red-throated Barbet – Megalaima mystacophanos
Brown Barbet – Calorhamphus fuliginosus
Rhinoceros Hornbill – Buceros rhinoceros
Southern Pied Hornbill – Anthracoceros (albirostris) convexus
Diard's Trogon – Harpactes diardii
Scarlet-rumped Trogon – Harpactes duvaucelii
Blue-throated Bee-eater – Merops viridis
Blue-banded Kingfisher – Alcedo euryzona
Banded Kingfisher – Lacedo pulchella
Stork-billed Kingfisher – Halcyon capensis
Rufous-collared Kingfisher – Actenoides concretus
White-throated Kingfisher – Halcyon smyrnensis
Violet Cuckoo – Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
Greater Coucal – Centropus sinensis
Raffles's Malkoha – Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus
Red-billed Malkoha
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha – Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
Dollarbird – Eurystomus orientalis
Blue-rumped Parrot – Psittinus cyanurus
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot – Loriculus galgulus
Silver-rumped Needletail – Rhaphidura leucopygialis
Gray-rumped Treeswift – Hemiprocne longipennis
Whiskered Treeswift – Hemiprocne comata
Gould's Frogmouth – Batrachostomus stellatus
Little Green Pigeon – Treron olax
Thick-billed Green Pigeon – Treron curvirostra
Emerald Dove – Chalcophaps indica
Common Sandpiper – Actitis hypoleucos
Black-thighed Falconet – Microhierax fringillarius
Banded Pitta – Pitta guajana
Black-and-yellow Broadbill – Eurylaimus ochromalus
Green Broadbill – Calyptomena viridis
Black-and-red Broadbill – Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos
Asian Fairy Bluebird – Irena puella
Greater Green Leafbird – Chlorpsis sonnerati
Lesser Green Leafbird – Chloropsis cyanopogon
Blue-winged Leafbird
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Crested Jay – Platylophus galericulatus
Rail Babbler
Dark-throated Oriole – Oriolus xanthonotus
Green Iora – Aegithina viridissima
Great Iora – Aegithina lafresnayei
Lesser Cuckooshrike – Coramina fimbriata
Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike – Hemipus picatus
Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike – Hemipus hirundinaceus
Large Woodshrike – Tephrodornis gularis
Fiery Minivet – Pericrocotus igneus
Spotted Fantail – Rhipidura perlata
Black-naped Monarch – Hypothymis azurea
Asian Paradise Flycatcher – Terpsiphone paradisi
Rufous-winged Philentoma – Philentoma pyrhopterum
Maroon-breasted Philentoma – Philentoma velatum
Gray-chested Jungle Flycatcher – Rhynomyias umbratilis
Gray-headed Canary Flycatcher
Rufous-chested Flycatcher – Ficedula dumetoria
Malaysian Blue Flycatcher – Cyornis turcosus
Oriental Magpie Robin
White-rumped Shama – Copsychus malabaricus
Rufous-tailed Shama – Trichixos pyrropyga
Chestnut-naped Forktail – Enicurus ruficapillus
White-crowned Forktail – Enicurus leschenaulti
Common Myna – Acridotheres tristis
Hill Myna – Gracula religiosa
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch – Sitta frontalis
Sultan Tit
Pacific Swallow
Golden-bellied Gerygone – Gerygone sulphurea
Black-headed Bulbul – Pycnonotus atriceps
Stripe-throated Bulbul
Cream-vented Bulbul – Pycnonotus simplex
Red-eyed Bulbul
Spectacled Bulbul – Pycnonotus erythrophthalmus
Olive-winged Bulbul – Pycnonotus plumosus
Gray-bellied Bulbul – Pycnonotus cyaniventris
Straw-headed Bulbul – Pycnonotus zeylanicus
Hairy-backed Bulbul – Tricholestes criniger
Ashy Bulbul
Buff-vented Bulbul – Iole olivacea
Streaked Bulbul – Ixos malaccensis
Finsch's Bulbul – Alophoixus finschii
Gray-cheeked Bulbul – Alophoixus bres
Yellow-bellied Bulbul – Alophoixus phaeocephalus
Common Tailorbird
Dark-necked Tailorbird
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird – Orthotomus sericeus
Ashy Tailorbird – Orthotomus ruficeps
Ferruginous Babbler – Trichastoma bicolor
Abbott's Babbler – Malacocincla abbotti
Short-tailed Babbler – Malacocincla malaccensis
Black-capped Babbler – Pellorneum capistratum
Moustached Babbler – Malacopteron magnirostre
Sooty-capped Babbler – Malacopteron affine
Scaly-crowned Babbler – Malacopteron cinereum cinereum
Rufous-crowned Babbler – Malacopteron magnum
Gray-breasted Babbler – Malacopteron albogulare
Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler – Pomatorhinus montanus
Striped Wren Babbler – Kenopia striata
Large Wren Babbler – Napothera macrodactyla
Striped Tit Babbler – Macronous gularis
Chestnut-winged Babbler – Stachyris erythroptera
Chestnut-rumped Babbler – Stachyris maculata
Gray-headed Babbler – Stachyris poliocephala
Black-throated Babbler – Stachyris nigricollis
White-bellied Erpornis
Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker – Prionochilus maculates
Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker – Prionochilus percussus
Little Spiderhunter – Arachnothera longirostra
Thick-billed Spiderhunter – Arachnothera crassirostris
Gray-breasted Spiderhunter – Arachnothera modesta
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird – Anthreptes singalensis
Purple-naped Sunbird – Hypogramma hypogrammicum
Temminck's Sunbird – Aethopyga temminckii

Heard only: Gold-whiskered Barbet, Yellow-crowned Barbet, Blue-eared Barbet and a possible Giant Pitta.

Mt. Kinabalu
August 12-17

At 4100m, Mt Kinabalu rises from the South China Sea like a giant monolith and dwarfs the mountains surrounding it. The area is characterized by pronounced endemism. Though none of the endemics are narrowly confined to this site alone, it will be hard to see all of them elsewhere in such concentrated composition, which makes Kinabalu the premiere site for people in search of Borneo's birds.

Logistics: The mountain attracts hordes of alpinists that want to make the ascent to the summit, so the pricey accommodation around the headquarters is frequently overbooked. The elevation makes insects bearable at daylight, but the cheaper low-value dormitories lack windows and invite some nasty horse-flies into your bed at night. Birding was therefore done with a swollen face on most days. Restaurants partly serve at inconvenient hours and are well overpriced. Early-morning access to the summit trail is problematical due to a gate.

Birds: Kinabalu is great for those who want to enjoy themselves among a high concentration of endemic and rare birds, but it can be stressful for those who feel the need to see all the specialties. I accomplished my goal of seeing virtually all the specialty birds by extending my stay again and again, but even within these four full days and two half-days, my impression was that a great deal of good luck is required.

The gaudy Fruithunter has become very unreliable in the recent past, so I felt all the more privileged to see it within the first half-hour after arrival along the main car loop at the headquarters (HQ). On another day, five of them showed well at ca. KM 2.

The Whitehead's trio started off well on the second day with two Whitehead's Trogons along the longish Liwagu River Trail, but then stalled. Only with great effort and luck did I succeed in finding a Whitehead's Spiderhunter on the second but last day along Liwagu, and (thanks to a gut feeling) – at the same lush spot – a Whitehead's Broadbill on the last morning.

Another headache was created by the Crimson-headed Partridge, a bird that is usually seen far more often at Kinabalu than the rare Red-breasted Partridge. However, it took me five coveys of Red-breasted Partridge (some of them seen exceedingly well with performing males) until I finally spotted my first Crimson-headed in the early morning of the last day about 1 km above the gate to the summit trail (following a tip-off by two German mountaineers who had seen them there the previous morning).

The trickiest bird, however, is the Kinabalu Friendly Warbler, which usually only occurs above the first two kilometres along the summit trail. Sunda Bush Warblers are common along the summit trail, but the friendly bugger is sparse and inactive after mid-morning. Other people have managed to ascend to suitable elevations early enough, but I failed at my first try and instead opted to stay at the mountain camp below the summit. Trying again the following morning during my descent, I was lucky enough to find a singing individual that could be seen without a tape (which I didn't have). On another note, the higher elevations at and below the mountain camp (for which you usually need prior reservation) need to be visited to find Island Thrush and Flavescent Bulbul, which should be seen given enough time investment.

Everett's Thrush has mainly been seen along Bukit Ular Trail in the past few years, so I was happy when my strategy of repeated dawn and dusk visits was fruitful on the third dawn and I sighted two individuals. On most other visits, I saw Orange-headed Thrush instead. The thrushes like to come out on the trail at first or last light (or slightly before/after then), but absolutely quiet walking and a high alertness (especially at the trail's turns and curves) are a prerequisite. You will probably not see this bird in a group, unless you opt for a vigil at a pre-selected spot, which I find much less effective.

From the veranda of my dormitory, I was much perplexed to see a female brown Lophura pheasant emerge from the undergrowth for a few seconds during heavy rain. I immediately assumed it must be a Crested Fireback, so I didn't put much effort into finding it again. Only later did I read about another internet report of a presumed sighting of a female Bulwer's Pheasant at the Kinabalu HQ. The literature describes the Crested Fireback as a lowland bird, but Bulwer's Pheasant apparently reaches up much higher in elevation. In retrospect, I am convinced that the bird was the female Bulwer's Pheasant that has been previously reported from Kinabalu.

My favorite endemic at Kinabalu was the diminutive Bornean Stubtail. Its song is very high-pitched and cannot be heard far by humans, and its calls reach a frequency that my ears start having problems with at close range. Nevertheless I saw it almost every time I walked along Bukit Ular Trail and also elsewhere, such as from my dormitory veranda during heavy rain (all in all 7 sightings).

A pair of Tawny-breasted Parrotfinches came much to my surprise. The birds were in a zone of bamboo about 1-2km above the gate to the summit trail in an area that was also good for White-browed Shortwing.

Black-sided Flowerpecker and Temminck's Sunbird preferred the flowering bushes around the HQ loop.

Mixed flocks toward the upper access road around the gate to the summit trail changed slightly in composition, containing Mountain Blackeye and Golden-naped Barbet.

The stream along Silau-Silau Trail is home to Sunda Whistling-Thrush and White-crowned Forktail.

Mountain Wren-Babbler and Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher were seen about once a day along forest trails at HQ elevation.

Some of the easier (near-)endemics and specialties that were seen at Kinabalu (often in mixed flocks) include Black-capped White-eye, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, Snowy-browed, Little Pied and Indigo Flycatcher, two sightings of Pygmy Blue Flycatcher, Little Cuckoo Dove (common), Checker-throated (3 occ.) and Maroon (2 occ.) Woodpecker, Sunda Cuckooshrike, Black, Chestnut-capped and Sunda Laughingthrush, Bornean Whistler, Mountain Leaf Warbler, Yellow-breasted Warbler, Gray-throated Babbler, Black-and-crimson Oriole, Short-tailed Magpie and Bornean Treepie.

Species List at Kinabalu:

Red-breasted Partridge – Arborophila hyperythra
Crimson-headed Partridge – Haematortyx sanguiniceps
Bulwer's Pheasant – Lophura bulweri
Mountain Imperial Pigeon
Little Cuckoo Dove
Glossy Swiftlet
Whitehead's Trogon – Harpactes whiteheadi
Golden-naped Barbet – Megalaima pulcherrima
Whitehead's Broadbill – Calyptomena whiteheadi
Checker-throated Woodpecker
Maroon Woodpecker
Black-breasted Fruithunter – Chlamydochaera jefferyi
Sunda Cuckooshrike – Coracina larvata
Black-and-crimson Oriole
Short-tailed Magpie – Cissa thalassina
Bornean Treepie – Dendrocitta cinerascens
Ashy Drongo – Dicrurus leucophaeus
Spangled Drongo – Dicrurus hottentottus
Bornean Whistler – Pachycephala hypoxantha
White-throated Fantail
Gray-chinned Minivet
Ochraceous Bulbul
Flavescent Bulbul – Pycnonotus flavescens
White-crowned Forktail
White-browed Shortwing – Brachypteryx montana
Sunda Whistling Thrush – Myophonus glaucinus
Island Thrush – Turdus poliocephalus
Orange-headed Thrush – Zoothera citrina
Everett's Thrush – Zoothera everetti
Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher – Rhinomyias gularis
Indigo Flycatcher – Eumyias indigo
Snowy-browed Flycatcher – Ficedula hyperythra
Little Pied Flycatcher
Pygmy Blue Flycatcher
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Mountain Tailorbird
Friendly Warbler – Bradypterus accentor
Sunda Bush Warbler – Cettia vulcania oreophila
Bornean Stubtail – Urosphena whiteheadi
Mountain Leaf Warbler
Yellow-breasted Warbler – Seicercus montis
Black Laughingthrush
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
Sunda Laughingthrush – Garrulax palliates
Mountain Wren Babbler – Napothera crassa
Gray-throated Babbler
White-browed Shrike-Babbler
Chestnut-crested Yuhina – Yuhina everetti
Black-capped White-eye – Zosterops atricapilla
Mountain Blackeye – Chlorocharis emiliae
Whitehead's Spiderhunter – Arachnothera juliae
Black-sided Flowerpecker – Dicaeum monticola
Temminck's Sunbird – Aethopyga temminckii
Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch – Erythrura hyperythra

Heard Only: Mountain Barbet.

Poring Hot Springs
August 17-20

Logistics: Poring is an under-appreciated site that most birders only give a day on their way to Danum. Birding is tough, with leeches and insects abounding, and bird activity usually low, but I found two full days and two half-days fully justified, with a few species that are definitely more likely here than at Danum. Accommodation is good-value, and towards the end of the day I was happy to lay down the binoculars and relax in the tubs around the hot springs. An impressive total of six spiderhunter species was seen here.

Birds: Dusky Munias are common around the entrance buildings at dusk and dawn, and the hot springs can be good in the early morning before the tourists pour in (Thick-billed Spiderhunter, Banded Broadbill). There are two birding highlights at this site: One is the tough up-hill hike to the Langanan Waterfalls along the only real trail, and the second is the canopy walkway. The first portion of the long trail leads to a smaller waterfall, but the large clearing and arboretum before it are well worth some scrutiny (White-capped Shama, Horsfield's Babbler, Red-bearded Bee-eater). From the small waterfall, the trail leads through some lush growth (Black Magpie, Crested Jay, Dusky Broadbill, Rufous-tailed Shama) to a cave, where the surrounding forest is usually dead, but (on one occasion) yielded a flock of Brown Fulvetta, Gray-headed and White-necked Babblers and even Fluffy-backed Tit-Babblers. The trail then passes two clearings (one held the endemic Bornean Spiderhunter, the other Puff-backed and Scaly-breasted Bulbul) before entering some giant bamboo growth (Yellow-bellied Warbler), where I had the necessary portion of good luck to see White-tailed Flycatcher, Eyebrowed Wren Babbler and an obliging juvenile Blue-banded Pitta (doubtless the main treat you can get at Poring). Avoid the left fork, which teems with leeches, and follow the right all the way to the waterfall (Sunda Whistling-Thrush, White-crowned Forktail), where mixed flocks are plentiful (Bornean Treepie, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Long-tailed Broadbill).

The canopy walkway is definitely better than the one in Taman Negara, since it opens at 7 a.m., when most tourists are still in bed. Dead around noon, an early morning here held rewards in the form of Yellow-eared, Long-billed and Spectacled Spiderhunter, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Greater and Lesser Green Leafbird, Lesser Cuckooshrike, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot and Plain Sunbird.

Species List at Poring:

Blyth's Hawk-eagle
Red-bearded Bee-eater
Red-billed Malkoha
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot
Scarlet-rumped Trogon
Brown Barbet
Blue-eared Barbet
Gold-whiskered Barbet – Megalaima chrysopogon
Glossy Swiftlet
Rufous Piculet
Maroon Woodpecker
Buff-necked Woodpecker
Buff-rumped Wodpecker
Blue-banded Pitta – Pitta arquata
Green Broadbill
Long-tailed Broadbill
Black-and-yellow Broadbill
Banded Broadbill
Dusky Broadbill
Greater Green Leafbird
Lesser Green Leafbird
Blue-winged Leafbird
Asian Fairy Bluebird
Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
Lesser Cuckooshrike
Crested Jay
Black Magpie – Platysmurus leucopterus aterrimus
Bornean Treepie
Ashy Drongo
Scarlet Minivet – Pericrocotus flammeus
Green Iora
Spotted Fantail
Black-naped Monarch
Maroon-breasted Philentoma
Oriental Magpie Robin – Copsychus saularis pluto
White-browed/-capped Shama – Copsychus stricklandi
Rufous-tailed Shama (white-browed ssp) – Trichixos pyrropyga
White-crowned Forktail
Sunda Whistling-Thrush
White-tailed Flycatcher – Cyornis concretus
Pale Blue Flycatcher – Cyornis unicolor
Gray-headed Canary Flycatcher
Ashy Bulbul
Streaked Bulbul
Hairy-backed Bulbul
Spectacled Bulbul
Red-eyed Bulbul
Scaly-breasted Bulbul
Puff-backed Bulbul – Pycnonotus eutilotus
Yellow-bellied Bulbul
Gray-cheeked Bulbul
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
Ashy Tailorbird
Yellow-bellied Warbler
Eyebrowed Wren Babbler – Napothera epilepidota
Horsfield's Babbler – Malacocincla sepiarium
Rufous-crowned Babbler
Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler – Macronous ptilosus
White-necked Babbler – Stachyris leucotis
Gray-headed Babbler
Chestnut-winged Babbler
Brown Fulvetta
Chestnut-crested Yuhina
White-bellied Erpornis (=Yuhina)
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker – Prionochilus xanthopygius
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker
Little Spiderhunter
Thick-billed Spiderhunter
Bornean Spiderhunter – Arachnothera everetti
Spectacled Spiderhunter – Arachnothera flavigaster
Yellow-eared Spiderhunter – Arachnothera chrysogenys
Long-billed Spiderhunter – Arachnothera robusta
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Plain Sunbird – Anthreptes simplex
Purple-naped Sunbird
Crimson Sunbird – Aethopyga siparaja
Tree Sparrow – Passer montanus
Dusky Munia – Lonchura fuscans

Heard Only: Yellow-crowned Barbet, Mountain Barbet.

Gomantong Cave & Sukau Area
August 21

Logistics: Conveniently located en route from Kota Kinabalu to Danum, the Gomantong Caves and Sukau make for a good stop-over. The Caves – neatly tucked into some secondary forest – are the breeding ground of three Collocalia swiftlet species that are hard to identify away from their nests, and Sukau's Kinabatangan River is renowned for Storm's Stork. The Caves are an easy destination for a half-day trip. Usually transport can be rented at the intersection of the Sukau Road with the main road. In the Sukau Area, however, you need to stay in one of several lodges. Since I came without prior reservation or information, and additionally failed to cash enough money at the ATM in Sandakan, I ended up spending one afternoon around one of the river lodges and having to leave. To see Storm's Stork, I would have needed to go on their morning boat trips. All in all, this is one of very few areas visited where a little bit of prior booking would have helped immensely. Note that the Kinabatangan River Area may also start to become a birder hotspot for seeing the near-impossible Bornean Ground-Cuckoo in the future. Two days before leaving the country, I received news of the sighting of a family party of this rare enigma by a birding group led by a local guide who has opened up his own lodge.

Birds: The entrance road to Gomantong had a perched Wallace's Hawk-eagle. In the cave, locals were doing their biannual harvest of swiftlet nests. The prized edible-nests were nearly depleted, so I was happy about one confirmed sighting of an Edible-nest Swiftlet at one of the five remaining nests. The less delicious mossy-nests and black-nests, in contrast, were still there in good numbers, and so were their constructers, the Mossy-nest and Black-nest Swiftlets. A Bushy-crested Hornbill was seen near the cave entrance.

During a late afternoon along the bank of Kinabatangan River, overflying and lingering birds included Rhinoceros and Southern Pied Hornbills, White-bellied Woodpecker, Black-and-red Broadbill and Black-headed Munia.

Species List at Gomantong and Sukau:

Little Heron – Butorides striatus
Brahminy Kite – Heliastur indus
Wallace's Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus nanus
White-bellied Fish-eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster: Sandakan
White-breasted Waterhen – Amaurornis phoenicurus
Emerald Dove
Black-neck Swiftlet – Collocalia maxima
Mossy-nest Swiftlet – Collocalia salangana
Edible-nest Swiftlet – Collocalia fuciphaga
Gray-rumped Treeswift
Bushy-crested Hornbill
Rhinoceros Hornbill
Oriental (Southern) Pied Hornbill
White-bellied Woodpecker
Black-and-red Broadbill
Pacific Swallow
Asian Glossy Starling
Black-headed Bulbul
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Oriental Magpie Robin
Yellow-bellied Prinia – Prinia flaviventris
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
Ashy Tailorbird
Black-capped Babbler
Chestnut-winged Babbler
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Purple-naped Sunbird
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Black-headed Munia - Lonchura malacca

Heard only: Blue-eared Barbet.

Danum Valley
22-30 August

Logistics: Danum definitely has some of the best birding on earth, and birders would do well to stay at least a week to do it justice. There are two ways to stay here: Book a bungalow at the expensive Bornean Rainforest Lodge (BRL), or go to the Danum Valley Field Center (DVFC). The latter used to cater for scientists and naturalists only, but has meanwhile opened its doors to budget travellers likewise. DVFC is not exactly cheap either, but it is worth it. Note however that after my departure in late August 2003 rumors circulated that DVFC was again going to stop welcoming tourists. Get the necessary info before heading out there. Day trips to BRL (where a few species are easier) are possible from DVFC. If you don't pre-book your stay at DVFC (such as myself), try knocking at their office door in Lahad Datu.

Birds: DVFC has a fine selection of endemics and rarities, but I found birding very tough here, more so than at Taman Negara, and possibly in account of the progressing season. In addition, my species total did not compare as well with that of other reports as my totals from Taman Negara, Poring or Bukit Fraser, such that I assume a few weeks sooner might have been more ideal. Best birding is along the "grid" and the remainder of the trail system. I will refrain from giving the exact coordinates of my best sightings, as most species seem to surface just about anywhere at random. A notable exception is the Giant Pitta, which I missed and which has consistently been seen at one or two spots in the past, so birders should always check the latest entries in the logbook. Bulwer's Pheasant is seen once every 1-3 months at unpredictable spots and is accordingly unlikely.

BRL, where Bornean Ground-Cuckoo has been sighted recently, boasts an equally impressive (though much smaller) trail system. The lodge clearing seems to be the only regular spot on earth to see Pygmy White-eye, but a telescope is imperative if you want to be able to identify them. I wasted a whole afternoon (without a scope) around the lodge clearing almost breaking my neck and hoping that those little black spots (most of them doubtless flowerpeckers and sunbirds) on the treetops would move a little lower, but alas they stayed in the tree crowns.

For more info on the exact locations of some of the more remarkable species, refer to the below list. To give an idea of just how hard birding can be at Danum, the number of sightings is give for some of the better species in the following list (x occ. = x occasions or X sightings):

Darter – Anhinga melanogaster (bridge at DVFC)
Bat Hawk – Machaeramphus alcinus (occupied nest on giant tree next to tower along driveway)
Crested Goshawk – Accipiter trivirgatus
Blyth's Hawk-eagle (2 occ)
Wallace's Hawk-eagle (2 occ)
Crested Serpent-eagle – Spilornis cheela
White-fronted Falconet – Microhierax latifrons (1 from canopy platform, 1 at BRL clearing, 1 en route to BRL)
Crested Fireback (2 occ.)
Great Argus (2 occ.)
Crested Partridge (2 occ.)
Long-billed Partridge – Rhizothera longirostris (1 female seen well in grid; this species is apparently very rare at Danum, maybe even the first record)
Chestnut-necklaced Partridge – Arborophila charltonii (a pair)
Common Sandpiper
Thick-billed Green Pigeon
Green Imperial Pigeon – Ducula aenea
Emerald Dove
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot
Dollarbird
Brown Barbet
Red-throated Barbet
Gold-whiskered Barbet
Blue-eared Barbet
Asian Black Hornbill – Anthracoceros malayanus (mainly around tower along the short loop at DVFC)
Wrinkled Hornbill – Aceros corrugatus
Wreathed Hornbill
Bushy-crested Hornbill
Rhinoceros Hornbill
Red-naped Trogon – Harpactes kasumba (3 occ.)
Diard's Trogon (3 occ.)
Scarlet-rumped Trogon (4 occ.)
Rufous-collared Kingfisher (1 occ.)
Black-backed Kingfisher – Ceyx erithacus (2 occ.)
Brown Wood-owl – Strix leptogrammica (1 near campsite)
Buffy Fish-owl – Ketupa ketupu (a pair at volleyball court every night)
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Red-bearded Bee-eater
Banded Bay Cuckoo – Cacomantis sonneratii
Violet Cuckoo (1 female)
Raffles's Malkoha
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Silver-rumped Needletail
Gray-rumped Treeswift
Whiskered Treeswift
Rufous Piculet
Checker-throated Woodpecker
Banded Woodpecker
White-bellied Woodpecker
Olive-backed Woodpecker
Orange-backed Woodpecker
Rufous Woodpecker
Maroon Woodpecker
Buff-necked Woodpecker
Buff-rumped Woodpecker
Gray-and-buff Woodpecker – Hemicircus concretus
Green Broadbill
Black-and-yellow Broadbill
Black-and-red Broadbill
Banded Broadbill
Banded Pitta (1 occ.)
Garnet (Black-and-crimson) Pitta – Pitta granatina ussheri (2 occ.)
Blue-headed Pitta – Pitta baudii (7 occ.)
Lesser Green Leafbird
Asian Fairy Bluebird
Green Iora
Large Woodshrike
Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
Lesser Cuckooshrike
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Crested Jay
Black Magpie
Slender-billed Crow – Corvus enca
Bornean Bristlehead – Pityriasis gymnocephala (two at DVFC canopy platform, a flock near DVFC office, two along BRL canopy walkway)
Dark-throated Oriole
Scarlet Minivet
Black-naped Monarch
Pied Fantail – Rhipidura javanica
Spotted Fantail
Maroon-breasted Philentoma
Rufous-winged Philentoma
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
Pacific Swallow
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Hill Myna
Rufous-tailed Shama
White-browed/(-capped) Shama
Oriental Magpie Robin
White-crowned Forktail
Chestnut-naped Forktail
Gray-chested Jungle-Flycatcher (6 occ.)
Verditer Flycatcher
Malaysian Blue Flycatcher (3 occ., near DVFC bridge)
Bornean Blue Flycatcher – Cyornis superbus (3 occ.)
Rufous-chested Flycatcher (1 occ.)
Gray-headed Canary Flycatcher
Black-headed Bulbul
Scaly-breasted Bulbul (1 occ.)
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Gray-cheeked Bulbul
Yellow-bellied Bulbul
Finsch's Bulbul
Ochraceous Bulbul (seen well; surprisingly low elevation!)
Puff-backed Bulbul
Olive-winged Bulbul
Red-eyed Bulbul
Cream-vented Bulbul
Spectacled Bulbul
Hairy-backed Bulbul
Streaked Bulbul
Buff-vented Bulbul
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
Ashy Tailorbird
Dark-necked Tailorbird
Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler
Bornean Wren Babbler – Ptilocichla leucogrammica (1 occ.)
Black-throated Wren Babbler – Napothera atrigularis (1 occ.)
Striped Wren Babbler (2 occ.)
Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler (7 occ.)
Striped Tit-Babbler
Black-capped Babbler
Short-tailed Babbler
White-chested Babbler – Trichastoma rostratum (at river and at stream near DVFC)
Ferruginous Babbler
Horsfield's Babbler
Rufous-crowned Babbler
Scaly-crowned Babbler
Moustached Babbler
Sooty-capped Babbler
Gray-headed Babbler
White-necked Babbler (3 occ.)
Chestnut-rumped Babbler
Chestnut-winged Babbler
Rufous-fronted Babbler – Stachyris rufifrons
Brown Fulvetta
White-bellied Erpornis (=Yuhina)
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker
Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Red-throated Sunbird – Anthreptes rhodolaema
Plain Sunbird
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Purple-naped Sunbird
Little Spiderhunter
Spectacled Spiderhunter
Yellow-eared Spiderhunter
Streaky-breasted Spiderhunter – Arachnothera affinis
Dusky Munia

Heard Only: Yellow-crowned Barbet.

Manukan and Sapi Islands
31 August

Just off Kota Kinabalu, these islands are visited by hundreds of tourists every day, though most visitors stay on the beach. The demand for boat trips is large, and you need to share a boat with other tourists, which may make it complicated to arrange a visit to both islands. It is hard to say whether spending more time on one island or visiting both is the better strategy: Some specialties are said to be missing on one of the islands (such as Fulvous-chested Jungle Flycatcher on Manukan), but on the other hand, when visiting both islands you might end up having only one full hour to find the birds.

I visited these islands on an afternoon with extremely limited time at hands, and therefore missed many of the target species that are usually seen by birders (such as Mangrove Blue Flycatcher and Blue-naped Parrot). Half an hour along the jogging trail on Manukan (going left as you disembark) yielded a Mangrove Whistler, and two hours in the forests of Sapi Island produced White-capped Shama, Purple-throated and Brown-throated Sunbird as well as Tabon Scrubfowl and White-chested Babbler (the latter two on the beach).

Species List at Manukan and Sapi Islands:

Tabon Scrubfowl – Megapodius cumingii
Emerald Dove
Red-eyed Bulbul
Oriental Magpie Robin
White-browed/(-capped) Shama
White-chested Babbler
Mangrove Whistler – Pachycephala grisola secedens
Purple-throated Sunbird – Nectarinia sperata
Olive-backed Sunbird – Nectarinia jugularis
Brown-/Plain-throated Sunbird – Anthreptes malacensis
Crimson Sunbird

Rafflesia Center
September 1-2

Logistics: Two hours up in the mountains from Kota Kinabalu (KK), the world's largest flower (Rafflesia) can still be found in remnant forest. The Rafflesia Center and its little trail system have been there for a long time, but birders discovered it just recently. It is now a must on the birding itinerary for seeing two endemic barbets that don't quite go as high as Kinabalu, but are well above most of the remaining birdwatching sites in Sabah. Rafflesia Center is best done as a day trip from KK, though I stayed a late afternoon and the following morning, and thus needed to spend the night in a basic shelter for Filipino construction workers at a roadside restaurant near the pass.

Birds: Both Bornean and Mountain Barbet are best detected by voice, but they can be hard to glimpse and require some time. I found the late afternoon to be particularly good for them, but so is mid-morning. Most time was spent along the trail system downhill from the center, where species composition was a strange mix of birds I had seen at Kinabalu and those at Poring. The highlights included four Temminck's Babblers and a Rufous-tailed Jungle Flycatcher (both of which had eluded me elsewhere). Other goodies came in the form of Black-and-crimson Oriole, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Orange-breasted Trogon, Crimson-winged and Orange-backed Woodpecker, Long-tailed Broadbill, three laughingthrushes, Bornean Whistler, Bornean Treepie and Chestnut-crested Yuhina.

Species List at the Rafflesia Center:

Bornean Barbet – Megalaima eximia
Mountain Barbet – Megalaima monticola
Orange-breasted Trogon
Glossy Swiftlet
Crimson-winged Woodpecker
Orange-backed Woodpecker
Long-billed Broadbill
Blue-winged Leafbird
Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
Ashy Drongo
Spangled Drongo
Black-and-crimson Oriole
Bornean Treepie
Gray-chinned Minivet
White-throated Fantail
Bornean Whistler
Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher – Rhinomyias ruficauda
Hill Blue Flycatcher
Ochraceous Bulbul
Ashy Bulbul
Yellow-breasted Warbler
Yellow-bellied Warbler
Black Laughingthrush
Sunda Laughingthrush
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
Gray-throated Babbler
Temminck's Babbler – Pellorneum pyrrogenys
Chestnut-crested Yuhina
White-bellied Erpornis (=Yuhina)
Temmick's Sunbird

Heard Only: Gold-whiskered Barbet, Golden-naped Barbet, White-browed Shortwing.

Birding in Malaysia

by Frank E. Rheindt

30 July - 3 September 2003

Bukit Fraser July 31 – August 3

Taman Negara August 4-11

Mt. Kinabalu August 12-17

Poring Hot Springs August 17-20

Gomantong Cave & Sukau Area August 21

Danum Valley 22-30 August

Manukan and Sapi Islands 31 August

Rafflesia Center September 1-2