Oriental
Bird Club
Birding sites in Malaysia
Handbook of the
BIRDS OF THE WORLD
HBW, the only chance you
have of seeing all the species
of birds in the world
and of having access to all the essential
information about each one of them
Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks, published in
November 1992:
"No ornithological reference book has ever
been published with as ambitious a target
as this handbook."
David Tomlinson / New Scientist
"I judge this major work to be the single
most useful reference on birds of the
world."
Ned K. Johnson / The Auk
"The Handbook should be everyone’s first
choice for a modern, comprehensive refer¬
ence on the birds of the world."
Frank B. Gill / The Condor
"This volume is an impressive start to what
should be an exceedingly useful work."
Christopher Perrins / The Ibis
Volume 2, covering all diurnal Birds of Prey and Gamebirds, including Pheasants,
is due in December 1994.
SPECIAL PRE-PUBLICATION OFFER (more than 20% off!)
EH I wish to receive a free 4-page brochure about HBW.
EH I wish to order . copy/copies of the HBW Vol. 2 at the special price of £78.00
(Normal price £98.00): £.
□ I wish to order . copy/copies of the volumes 1 and 2 of HBW at the special price of £156.00
(Normal price (£196.00) £.
Post and package £5.00 TOTAL PAYABLE: £.
Name: .
Address: .
Country: . . . Date: .
Signature:
EH I enclose a cheque or a bank draft issued in favour of LYNX EDICIONS.
EH Visa EH Mastercard EH American Express
Expiry date:
card n°:
ITI
TTT
TTT
HOT
OB
Send this form to: Lynx Edicions
Passeig de Gracia 12, 08007-Barcelona, Spain.
FAX: 34-3-302 14 75
Exceptionally, the deadline has been extended until Jan 1995,
due to delays in production of this publication.
MALAYSIA
A fascinating
destination
Endless stretches of unspoilt beaches.
Windsurfing, parasailing or yachting over azure
waters. A treasure trove of marine life.
Teed ng off amidst whispering sea breezes.
Idyllic island getaways. A land rich in natural
wonders, history, culture and traditions. An
invitation to indulge in your senses. Where else
but Malaysia . . . naturally.
Green Broadbill -
commonly found at
many sites in Malaysia
PHOTO: Frank Lambert
TOURISMTtK"
MALAYSIA
Please send me more information on holidays in Malaysia
J
tan Negara National Park -lowland forest paradise PHOTO: Tourism Malaysia
Name
Address
urism Malaysia
AD OFFICE: 24th'27th Floor, Menara Dato' Onn, Putra World Trade Centre, 45, Jalan Tun Ismail, 50480
ala Lumpur. Tel: 03-293-5188 Fax:03-293-5884
| JITED KINGDOM: 57, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DU. Tel: 0171-930 7932 Fax: 0171-930 9015 Postcode
Birding sites in Malaysia
INTRODUCTION
Malaysia is an ideal destination for birdwatchers, offering a diverse
range of species and a host of exciting places to visit. In this booklet we
try and give you a taste of some of the best sites in the country, drawing
upon the wealth of information given in John Bransbury's A birdwatcher's
guide to Malaysia.
We reproduce here the summary maps showing the 42 sites
described in this book. Following on, there are four site accounts taken
from the book. We have chosen two areas located near to Penang Island
in north-west Peninsular Malaysia, which offer very different birding
experiences. The first, Kuala Gula, is an area of extensive and well-
managed mangrove forest and intertidal mudflats, holding large
concentrations of waterbirds and rarities such as the Milky Stork. By
contrast, the second area, Bukit Larut, comprises montane and hill
forests and so a chance to see many of the forest species restricted to the
higher altitudes of the Peninsula.
The other sites included are two national parks, Gunung Mulu and
Bako, which are both in Sarawak. Gunung Mulu extends over an area
so large and diverse that a visit of several weeks could still not cover its
varied terrain. As well as having a bird list above 300 species the area
is famous for its extensive cave system, including Sarawak Chamber,
thought to be the largest cave in the world. Bako combines a wide range
of habitats in a relatively small area, easy access from Sarawak's main
city, and an excellent selection of Borneo's lowland bird and mammal
species.
Sabah is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations for
visiting birdwatchers to South-East Asia. In the second part of this
booklet Nick Pope takes us on a trip to some of the best sites such as the
montane forest of Mount Kinabalu, the hill forests of Poring Hot
Springs, and the lowland rainforests at Danum Valley and Uncle Tan's
camp. There are even some excellent birding areas close to Sabah's
capital, Kota Kinabalu, and information is also given for these sites.
Finally Phil Heath gives us an insight into the spectacle of Batu Punggul
Virgin Forest Reserve, off the well-worn circuit of Sabah's birding sites.
This booklet would not be complete without some colour photo¬
graphs, and we are fortunate to be able to show a stunning selection of
some of Malaysia's most spectacular species. We are most grateful to the
photographers, and to the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board who
have sponsored the production costs of this booklet.
1 Lake Gardens and Bukit Tunku
2 Sungai Batu Mining Pools
3 Universiti Malaya and Rimba Ilmu
4 Templer Park
5 Gombak Valley (Ulau Gombak)
6 Genting Highlands
7 Bukit Gasing and Petaling Jaya
8 Taman Pertanian, Shah Alam
9 Pulau Tengah, Klang
10 KUALA SELANGOR NATURE PARK
11 PBLS ricefields, Sekinchan
12 Tanjong Karang and Patai Rasa Sayang
13 The Gap (Semangkok Pass)
14 Fraser's Hill (Bukit Fraser)
15 KUALA GULA
16 Penang Island (Pulau Ponang)
1 7 Cameron Highlands
18 BUKIT LARUT (MAXWELL HILLS)
19 Pulau Langkawi
20 Kenyir Dam (Tasik Kenyir)
21 Pulau Redang
22 Taman Negara
23 Tasik Chini
24 Pulau Tioman
25 Endau-Rompin
26 Pasoh Forest Reserve
27 BAKO NATIONAL PARK
28 Niah National Park
29 Lambir Hills National Park
30 GUNUNG MULU NATIONAL PARK
31 TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN NATIONAL PARK
32 Pulau Tiga Park
33 Kota Belud Bird Sanctuary
34 KINABALU NATIONAL PARK
35 PORING HOT SPRINGS
36 Sepilok Forest Reserve
37 UNCLE TAN'S JUNGLE CAMP
38 Turtle Island Park
39 DANUM VALLEY CONSERVATION AREA
40 Tawau Hills Park
41 Pulau Sipadan
42 Crocker Range National Park
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
15 Kuala Gula Perak
Kuala Gula is a small fishing village on
the Perak coast, about 40 km north¬
west of Taiping. Though not the most
attractive hireling spot in Malaysia, the
village is a handy place to stay for a few
nights while you explore the adjacent
coastal areas, in particular Kuala Gula
Bird Sanctuary and the Matang Mangrove
Forest Reserve (the bird sanctuary forms
part of the forest reserve and is situated
towards its northern end).
Consisting of a vast expanse of tidal
mudflats, mangrove forests and islands,
and extending some 40 km from about
Kuala Kurau in the north to beyond Kuala
Sepetang (Port Weld) in the south, the
area is perhaps best known as the place to
see Milky Storks. A number of other
sought-after species can also be found
there, among them Black-crowned Night-
Heron, Lesser Adjutant, Masked Finfoot,
rare migrant shorebirds, Brown-headed
Gull, rare terns, and Ruddy Kingfisher. In
all, about 140 bird species have been
recorded, and the experienced observer
could probably add a further 20 or 30 to
the list.
At the time of writing, the sanctuary at
Kuala Gula has few visitor facilities -
there's just a park office (where you can
get a bird list and a map of the area) and
accommodation for up to nine people.
There is also a resident ranger who will
guide you around the local area (if he is
available); in addition, the ranger can
organise for you to be taken out in a boat
by one of the local fishermen. Facilities at
Kuala Gula may soon be improved,
however, since there are plans to make the
sanctuary more attractive to ecotourists
by building chalets to accommodate a
larger number of visitors.
Good birdwatching areas
A boat is almost essential to get the best
out of this site, for access to Perak's
northern coast is somewhat limited (apart
from Kuala Gula, the only convenient
points of entry are Kuala Kurau and
Kuala Sepetang). If you have time, be sure
to take a boat trip from Kuala Gula; you
will of course have to pay for fuel and for
the boatman (it could cost M$50 to 100,
depending on how long you stay out),
and you will need to arrange the trip in
advance - phone the park office on 04-
557207 (Azman Said is currently in charge
of the sanctuary and he is very helpful).
The ranger at Kuala Gula may be able to
accompany you in the boat and he will
Birds: Kuala Gula
Mangroves, wetlands, scrub:
Sunda Woodpecker Dendrocopos moluccensis
Laced Woodpecker Picus vittatus
Common Flameback Dinopium javanense
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon plleata
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus sumatranus
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon Treron vernans
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos
Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialls fulva
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Brahminy Kite Haliastur Indus
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia
Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea
Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala grisola
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Pied Triller Lalage nigra
Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra
Great Tit Parus major
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris
Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
Great Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps
Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis
Plain-throated Sunbird Anthreptes malaccensis
Copper-throated Sunbird Nectarinia calcostetha
Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis
White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata
Mudflats:
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Common Redshank Tringa totanus
T erek Sandpiper Tringa cinerea
Rufous-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Grey Plover Pluvial is squatarola
Mongolian Plover Charadrius mongolus
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Little Tern Sterna albifrons
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Great Egret Casmerodius albus
Open (dry) areas, overhead:
Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator
Blue-throated Bee-eater Merops viridis
Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda
House Swift Apus nipalensis
Large-tailed Nightjar Capri mulg us macrurus
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
White-bellied Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Pacific Reef-Egret Egretta sacra
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Long-billed Crow Corvus validus
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
Difficult-to-find or rare species:
Black-backed Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus
Rufous-backed Kingfisher Ceyx rufidorsa
Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda
Oriental Bay-Owl Phodilus badius
Buefy Fish-Owl Ketupa ketupu
Cinnamon-headed Green-Pigeon Treron fuivicollis
Little Green-Pigeon Treron olax
Masked Finfoot Heliopais personata
Red-legged Crake Rallina fasciata
Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes
Rudoy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
Red Knot Calidris canutus
Little Stint Calidris minuta
Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus
Lesser Crested-Tern Sterna bengalensis
Great Crested-Tern Sterna bergii
Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana
Eastern Marsh-Harrier Circus spilonotus
Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes
Javan Pond-Heron Ardeola speciosa
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorqx
Schrenck’s Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus
Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis
Milky Stork Mycteria cinerea
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha
Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectans
Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis gularis
Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica
Eyebrowed Thrush Turd us obscurus
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia
Hill Myna Gracula religiosa
Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata
Pallas’s Grasshopper-Warbler Locustella certhiola
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
5
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
know where the best birds are to be found
- for example, he will probably suggest
you go to the lake on Pular Kelumpang,
about 2 km south of the park office.
Known locally as Stork Lake, the area is
usually reliable for Milky Storks, Lesser
Adjutants and a variety of waders.
If you don't manage to get out in a
boat, you can still enjoy quite good
birding around Kuala Gula fishing
village, where tracks provide access to
areas of mangrove, and to the drains,
canals, scrub and plantations along this
part of the coast. If you can't arrange a
boat trip, you will probably be better off
going to Kuala Selangor Nature Park,
where you'll find a greater variety of
birds in a smaller, more accessible area.
Access and accommodation
Kuala Gula lies to the west of the main
Ipoh to Butterworth road. To get there
from Taiping, head north towards
Butterworth until you reach Semanggol,
then turn west on the road to Kuala
Kurau. (At present there are a lot of
roadworks between Taiping and
Butterworth, and there are detours
everywhere. Should you become lost, ask
for directions to the 'Balai Polis Simpang
Empat Semanggol' - the road to Kuala
Kurau passes right by the police station).
About 18 km along the Kuala Kurau road
there's a turn-off to the left leading to
Kuala Gula; follow this road for about 4
km and look for a school on the left.
Immediately beyond the school there's a
sign marked 'Projek Konservasi Burung-
Burung Laut', and a single-lane road
leading to the park office behind the
school. There are no regular buses to
Kuala Gula - a long-distance taxi from
Taiping will cost you around M$40.
Accommodation is available close to
the park office, but since it is used by
visiting government officials and research
workers you should book a room in
advance by writing to the Director
General, Department of Wildlife and
National Parks, Km 10 Jalan Cheras,
Kuala Lumpur 56100, or by phoning 03-
9052872 (ask for Mr Jasmi). Given that
there are plans to upgrade the
accommodation it would pay to check
with the office at Kuala Gula (tel: 04-
557207) before you book; for meals, you
can either take along your own food or go
to one of the several small eating places in
Kuala Gula village.
When to visit
Milky Storks, Lesser Adjutants, Black-
crowned Night-Herons and at least some
of the site's other sought-after species are
present throughout the year, but the
Milky Stork population (and probably
those of some of the other waterbirds)
fluctuates from season to season. Up to a
hundred or so Milky Storks may be in the
area at any one time; July is said to be the
best month for them - for example, about
50 were present in July 1992. If you are
mainly interested in looking for migrant
shorebirds, you should visit from about
September to January or February.
Other attractions
There is little to see at Kuala Gula other
than birds, but you could find Crab-eating
Macaques Macaca fascicularis in the
mangroves and, if you're lucky, you may
see Indopacific Humpback Dolphins
Sousa chinensis from the boat. Other
animals to look for include Dusky Leaf
Monkey Semnopithecus obscurus (dist¬
inguished by its conspicuous white eye
rings) and Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale
perspicillata.
18 Bukit Larut Perak
Bukit Larut, or Maxwell Hill as it used
to be called, is Malaysia's oldest and
least known hill station. Consisting of
nothing more than a handful of bungalows
and resthouses, the area has so far
escaped the attentions of developers who
no doubt have been put off by the
remoteness of the place. At one time you
could get to Bukit Larut only on foot or on
horseback - today the horses have been
replaced by Land Rovers, and the exciting
10 km journey from Taiping to the hill
station takes about 30 minutes, along a
narrow, one-way road with more than 70
hair-pin bends.
In stark contrast to the hot and humid
plains below, the hill station is set at a
delightful 1,100 m (3,600 feet) above sea
level where dense, swirling clouds
provide welcome relief from the midday
sun. And unlike nearby Taiping, with its
seemingly endless hustle and bustle, Bukit
Larut is marvellously tranquil with hardly
a human or vehicle in sight. Needless to
say it makes an excellent birdwatching
destination, and although there are only a
few walking tracks in the area, the road to
the top provides plenty of opportunities
for birding, and more than 200 species
have been recorded.
Good birdwatching areas
The road from the foot of the hill climbs
steeply to the small collection of buildings
that make up Bukit Larut, then continues
for a further two or three kilometres to a
Telekom tower at the summit of Gunung
Hijau, almost 1,450 m (4,750 feet) above
sea level. If you spend two or three days
in the area, you'll have time to explore not
only the hill station itself, but also at least
part of the road up from Taiping. You
could for example walk the first four or
five kilometres down to the half-way
point, where the Land Rovers stop for a
short time, then get a ride back up. Better
still, walk all the way to the bottom, then
catch the Land Rover from there. By
spending time at different altitudes you
will, of course, increase your chances of
seeing the greatest variety of birds, and to
get the most out of this site you should
also allow time for birding around
Taiping's Lake Gardens, which lie at the
base of the hill. Near the top, there are a
couple of walking tracks leading into the
dense rainforest - one leaves the bitumen
about 1.5 km uphill from the Gunung
Hijau Rest House, near a sign marked
'Gunung Hijau 4751 feet'. If you're not
fond of leeches, however, it would be best
to stay on the road !
Access and accommodation
Once you reach Taiping, which is
approximately 300 km north of Kuala
Lumpur via Ipoh, make for the Lake
Gardens and get onto Jalan Taman Tasik.
Near the zoo, turn into Jalan Bukit Larut
and keep going for a kilometre or so past
the War Cemetery until you reach the gate
at the start of the road up to the hill
station. (Any taxi driver in Taiping will
know how to get there.) Land Rovers
leave for the top every half an hour or so
between 08h00 and 18h00, and at
weekends and during holiday periods
you should book your ride in advance -
phone 05-827243. At other times a place in
a Land Rover should be easy to get, but
you will need to prove to the official at the
gatehouse that you have booked
accommodation, otherwise you will not
be allowed to go up. (It may seem
bureaucratic, but you wouldn't want to be
stuck at the top with nowhere to stay
overnight!) The Land Rover trip is an
experience in itself, and it's worth every
cent of the two or three dollars you'll be
charged.
Accommodation at Bukit Larut
consists of three bungalows and two
resthouses, with prices ranging from
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
Birds: Bukit Larut
Open areas, overhead:
Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus
House Swift Apus nipalensis
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon Ducula badia
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela
Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis
Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus
Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus aiboniger
Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Ground, lower storey:
Mountain Scops-Owl Otus spilocephalus
Rufous-winged Philentoma Philentoma pyrhopterum
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia
Rufous-browed Flycatcher Ficedula solitaris
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurus rufficapillus
Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus
Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus
Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus
Streaked Wren-Babbler Napothera brevicaudata
Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla
Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps
Grey-headed Babbler Stacbyris poliocephala
Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis
Scarlet Sunbird Aethopyga mystacalis
Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
Middle storey, canopy:
Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus
Banded Woodpecker Picus miniaceus
Crimson-winged Woodpecker Picus puniceus
Maroon Woodpecker Blythipicus rubiginosus
Buff-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis
Fire-tufted Barbet Psilopogon pyrolophus
Gold-whiskered Barbet Megalaima chrysopogon
Golden-throated Barbet Megalaima franklinii
Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti
Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis
Brown Barbet Calorhamphus fuliginosus
Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros
Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis
Helmeted Hornbill Buceros vigil
Bushy-crested Hornbill Anorrhinus galeritus
White-crowned Hornbill Aceros comatus
Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes oreskios
Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus
Banded Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella
Red-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis amictus
Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus
Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii
Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris
Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
Red-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus javanicus
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot Loriculus galgulus
Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei
Little Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia ruficeps
Thick-billed Green-Pigeon Treron curvirostra
Wedge-tailed Green-Pigeon Treron sphenura
Black-and-yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus
Silver-breasted Broadbill Serilophus lunatus
Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae
Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella
Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis
Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropsis hardwickii
Green Magpie Cissa chinensis
Black-and-crimson Oriole Oriolus cruentus
Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus Solaris
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus
White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis
Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni
Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina
Large Niltava Niltava grandis
Hill Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea
Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps
Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus
Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus
Ashy Bulbul Hemixos flavala
Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes mcclellandii
Everett’s White-eye Zosterops everetti
Inornate Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
Eastern Crowned-Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
Mountain Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus
Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush Garrulax mitratus
Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus montanus
Golden Babbler Stacbyris chrysaea
Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris
White-browed Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis
Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouroptera
Rufous-winged Fulvetta Alcippe castaneceps
Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis
Long-tailed Sibia Heterophasia picaoides
White-bellied Yuhina Yuhina zantholeuca
Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus percussus
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus
Buck-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata
Long-billed Spiderhunter Arachnothera robusta
Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna
Ditticult-to-find or rare species:
Grey-breasteo Partridge Arborophila orientalis
Crested Partridge Rollulus rouloul
Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus
Great Argus Argusianus argus
Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus
Red-throated Barbet Megalaima mystacophanos
Yellow-crowned Barbet Megalaima henricii
Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus
Large Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus sparverioides
Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus fugax
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
Reddish Scops-Owl Otus rufescens
Collared Scops-Owl Otus bakkamoena
Barred Eagle-Owl Bubo sumatranus
Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus
Barred Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia unchall
Jambu Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus jambu
Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea
Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes
Oriental Honey-8uzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus
Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis
Rusty-naped Pitta Pitta oatesi
Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida
Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis
Dusky Broadbill Corydon sumatranus
Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei
Lesser Cuckooshrike Coracina fimbriata
Spotted Fantail Rhipidura perlata
Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectans
White-throated Rock-Thrush Monticola gularis
Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina
Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica
Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus
Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx leucophrys
Ferruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea
Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki
Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana
Tickell’s Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae
Pygmy Blue-Flycatcher Muscicapella hodgsoni
White-tailed Robin Cinclidium leucurum
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus
Blue Nuthatch Sitta azurea
Asian House-Martin Delichon dasypus
Large Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus hypoleucos
Marbled Wren-Babbler Napothera marmorata
Cutia Cutia nipalensis
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
Buck-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch Erythrura hyperythra
Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata
Additional species tor Taiping
(Lake Gardens and vicinity):
Grey-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus
Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus
Common Flameback Dinopium javanense
Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis
Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon Treron vernans
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius
Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
Yellow-venteo Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
M$15 to M$100 a night for a double room
(the bungalows and resthouses
accommodate between six and 10 people
each). By far the best place to stay is the
Gunung Hijau Rest House; not only is it
comfortable, cheap (M$15 a double at
present) and clean, it is situated well
away from the other bungalows in a truly
superb forest setting where the views are
magnificent, and where the only sound
you'll hear at night is that of the wind in
the trees. What's more, the present
manager - Guna - has spent almost all his
life at Bukit Larut and he knows the area
intimately, including the haunts of many
of the birds and other animals. To reserve
accommodation at the hill station phone
05-827241, or write to the Officer-in-
Charge, Bukit Larut Hill Resort, Taiping,
Perak 34020. Guna at the Gunung Hijau
Rest House can be contacted direct on 05-
827240, or by writing to Rumah Rehat
Gunung Hijau, Bukit Larut, Taiping,
Perak 34020
When to visit
With daytime temperatures averaging
little more than 20°C, Bukit Larut is a
pleasant place to go walking and
birdwatching all year round, although
since this is West Malaysia's wettest spot
you may want to avoid the height of the
north-east monsoon season (usually
November-January). For migrant birds, a
visit between late September and late
November would probably be most
productive. While the place is nowhere
near as popular as Malaysia's other hill
stations (Fraser's Hill for example), more
people are going there during school and
public holidays, and at weekends - if
possible, don't go at these times.
Other attractions
Among the other animals you could see
here are the White-handed Gibbon
Hylobates lar, Siamang (Black Gibbon)
Hylobates syndactylus, Dusky Leaf Monkey
Semnopithecus obscurus, Pig-tailed Macaque
Mncaca nemestrina, Asiatic Brush- tailed
Porcupine Atherurus macrourus (a semi-
tame one visits the Gunung Hijau Rest
House most nights), Clouded Leopard
Neojelis nebulosa (ask Guna where to look
for this beautiful but elusive cat), Indian
Muntjac Muntiacus muntjak, Malayan
Tapir Tapir indicus, and a wide variety of
squirrels. There are also numerous
butterflies and moths, as well as countless
plants, among them many delicate
orchids and fascinating pitcher plants.
27 Bako Sarawak
Situated on a sandstone headland about
40 km north-east of Kuching, the
capital of Sarawak, Bako is one of the most
accessible parks in Borneo. It is also one of
the easiest of the region's parks to explore,
for within the 2,742 ha reserve there are 16
well-marked walking tracks with a total
length of more than 30 km. Although
small, the park contains a wide range of
habitats, including mudflats, mangroves,
peat swamp forest, mixed dipterocarp
forest, kerangas forest and padang scrub
(the last occurs on top of a sandstone
plateau where the desert-like terrain
resembles that found in parts of Australia).
While Bako's bird life is not especially
rich - about 150 species have been recorded
in the area - the park is a convenient place
to see shorebirds and forest species almost
side by side. And since it is located at the
end of a north-facing peninsula, the park
attracts fair numbers of migrants,
especially from September to November.
Among the 50 or so migrant species you
could see there are Lesser Frigatebird,
Chinese Egret, Mongolian Plover, Greater
Sand-Plover, Eastern Curlew, Nordmann's
Greenshank, Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed
Tattler, Asian Dowitcher, and Mugimaki
Flycatcher.
Bako is perhaps best known as the
place to see animals such as Crab-eating
Macaque Macaca jascicidaris, Silvered Leaf
Monkey Trachypithecus cristatus, Plantain
Squirrel Callosciurus notatus, Bearded Pig
Sus barbatus and giant monitor lizards
Varanus, all of which occur around the
park headquarters at Telok Assam. The
rare Proboscis Monkey Nasalis larvatus, an
odd-looking, long-nosed animal confined
to the larger rivers and coastal swamps of
Borneo, is quite common in the park and
can be found in mangroves close to Telok
Assam.
Good birdwatching areas
Depending on the time of year, a variety
of shorebirds can usually be seen around
Telok Assam, where the mud and sand
flats are several hundred metres wide at
low tide, and at the five or six bays that
lie to the north and east of Telok Assam
(see map). You should also keep a
watch for shorebirds during the 30-
minute boat trip from Kg. Bako to the
park HQ - see Access and accommodation.
Mangrove species can be found quite
readily near the park HQ; try the
mangroves a little to the north, at the
mouth of the Sg. Assam, where there's
an elevated boardwalk that allows you
to look into the forest canopy. There is
another more extensive area of
mangrove forest at Telok Delima, about
a 45-minute walk to the south of the HQ
(Telok Delima is the best spot in Bako
for Proboscis Monkeys).
The park's walking tracks are well
maintained, and there are several easy
walks of less than a kilometre, as well
as a number of quite strenuous treks of
six kilometres or longer (a park in¬
formation leaflet, with a map showing
the walking trails, can be obtained from
the HQ at Telok Assam). One of the most
popular walks is the Lintang track, a
5.25 km circular trail that starts at the
HQ and passes through many of the
vegetation types found at Bako,
including mangrove forest, kerangas
forest and padang scrub.
Access and accommodation
To reach Bako National Park you must
first travel by road to Kg. Bako, which
is about a 45-minute drive from
Kuching. Then you take a boat to the
park HQ at Telok Assam. The Petra
Jaya Transport Company in Kuching
N
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
operates a bus service to Kg Bako (catch
bus number 6); alternatively you can take
a taxi, but it'll cost you about M$50. For the
journey from Kg Bako to Telok Assam you
can either hire a private boat or go in the
official park boat. The average price of the
boat trip is M$20 per person; but if there
are only two or three of you the fare could
be quite a bit more.
Accommodation at the HQ consists
mainly of two-roomed bungalows where
a room will cost you around M$30 per
night (you can book the whole bungalow
- each one houses up to 10 people - for
about M$60 a night). There is also a hostel
where a bunk bed costs about M$3 per
night (if you want a room to yourself in
the hostel you'll pay about M$13 a night).
The bungalows and the hostel have
bedding, cooking facilities and fans, but
no air-conditioning. All accommodation
must be booked in advance through the
Sarawak National Parks Booking Office,
Tourist Information Centre, Main Bazaar,
Kuching 93000, phone 082-248088 or
410944. There is a canteen at the HQ
where you can get cheap meals, as well as
a shop that sells basic items.
If you don't want to go to the trouble
of arranging your own visit to Bako, there
are a number of tour operators in Kuching
who will take you there (at a price!) -
inquire at the Tourist Information Centre.
When to visit
Since about one-third of the birds on
Bako's list are migrants, a visit between
early September and late November will
be best. Remember that the monsoon
season there is from November to
February or March, and during this time
there may be occasions when seas are too
rough for boats to get to the park. If you
can, avoid June, July and August when
the park may be crowded and acco¬
mmodation difficult to find.
Other attractions
In addition to animals like the Proboscis
Monkey, Bako supports a rich assemblage
of plants - in the kerangas forest and
padang scrub on the plateau you will find
three types of pitcher plant, as well as four
species of the equally fascinating ant
plant. For more details about the park's
natural history, call at the information
centre at the HQ where there are displays,
exhibits and audio-visual programmes.
Those interested in snorkelling should try
the Telok Limau/Pulau Lakei area, north¬
east of Telok Assam.
Birds: Bako
Open areas (including beaches and mudflats),
overhead:
Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis
Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon plleata
Blue-throated Bee-eater Merops viridis
Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga
Silver-rumped Spinetail Rhaphidura leucopygialis
House Swift Apus nipalensis
Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis
Malaysian Eared-Nightjar Eurostopodus temmlnckii
Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Common Redshank Trlnga totanus
Terek Sandpiper Trlnga cinerea
Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semlpalmatus
Rufous-necked Stint Calldris ruficollls
Curlew Sandpiper Calldris ferruginea
Mongolian Plover Charadrius mongolus
Lesser Crested-Tern Sterna bengalensis
Great Crested-Tern Sterna bergii
Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana
Little Tern Sterna albifrons
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
White-bellied Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes
Pacific Reef-Egret Egretta sacra
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
White-chested Babbler Trichastoma rostratum
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus
Ground, lower storey:
Scarlet-rumped Trogon Harpactes duvaucelii
Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting
Rufous-backed Kingfisher Ceyx rufidorsa
Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus
Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki
Malaysian Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis turcosus
Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra
White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus
Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus
Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird Orthotomus sericeus
Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps
Abbott’s Babbler Malacocincia abbotti
Horsfield’s Babbler Malacocincia sepiarium
Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteron cinereum
Chestnut-winged Babbler Stachyris erythroptera
Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis
Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus maculatus
Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
Dusky Munia Lonchura fuscans
Middle storey, canopy:
Sunda Woodpecker Dendrocopos moluccensis
Grey-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus
Common Flameback Dinopium javanense
Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesii
Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis
Brown Barbet Calorhamphus fuliginosus
Oriental Pied-Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus iugubris
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus sumatranus
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
Collared Scops-Owl Otus bakkamoena
Buffy Fish-Owl Ketupa ketupu
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon Treron vernans
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela
Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus
Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella
Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala grisola
Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina striata
Lesser Cuckooshrike Coracina fimbriata
Pied Triller Laiage nigra
Fiery Minivet Pericrocotus igneus
Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus
Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus
Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectans
Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
Green Iora Aegithina viridissima
Large-billed Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus
Hill Myna Gracula religiosa
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex
Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus
Streaked Bulbul Ixos malaccensis
Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis
Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus thoracicus
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
Plain-throated Sunbiro Anthreptes malacensis
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Anthreptes singalensis
Copper-throated Sunbird Nectarinia calcostetha
Difficult-to-find or rare species:
Malaysian Honeyguide Indicator archipelagicus
White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis
Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus
Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus
Oriental Bay-Owl Phodilus badius
Sunda Frogmouth Batrachostomus cornutus
Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea
Pied Imperial-Pigeon Ducula bicolor
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
Red Knot Calidris canutus
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicaria
Beach Thick-knee Burhinus giganteus
Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus
Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrid us
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Grey-headed Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana
Great Egret Casmerodius albus
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel
Bulwer’s Petrel Bulweria bulwerii
Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus
Great Tit Parus major
Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex
Red-throated Sunbird Anthreptes rhodolaema
Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis
Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Mangroves and
mudflat species
1. Mangrove Pitta Pitta
megarhyncha (Photo:
Allen Jeyarajasingam). 2.
Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher
Cyornis rufigastra (Photo:
Morten Strange/Flying
Colours Photography). 3.
Chinese Egret Egretta
eulophotes (Photo: Morten
Strange/Flying Colours
Photography). 4. Chinese
Egret (left bird) feeding
alongside Pacific Reef-Egret
E. sacra (Photo: Morten
Strange/Flying Colours
Photography). 5. Asian
Dozvitcher Limnodromus
semipalmatus (Photo:
Morten Strange/Flying
Colours Photography).
5
Peninsular Montane species
1: Silver-breasted Broadbill Serilophus lunatus (Photo: Allen Jeyarajasingam). 2: Green Magpie Cissa chinensis (Photo:
Morten Strange/Flying Colours Photography). 3: Fire-tufted Barbet Psilopogon pyrolophus (Photo: Allen Jeyarajasingam). 4:
Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouroptera (Photo: Allen Jeyarajasingam). 5: Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla (Photo:
Morten Strange/Flying Colours Photography). 6: Rufous-browed Flycatcher Ficedula solitaris (Photo: Allen Jeyarajasingam).
■
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
30 Gunung Mulu National Park
Opened to the public as recently as
1985, Gunung Mulu National Park
encompasses some 544 km2 and is situated
in the north of Sarawak, on the Brunei
border. Although the park has a great
many other interesting features, Mulu is
best known for its spectacular caves;
during expeditions in the 1970s and 1980s,
more than 30 caves and almost 200 km of
passages were surveyed - and it's thought
that this represents only about one-third
of the park's cave system. Other statistics
are equally impressive: for example,
Mulu's Sarawak Chamber - 600 m long,
450 m wide and 100 m high - is the largest
cave in the world; the passage in Deer
Cave, at about 100 m wide and 120 m
high, is said to be the largest on earth; and
the 60 km Clearwater Cave is the longest
cave system in South-East Asia.
Not all the attractions at Mulu are
underground. The park is named after
Sarawak's second highest mountain, Gn.
Mulu (2,376 m), while another of the
reserve's high peaks, Gn. Api (1,710 m), is
famous for the fantastic, dagger-like
limestone formations, known as the
Pinnacles, that rise 45 m above the trees
on the mountain's northern slopes.
The park has a rich diversity of plants
and animals: all the major inland
vegetation tvpes found in Borneo occur
within the reserve, including peat-swamp
forest, mixed dipterocarp forest, kerangas
forest and moss forest. Scientific surveys,
namely the joint Sarawak Government/
Royal Geographical Society expedition in
the late 1970s, have shown that Mulu
supports at least 1,500 species of
flowering plants, among them some 170
species of orchid and 10 species of pitcher
plant. Also nearly 70 mammal species
(including 12 bats), about 75 frog species,
Sarawak
and almost 300 species of butterfly have
been recorded.
Mulu is undoubtedly one of the best
birding destinations in Malaysia (and in
South-East Asia for that matter). More
than 300 bird species occur in the park,
including no fewer than 25 Bornean
endemics. Among the more sought-after
species you can expect to see in the lower-
lying areas are Bat Hawk, Lesser Fish-
Eagle, Crested Partridge, Large Green-
Pigeon, Blue-headed Pitta, White-crowned
Forktail and Sunda Whistling-Thrush,
while lowland rarities to look for include
Storm's Stork, Wallace's Hawk-Eagle,
Black Partridge, Sunda Ground-Cuckoo,
Large Frogmouth, Malaysian Honeyguide
and Hook-billed Bulbul. The park's slopes
and mountain peaks hold a wide variety
of submontane and montane birds,
including Mountain Serpent-Eagle, Blyth's
Hawk-Eagle, Red-breasted Partridge,
Crimson-headed Partridge, Bulwer's
Pheasant, Orange-breasted Trogon, Hose's
Broadbill, Whitehead's Broadbill, Black¬
breasted Fruit-Hunter, Mountain Wren-
Babbler, White-browed Shortwing,
Everett's Thrush, Sunda Bush-Warbler,
Indigo Flycatcher and Whitehead's
Spiderhunter.
Good birdwatching areas
At the time of writing the visitor facilities
at Mulu are still being developed, and the
walking track system is nowhere near as
extensive as those in Malaysia's other
major parks. Even so, there is plenty of
scope for the average birder to spend a
week exploring around the park
headquarters, while the more adventurous
visitor could easily fill two or more weeks
with treks to the Pinnacles and to the
summit of Gn. Mulu. From the HQ, the
trip to the Pinnacles and back takes three
to four days (for part of the journey you
go by boat up the Sg. Melinau, shooting
rapids along the way); the return trek to
the top of Gn. Mulu takes four days.
Around the HQ, there's good birding
to be had along the banks of the Sg.
Melinau, and along the fringes of the
lowland forest bordering the cleared
areas. Also rewarding is the three to four
kilometre walk to Long Pala and Deer
Cave. The walk from the HQ to the cave
takes around an hour - or considerably
longer if the birding is really good - and
the well-marked trail (there's a boardwalk
most of the way) cuts through a patch of
freshwater swamp forest where you've a
fair chance of seeing pittas, forktails and
other interesting species. Deer Cave is
famous because of the millions of bats
(mainly Wrinkle-lipped Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida plicntn ) that roost deep within its
dark confines; at dusk, the bats stream out
of the cave en masse and head off to their
feeding grounds, and in a clearing near
the cave entrance an observatory has been
built so that visitors can view the spectacle
- it's one not to be missed. The bat
observatory, which is situated close to a
small stream, is usually a good area for
birds - keep a watch for Bat Hawk in the
early evening.
As well as walking to Deer Cave, it's
well worth taking a boat trip up the Sg.
Melinau to Clearwater Cave. En route to
the cave you'll almost certainly see Black-
and-Red Broadbills in the trees over¬
hanging the river, while Lesser Fish-Eagle
and Buffy Fish-Owl are distinct
possibilities. At the cave there's a picnic
area that is often crowded around
lunchtime, but if you get there in the early
morning you'll have the place virtually to
yourself (as a rule, everybody heads
straight underground). Though there are
GUNUNG MULU NM IONA L PARK
12
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
no walking tracks at Clearwater, with a bit
of scrambling you can get across the river
- it's quite narrow - and into the forest
opposite the picnic ground. Birds to look
for in the area include Hose's Broadbill,
White-crowned Forktail and Sunda
Whistling-Thrush.
When to visit
Although Mulu is open all year round, it
can be very wet from about October to
February. At present, accommodation at
the park is somewhat limited; if you can,
avoid the main holiday periods (European
as well as local) when rooms may be hard
to find.
Other attractions
At the time of writing, only three of
Mulu's numerous caves are open to the
public, but at least a few of the others will
no doubt be developed in the near future.
In Deer Cave you will probably get close-
up views of bats, since the animals have
taken to roosting on the handrails along
the walkways - be prepared, as soon as
you enter the cave you will almost be
overcome bv the smell of millions of bat
J
droppings! At Clearwater Cave, where
there's an underground river, your guide
will take you on a tour that involves
wading through waist-high, crystal-clear
rushing water - a most pleasant experience.
The other cave open to visitors is Lang
Cave (175 m long), which has many
beautiful formations including the usual
stalactites and stalagmites.
The park abounds with wildlife but,
except for birds, bats, reptiles and
butterflies (notably Rajah Brooke's
Bird wing Trognoptera brookiana at
Clearwater Cave and elsewhere), you will
be lucky to see many animals, although
squirrels are quite plentiful around the
HQ - look for the delightful, diminutive
Plain Least Pygmy Squirrel Exilisciurus
exilis (a Bornean endemic) running along
the boardwalk handrails on your way to
Deer Cave. Spotlighting at night could
produce some of the park's nocturnal
inhabitants - Slow Loris Nijcticebus coucang
and Sunda Tarsier Tarsius bancamis are
two you should watch for.
Access and accommodation
A few years ago getting to Mulu was an
adventure in itself. First you had to get a
taxi to take you from Miri to Kuala Baram,
a village about 20 km north of Miri at the
mouth of the Sg. Baram, then you had to
take a 3 hr boat trip up the river to
Marudi. At Marudi you changed boats for
another 3 hr trip up the Baram and Tutoh
rivers to Kuala Apoh or Long Panai, then
changed again to a smaller boat for the
final 1-2 hr leg to Long Terawan or Mulu
Park HQ (at each stage in the boat
journey, the destination depended on the
level of the river). In all, the trip from Miri
to Park HQ could have taken a day or
more.
These days you can fly from Miri
direct to Mulu Park with Malaysia
Airlines; there are several flights a day,
the one-way fare is about M$50, and the
journey takes around 35 minutes. From
the airstrip at Mulu it's only 15 minutes or
so by boat to the HQ, thus you can get
there from Miri in about one hour. At the
time of writing, the main accommodation
at Mulu consists of a resthouse with eight
rooms containing six beds each. There are
also several guesthouses and two hostels
in the vicinity of Long Pala, on the Sg.
Melinau about 15 minutes by boat from
the HQ. Overnight charges range from
about M$80 per room at the HQ
resthouse, to around M$10 per person at
the hostels. For meals, you can either take
your own food and do your own cooking
- there are kitchens in the resthouse and at
the hostels or you can eat at the
inexpensive canteen at the HQ (a much
better alternative since carrying in all your
food is a real chore). Bookings for
accommodation should be made in
advance through the National Parks and
Wildlife Office, Forest Department, Miri
98000, Sarawak, phone 08536637 (the
NP&W Office is situated off Jalan
Kingsway in Miri). A visit to Mulu will
not come cheap - by the time you've paid
for the return air fare (or boat fares if you
decide to go by river), a week's
accommodation and food, plus various
extras such as fees for permits and guides
(you'll need a guide to take you into the
caves, as well as to the Pinnacles and Gn.
Mulu summit), you'll probably be looking
at a total cost of between M$400 and
M$600. Given the time and effort required
to make your own arrangements for a trip
to Mulu, you should consider paying a
little more and going through a travel
agency in Miri. The agencies handle all
the arrangements, including bookings for
accommodation and transport.
Birds: Gunung Mulu
Open areas, overhead:
Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
Mossy-nest Swiftlet Collocalia salangana
Black-nest Swiftlet Collocalia maxima
Silver-rumped Spinetail Rhaphidura leucopygialis
Malaysian Eared-Nightjar Eurostopodus temminckii
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon Treron moans
Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus
Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela
Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Dusky Munia Lonchura fuscans
Rivers:
Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis
Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
Buffy Fish-Owl Ketupa ketupu
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
Lesser Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga humilis
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos
Ground, lower storey:
Blue-breasted Quail Cotumix chinensis
Crested Fireback Lophura ignita
Rufous Piculet Sasia abnormis
Diard’s Trogon Harpactes diardii
Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting
Buck-backed Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus
Rufous-backed Kingfisher Ceyx rufidorsa
Rufous-collared Kingfisher Actenoides concretus
Collared Scops-Owl Otus bakkamoena
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii
Garnet Pitta Pitta granatina
Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
Spotted Fantail Rhipidura perlata
Rufous-winged Philentoma Philentoma pyrhopterum
Maroon-breasted Philentoma Philentoma velatu^m
Sunda Whistling-Thrush Myiophonus glaucinus
Grey-chested Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias umbratilis
Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias ruficauda
Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta
Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica
Rufous-chested Flycatcher Ficedula dumetoria
Mauysian Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis turcosus
Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane
White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
Rufous-tailed Shama Trichixos pyrropyga
Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurus rufficapillus
White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti
Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus
Buck-and-white Bulbul Pycnonotus melanoleucos
Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus
Grey-cheeked Bulbul Alophoixus bres
Yellow-bellied Bulbul Alophoixus phaeocephalus
Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird Orthotomus sericeus
Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps
White-chested Babbler Trichastoma rostratum
Ferruginous Babbler Trichastoma bicolor
Horsfield’s Babbler Malacocincla sepiarium
Short-tailed Babbler Malacocincla malaccensis
Buck-capped Babbler Pellorneum capistratum
Grey-headed Babbler Stachyris poliocephala
Buck-throated Babbler Stachyris nigricollis
Chestnut-rumped Babbler Stachyris maculata
Chestnut-winged Babbler Stachyris erythroptera
Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis
Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus maculatus
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma
Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum
Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja
Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
Grey-breasted Spiderhunter Arachnothera affinis
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cmerea
White-bellied Munia Lonchura leucogastra
Middle storey, canopy:
Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus
Crimson-winged Woodpecker Picus puniceus
Maroon Woodpecker Blythipicus rubiginosus
Orange-backed Woodpecker Reinwardtipicus validus
Buff-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis
Buff-necked Woodpecker Meiglyptes tukki
Great Slaty Woodpecker Mutleripicus pulverulentus
Gold-whiskered Barbet Megalaima chrysopogon
Red-crowned Barbet Megaiaima rafflesii
Red-throated Barbet Megalaima mystacophanos
Yellow-crowned Barbet Megalaima henrlcii
Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis
Brown Barbet Calorhamphus fuligmosus
Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus
Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros
Helmeted Hornbill Buceros vigil
Bushy-crested Hornbill Anorrhmus galeritus
Wreathed Hornbill Aceros undulatus
Red-naped Trogon Harpactes kasumba
Scarlet-rumped Trogon Harpactes duvaucelii
Dollarbird Eurystomus oriental is
Red-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis amictus
Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus fugax
Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus
Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii
Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus
Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus
Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
Drongo Cuckoo Surmculus lugubris
Black-bellied Malkoha Phaemcophaeus diardi
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus sumatranus
Raffles’s Malkoha Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot Loriculus galgulus
Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis
Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata
Brown Wood-Owl Strix leptogrammica
Brown Hawk-Owl Nmox scutulata
Little Green-Pigeon Treron olax
Large Green-Pigeon Treron capellei
Jam8u Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus jambu
Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus
Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus
Wallace's Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus nanus
Banded Broadbill Eurylaimus j avanicus
Black-and-yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus
Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis
Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea
Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella
Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon
Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochmchinensis
Crested Jay Platylophus galericulatus
Black Magpie Platysmurus leucopterus
Slender-billed Crow Corvus enca
Dark-throated Oriole Oriolus xanthonotus
Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina striata
Lesser Cuckooshrike Coracina fimbriata
Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus
Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectans
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
Common Iora Aegithma tiphia
Green Iora Aegithina viridissima
Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
Pale Blue-Flycatcher Cyorms unicolor
Large-billed Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
Hill Myna Gracula religiosa
Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps
Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex
Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus
Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythropthalmos
Hairy-backed Bulbul Tricholestes criniger
Buff-vented Bulbul lole olivacea
Streaked Bulbul Ixos malaccensis
Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis
Moustached Babbler Malacopteron magnirostre
Sooty-capped Babbler Malacopteron affine
Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteron cinereum
Rufous-crowned Babbler Malacopteron magnum
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker Prionochilus xanthopygius
Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus thoracicus
Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex
Plain-throated Sunbird Anthreptes malacensis
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Anthreptes smgalensis
Long-billed Spiderhunter Arachnothera robusta
Yellow-eared Spiderhunter Arachnothera chrysogenys
Ditficult-to-find or rare species
Black Partridge Melanoperdix nigra
Crestless Fireback Lophura erythrophthalma
Great Argus Argusianus argus
Malaysian Honeyguide Indicator archipelagicus
Banded Woodpecker Picus mimaceus
Checker-throated Woodpecker Picus mentalis
Olive-backed Woodpecker Dinopium rafflesii
Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus
Oriental Pied-Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris
White-crowned Hornbill Aceros comatus
Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus
Blue-banded Kingfisher Alcedo euryzona
Banded Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus
Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus vagans
Red-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus javanicus
Sunda Ground-Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiceus
Short-toed Coucal Centropus rectunguis
Brown-backed Meedletail Hirundapus giganteus
Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus
Oriental Bay-Owl Phodilus badius
Reddish Scops-Owl Otus rufescens
Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritus
Ruddy Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia emiliana
Thick-billed Green-Pigeon Treron curvirostra
Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea
Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni
Oriental Darter Anhmga melanogaster
Malayan Night-Heron Gorsachius melanolophus
Storm’s Stork Ciconia stormi
Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida
Dusky Broadbill Corydon sumatranus
Malaysian Rail-babbler Eupetes macrocerus
Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis gularis
Fulvous-chested Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias olivacea
Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina
White-tailed Flycatcher Cyornis concretus
Bornean Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis superbus
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
Grey-bellied Bulbul Pycnonotus cyaniventris
Puff-backed Bulbul Pycnonotus eutilotus
Finsch’s Bulbul Alophoixus finschii
Hook-billed Bulbul Setorms criniger
Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteron albogulare
Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus montanus
Bornean Wren-Babbler Ptilocichla leucogrammica
Striped Wren-Babbler Kenopia striata
Black-throated Wren-Babbler Napothera atrigularis
Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler Macronous ptilosus
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker Dicaeum chrysorrheum
Red-throated Sunbird Anthreptes rhodolaema
Thick-billed Spiderhunter Arachnothera crassirostris
The next list is of additional species for those
able to explore the more remote parts of the
national park, particularly the section of the
track to Gn. Mulu above Camp 3 (about
1,200m), and the track to the Pinnacles beyond
Camp 5 (Melinau Camp). Most of the birds
listed do not occur in the vicinity of the Park HQ.
Open areas, overhead:
Mountain Serpent-Eagle Spilorms kmabaluensis
Besra Accipiter virgatus
Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis
Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus albomger
Ground, lower storey:
Red-breasted Partridge Arborophila hyperythra
Crimson-headed Partridge Haematortyx sanguiniceps
Bulwer’s Pheasant Lophura bulweri
Reddish Scops-Owl Otus rufescens
Mountain Scops-Owl Otus spilocephalus
Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon Ducula badia
Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii
Everett’s Thrush Zoothera everetti
White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx montana
White-browed Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias insignis
Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra
Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana
Pygmy Blue-Flycatcher Muscicapella hodgsoni
Flavescent Bulbul Pycnonotus flavescens
Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus
Mountain Blackeye Chlorocharis emiliae
Bornean Stubtail Urosphena whiteheadi
Sunda Bush-Warbler Cettia vulcama
Mountain Tailorbird Orthotomus cuculatus
Bare-headed Laughingthrush Garrulax calvus
Temminck’s Babbler Pellorneum pyrrogenys
Mountain Wren-Babbler Napothera crassa
Eyebrowed Wren-Babbler Napothera epilepidota
Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyris rufifrons
Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps
White-necked Babbler Stachyris leucotis
Scarlet Sunbird Aethopyga mystacalis
Middle storey, canopy:
Mountain Barbet Megalaima monticola
Golden-naped Barbet Megalaima pulcherrima
Bornean Barbet Megalaima eximia
Whitehead’s Trogon Harpactes whiteheadi
Cinnamon-rumped Trogon Harpactes orrhophaeus
Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes oreskios
Large Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus sparverioides
Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus
Little Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia ruficeps
Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae
Hose’s Broadbill Calyptomena hosii
Whitehead’s Broadbill Calyptomena whiteheadi
Bornean Whistler Pachycephala hypoxantha
Sunda Treepie Dendrocitta occipitalis
Black-and-crimson Oriole Oriolus cruentus
Sunda Cuckooshrike Coracina larvata
Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus Solaris
Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus
White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis
Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus
Black-breasted Fruit-hunter Chlamydochaera jefferyi
Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias ruficauda
Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni
Indigo Flycatcher Eumyias indigo
Hill Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas
Scaly-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus squamatus
Ashy Bulbul Hemixos flavala
Black-capped White-eye Zosterops atricapilla
Mountain Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus
Yellow-breasted Warbler Seicercus montis
Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris
Sunda Laughingthrush Garrulax palliatus
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush Garrulax mitratus
White-browed Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis
Brown Fulvetta Alcippe brunneicauda
Chestnut-crested Yuhina Yuhina everetti
White-bellied Yuhina Yuhina zantholeuca
Black-sided Flowerpecker Dicaeum monticolum
Whitehead’s Spiderhunter Arachnothera juliae
Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch Erythrura hyperythra
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
| Sabah: an insight to Borneo’s birds
Sabah is a semi-autonomous region
within the federation of Malaysia located
in the north-east corner of Borneo.
Frequent direct flights from Kuala
Lumpur make Sabah an ideal extension
to a trip to Peninsula Malaysia , but
more importantly a first-class
destination in its own right. Sabah's
relatively small size (roughly the size of
Ireland), and much improved road
network, offers the visitor an excellent
itinerary for a three-week trip.
Sabah is dominated by the Crocker
Range, a mountain chain running
north-east to south-west, and dominated
by the impressive Mount Kinabalu (4,094
m) which is the highest mountain in
South-East Asia. Most birders visit Sabah
between March and September, thus
avoiding the wet season, though it is prone
to rain at any time of year, particularly in
the afternoons. Additionally, the precise
timing will influence the variety and ease
of seeing certain species. A visit during
March-April or September-October will
include a number of wintering and
passage migrants, in particular waders,
which in the spring appear to peak
towards the end of March. Migratory
passerines, especially flycatchers, will also
be passing through at this time in spring.
The breeding season for the majority of
species is generally concentrated between
March and April. During my visit in April
the pitta species were on the whole silent
and consequently rather difficult to see.
The simplest method of travelling to
Sabah is to fly to Kuala Lumpur in West
Malaysia, and take a connecting two-and-
a-half hour flight to Kota Kinabalu, the
province's capital. The taxis are a little
more expensive than in West Malaysia,
but are still reasonably priced. Buses and
mini- buses are cheap and plentiful on all
the main routes, so car hire is not really
necessary.
Sabah has a number of excellent
birding sites, from coastal mudflats,
lowland rainforest, through to montane
scrub near the treeline on Mount
Kinabalu. Here I detail the most popular
destinations.
31 Kota Kinabalu
There are two good birding sites on the
nearby coast and islands. The Tunku
Abdul Rahman National Park is a group
of five inhabited islands located just
offshore from the city, a main attraction
there being Tabon Scrubfowl Megapodius
cumingii. This unobtrusive bird is quite
common, creeping amongst the leaf litter,
its presence betrayed only by the rustling
of leaves. Monitor lizards Varanus sp. are
very common and make a noise similar to
the scrubfowls as they move about on the
forest floor.
Palau Manukan is probably the most
convenient of the five islands to visit and
is reached by hourly launch, either from
the jetty opposite the Hyatt International
Hotel, or from the marina at Tanjong Aru.
The trip costs M$22 return and takes only
twenty minutes. For those wishing to
spend more time there are very
comfortable chalets as well as a restaurant
on the island.
There is a paved 1.5 km 'jogging' track
along the forested edge of the island.
Scrubfowls, Mangrove Blue-Flycatchers
Cyornis rufigastra, Pied Fantails Rhipidura
javanica and Mangrove Whistlers
Pachycephala grisola are all common along
there, whilst in the right weather
conditions migratory passerines
(including pittas) may be encountered.
Frigatebirds can sometimes be seen
soaring around the island, and White-
bellied Fish-Eagles Haliaeetus leucogaster
are a common sight. During my visit to
Palau Manukan there were surprisingly
few waders, but fortunately there is an
excellent area, Likas Bay, only 3 km north¬
east of Kota Kinabalu for those wishing to
see waterbirds.
Likas Bay comprises a beach backed
by a busy road, a series of tidal lagoons,
and a river mouth. A major attraction is a
wintering flock of some 20-30 Chinese
Egrets Egretta eulophotes which are still
present, albeit in smaller numbers but in
full breeding plumage, in early April.
They can be seen on any of the lagoons as
well as the river mouth, but seem to
concentrate on the southernmost lagoon.
Other birds on the lagoons and beach
include: Pacific Reef-Egret £. sacra,
Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva,
Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii,
Mongolian Plover C. mongolus, Greater
Sand Plover C. leschenaultii, Rufous¬
necked Stint Calidris ruficollis, Long-toed
Stint C. subminuta, and Grey-tailed
Tattler Tringa brevipes. The peak passage
for the tattlers is probably around mid-
March, and although this is over by early
April, the area is still good for the other
waders.
Likas Bay is easily reached by bus or
taxi from Kota Kinabalu, where there is
also plenty of accommodation, though
cheaper alternatives may be available in
Kampong Likas (Faridas Guest House
charges between M$15-30 per night). A
visit to the paddyfields at Kota Belud
located some 80 km further up the coast
could be worthwhile if you have time.
TUNKU A&DUL RAHMAN NATIONAL
PARK
0°
tf
15
ASIA - CURRENT RETURN FARES FROM
BANGKOK .
. £335
DELHI .
. £286
DHAKA .
. £378
KARACHI .
. £292
KATHMANDU .
. £443
PARO .
. £RQ
KABUL .
. £RQ
BEIJING .
. £432
RANGOON .
. £367
TOKYO .
. £475
MANILA .
. £454
SEOUL .
. £502
TAIPEI .
. £503
HANOI .
. £486
PHNOM PENH .
. £485
KUALA LUMPUR .
. £410
JAKARTA .
. £430
ULAN BATOR .
. £421
SINGAPORE .
. £410
HONG KONG .
. £427
KOTA KINABALU .
. £594
PORT MORESBY....
. £809
AIRPASSES * GROUND ARRANGEMENTS * CAR HIRE
MALAYSIAN AIRLINES: KUALA LUMPUR FROM £610,
KOTA KINABALU FROM £675, AUSTRALIA FROM £665
BIRDING PACKAGE HOLIDAYS
HONG KONG (MAI PO) 11 - 22 APRIL FROM £1049
BEIDAIHE 3-20 MAY FROM £899
WHY PAY MORE?
0117 984 8040
0603 767757
ABTA / IATA/ATOL
Oriental Bird Club
Registered Charity No: 297242 ( U.K .)
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Please complete in block capitals clearly
I wish to apply for* / renew my* membership of the Oriental Bird Club for the
calendar year beginning on 1st January 19 . (* Delete as appropriate).
All subscriptions are for calendar years.
Surname _ Title (Dr, Mr, Mrs, Ms) _
Forename(s) _
Full Address and Postcode
MEMBERSHIP TYPE
Country
Q Ordinary Member
□ Reduced Rate Member £8 p.a .
(For Oriental nationals resident in the region -
we encourage all members to pay the full rate if
they can afford it)
Q Family Member
£12 p.a . I enclose my cheque/ money order
made out to the 'Oriental Bird Club'
□ Payment has been ma de by GIRO
direct to GIRO account number: 35
234 1904. If payment is made from
^ ^ a outside U.K., please add £2.00 to
™ . cover GIRO charges.
□ Sponsoring Member £20 p.a.
Q Libraries and
Academic Institutions
Qj Donation to the
Conservation Fund
Total due
rj| Payment has been made to the
following OBC overseas bank
account _
£20 jp . ai. .
£
■t—u « •*•*•*♦•**•**•**♦•**•*
£ .
Pjj I have completed the standing
order form overleaf.
Q I have completed the credit card
form (ACCESS /EUROCARD/
MASTERCARD/ VISA) overleaf.
Corporate Members and Business Supporters should refer to the Membership Secretary for rates.
PLEASE NOTE
• If non-Sterling cheques are sent please add £6 to total before conversion to cover bank charges.
• Members outside the U.K. who have difficulty in making payment to the Club and incur bank
charges are invited to pay up to three years' subscriptions together, providing this is paid in
advance.
• It is essential that this form is returned to the Club even if payment is made by GIRO or direct
into an overseas bank account.
PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO: ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB, C/O THE LODGE,
SANDY, BEDFORDSHIRE SG19 2DL, U.K., marked for the attention of the Membership
Secretary. Thank you for your support of the Club
Payment of subscriptions by standing order is convenient to the member and helps the Club
keep its administration costs in control. Members with U.K. bank accounts are therefore strongly
encouraged to complete the form below. It is not possible to accept Direct Debits at this time.
STANDING ORDER FORM
(Please return this to Oriental Bird Club at the address below and NOT to your bank)
To the Manager, _ Bank
Full branch address _
Sort code
Please pay to Lloyds Bank pic, 3 King Street, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1HF (Sort
code 30-97-24) for the credit of the Oriental Bird Club, Account No 7128344, the sum of
£ . now and* on 1st January each year until further notice.
* Delete words 'nozu and' if subscription for current year has been paid already.
Account No . _
Name -
Address _
Signature _ Date - -
This instruction replaces any previous standing order in favour of the Oriental Bird Club.
(Delete the above sentence if not applicable.)
CREDIT CARD PAYMENT
Please debit my VISA / ACCESS / MASTERCARD / EUROCARD* with
the sum of £ _ (* delete as appropriate)
Card no:
Expiry date:
Signature:
Cardholder's name and address
if different from overleaf
Surname _ Forename(s)
Address _
Date
PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO: ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB, C/O THE LODGE, SANDY,
BEDFORDSHIRE SG19 2DL, U.K. marked for the attention of the Membership Secretary.
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
39 Danum Valley
The Danum Valley Conservation Area
is a protected forest concession of
some 438 km2: a haven offering some
memorable birding. The research station
centre is located some 85 km west of
Lahad Datu, sited on the Segama River. A
grid system of well-marked trails radiates
out from there, and is reached by crossing
a suspension footbridge. There is also a
nature trail starting immediately behind
the field centre, which has a 30 m high
tree platform that tests all but the
strongest of nerves!
One of the most sought-after birds at
Danum is Bornean Bristlehead Pityriasis
gymnocephala, which can be encountered
anywhere, including in the trees opposite
the restaurant verandah and along the
Rhino Ridge Trail. Striking in their black
and crimson garb, bristleheads are not
uncommon at Danum, and habitually
roam the mid-canopy in small flocks
uttering their varied contact calls. Pittas
are well represented, with Blue-headed
Pitta baudii, and Black-crowned P. venusta
being the most common, whilst Blue-
banded P. arcjuata, Banded P. guajana, and
Giant P. caerulea are harder to see. The
Elephant and Rhino Ridge Trails seem to
be a good area for Blue-banded and
Banded, the first species particularly
favouring growths of bamboo. Both
Bornean Ptilocichla leucogrammica, and
Black-throated Wren-Babblers Napothera
atrigularis are fairly common; it is worth
looking around the stream gulley complex
between W5 and W6. This area is also
particularly good for Banded Lacedo
pulchella and Rufous-collared King¬
fishers Actenoides concretus.
Other birds at Danum include:
Chestnut-necklaced Partridge Arborophila
charltonii, Crested Partridge Rollulus
rouloul, Malaysian Honeyguide Indicator
archipelagicus, Black Hombill Anthracoceros
malayanus, Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros
rhinoceros, Helmeted Hombill Buceros vigil,
Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus,
Diard's Trogon Harpactes diardii,
Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus fugax,
Short-toed Coucal Centropus rectunguis,
Banded Broadbill Eurylaimus javanicus,
Crested Jay Platylophus galericulatus ,
Maroon-breasted Philentoma Philentoma
velatum, Grey-chested Jungle-Flycatcher
Rhinomyias umbratilis, Pale Blue-Flycatcher
Cyornis unicolor, Bornean Blue-Flycatcher
C. superbus, Large-billed Blue-Flycatcher
C. caerulatus, White-crowned Shama
Copsychus stricklandii, Rufous-tailed
Shama Trichixos pyrropyga, Chestnut-
naped Forktail Enicurus rufficapillus,
White-crowned Forktail E. leschenaulti,
Horsfield's Babbler Malacocincla sepiarium,
Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler Poma-
torhinus montanus, Grey-headed Babbler
Stachyris poliocephala, Yellow-rumped
Flowerpecker Prionochilus xanthopygius,
and the ubiquitous Dusky Munia
Lonchura fuscans. More thinly distributed
are Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus
auritus, Malayan Night-Heron Gorsachius
melanolophus , Chestnut-capped Thrush
Zoothera interpres, and White-necked
Babbler Stachyris leucotis. The Bornean
endemic Bulwer's Pheasant Eophura
bulioeri can, with considerable luck, be
seen along the Rhino Ridge Trail, though
it is worth remembering that the
superficially similar Crested Fireback
Eophura ignita is common at Danum.
One of the most memorable spectacles
at Danum is the pair of Buffy Fish-Owls
Ketupa ketupu which perform most
evenings at the floodlit badminton court:
they can even be seen feeding on the
court's surface whilst play is still in
progress! A pair of Bat Hawks
Macheiramphus alcinus are a regular sight
most evenings along the entrance road
near the observation tower. This hide is
also good for a variety of raptors during
the mid-morning period.
The lily pond at the field centre is also
worth a visit as there is often a wintering
Schrenck's Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus
present, whilst the surrounding flowering
shrubs attract a good variety of
spiderhunters in the early mornings.
Although the field centre is run
principally for scientists it was possible
for anyone to stay there. Now about 10 km
from Danum, on the Danum River, the
'Borneo Rainforest Lodge' has opened as
the main accommodation for visiting
tourists, but this lodge might be out of the
price-range for many people wishing to
visit Danum. For up-to-date information
on visiting Danum it is worth contacting
Peter Chong or Clive Marsh of the Sabah
Foundation at: Innoprise Corporation
Sdn. Bhd., PO BOX 11622, 8817, Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah (Tel +88 243 245/ fax +88
243 244).
DANUM VALLEY CONSERVATION
19
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
37 Uncle Tan’s Wildlife Camp
Uncle Tan, a local entrepreneur,
operates a wildlife camp on the
Kinabatanagan River, some 30 km
downstream from the road bridge on the
Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu road. The
camp's location is primarily renowned as
the place to see Storm's Stork Ciconia
stormi, a globally threatened species. The
camp is reached by a one-hour boat trip
which, as well as being a highlight of a
visit to the camp, is also one of the best
opportunities of seeing the stork.
Although, as in much of Sabah, the river
banks have been logged a good selection
of birds can also be seen from the boat
including a variety of raptors and
hornbills. Proboscis Monkeys Nasalis
larvatus occur in large concentrations and,
along with Grey Langurs Presbytis hosei
and Crab-eating Macaques Macaco,
fascicularis, are a common sight from the
boat. The camp itself has quite an
impressive species list. The forest there
was logged some fifty years ago, and
although it is beginning to re-establish
itself, it is still nevertheless secondary
growth; a fact borne out by the absence of
leeches, a sensitive indicator of a healthy
primary forest. However, there is some
good habitat, and during the two days I
spent at the camp I saw: Storm's Stork,
Buff-necked Meiglyptes tukki and Great
Slaty Woodpeckers Mulleripicus pul-
verulentus, Blue-eared Alcedo meninting,
Rufous-backed Ceyx rufidorsa and Stork¬
billed Kingfishers Pelargopsis capensis,
Lesser Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga humilis,
Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus,
Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina (a
passage migrant), Black-crowned Pitta
Pitta venusta (heard near the jetty),
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia, Bornean
and Malaysian Blue-Flycatchers C.
turcosus, Horsfield's Babbler, Black-
capped Babbler Pellorneum capistratum,
Sooty-capped Babbler Malacopteron affine,
Black-throated Babbler Stachyris
nigricollis, Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga
siparaja and Thick-billed Spiderhunter
Arachnothera crassirostris. Birds seen by
others have included Chestnut-necklaced
Partridge, Brown Barbet Calorhamphus
fuliginosus , Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros
corrugatus, Cinnamon-rumped Trogon
Harpactes orrhophaeus, Rufous-collared
Kingfisher Actenoides concretus, Reddish
Scops-Owl Otus rufescens, Buffy Fish-
Owl, Cinnamon-headed Green-Pigeon
Treron fulvicollis, Jerdon's Baza Aviceda
jerdoni, Wallace's Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus
nanus, Malayan Night-Heron, Blue¬
headed and Hooded Pittas Pitta sordida,
Bornean Bristlehead, and Brown-backed
Flowerpecker Dicaeum everetti.
Living conditions at the camp are to
say the least primitive, comprising a
ramshackle collection of straw huts with
no electricity or running water. It is,
though, undeniably cheap, costing only
M$15 a night with full board, the food
being very good. The staff are very
friendly and helpful and you may be able
to negotiate a river trip further
downstream. Neither birding nor living
conditions can compare with Danum, but
at least it does offer budget birding in a
forest environment. The Wildlife Camp
can either be visited from Uncle Tan's
other enterprise, the Bed and Breakfast in
Sandakan, or if arriving from Lahad Datu,
you can meet the boatmen at the
Kinabatanagan crossing and arrange
transport. The transportation cost is
M$130 return from Sandakan. Though it
would not appear to be necessary to make
any prior reservation, Uncle Tan can be
contacted by writing to P.P.M 245
Elopura, 9000 Sandakan (Tel: 089 531639).
34 Mount Kinabalu
The Kinabalu National Park, covering
some 754 km2, is the focal point for
any visitor's itinerary, with the fortress¬
like bare granite peak of Mount Kinabalu
providing a spectacular backdrop to the
park. The mountain also governs the
climate of the surrounding area and the
park experiences a great deal of rainfall in
all seasons, particularly in the afternoons,
so an umbrella is a particularly useful
item to bring with you. For the birder the
major attraction of the place is the high
concentration of bird species endemic to
the Bornean mountains. To have a chance
of seeing them all means undertaking the
gruelling climb to the limit of vegetation
at 3,250 m. There is in addition an
excellent network of well maintained
trails which allow you to explore the
surrounding forest around 1,500 m, which
means that the majority of birds
encountered will not have been seen at
the other sites. Although thousands of
people wishing to climb to the summit of
the mountain visit the park each year, the
trails are generally quiet in terms of
people, but there is often a great deal of
bird activity throughout the whole day.
Upon arrival at the park's reception
you will notice immediately the large
numbers of Glossy Swiftlets Collocalia
esculenta, whilst around the headquarter
complex Bornean Whistler Pachycephala
hypoxantha, Ashy Drongo Dicrurus
leucophaeus, Indigo Flycatcher Eumyias
indigo, Black-capped White-eye Zosterops
atricapilla, Mountain Leaf-Warbler
Phylloscopus trivirgatus, Yellow-breasted
Warbler Seicercus montis, and Scarlet
Sunbird Aethopyga mystacalis are all a
common sight. Sunda Bush-Warblers
Cettia vulcania are common amongst the
roadside vegetation and White-crowned
Forktails may be seen in the various
roadside gullies.
A couple of mornings can be spent
venturing no further than the main road
which circuits the HQ complex where, at
first light, a number of species are
voraciously feeding on the moths
attracted to the roadside lights the
previous night. Of particular interest are
the lights around the Old Hostel and in
front of the chalets. Both Sunda
Laughingthrush Garrulax palliatus and
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush G.
mitratus are regular visitors, along with
Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps,
Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus
hottentottus, White-throated Fantail
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
KINABALU NATIONAL PARK
Rhipidura albicollis, Sunda Treepie
Dendrocitta occipitalis, and Chestnut-
crested Yuhina Yuhina everetti. All of
these bircis are common at Kinabalu, but
this is an excellent place to see them well
and to take photographs. After 07h00, the
forest birds start to become active, and the
endemic Whitehead's Spiderhunter
Arachnothera juliae is worth looking for
where they habitually perch in the dead
trees behind the Rajah Lodge, uttering
their distinctive nasal disyllabic call. It is
often prudent to keep to the main road
until the sun catches the trails, as certain
birds like Little Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia
ruficeps, Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike
Coracina striata, Short-tailed Magpie Cissa
thalassina, and Grey-chinned Minivet
Pericrocotus Solaris are easier to see at this
time of day. During my visit magpies
were regularly seen, their cacophonous
cackling call often being heard in the early
morning along the main road near the
administration building. The diminutive
Black-sided Flowerpecker Dicaeum
monticolum is also active in the early
morning and can often be seen making
aerial sorties, and feeding on the
flowering shrubs around the
administration building.
Of all the trails, I found the Silau-Silau
to be consistently the most rewarding.
White-browed Shortwings Brachypteryx
montana, although quite common, are
rather difficult to see and often the only
clue to their presence is their distinctive
warbling song, almost skylark-like in
tone. Other common species to be seen
include: Sunda Whistling-Thrush
Myiophonus glaucinus (especially near the
generator), Snowy-browed Flycatcher
Ficedula hyperythra, Indigo Flycatcher
Enmyias indigo and Yellow-breasted
Warbler. With patience Crimson-headed
Partridge Haematortyx sanguiniceps,
Whitehead's Trogon Harpactes whiteheadi,
Besra Accipiter virgatus and Temminck's
Babbler Pellorneum pyrrogenys can all be
seen, and with luck so can White-browed
Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias insignis and
Black Laughingthrush Garrulax lugubris.
The other trails should not be ignored
however. Seen at the power station end of
the Kiau View Trail were Maroon
Woodpecker Blythipicus rubiginosus,
Mountain Wren-Babbler Napothera crassa
and Bornean Stubtail Urosphena
whiteheadi, and it is also possible to see
Red-breasted Partridge Arborophila
hyperythra there. The Bukit Ular Trail is
also good for Mountain Wren-Babbler,
and Everett's Thrush Zoothera everetti has
been seen there in the past. Bornean
Stubtail, a Bornean endemic, is not
uncommon but like White-browed
Shortwings they are secretive. They are
best seen by following up their distinctive
call, a very high-pitched drawn-out
whistle, preceded at close range by a
couple of sharp 'ticks'. Perhaps the easiest
place to find the stubtail is from the top
end of the Liwagu River Trail w7here the
path zig-zags down the hillside.
Reminiscent in many ways of a tiny
brown and white pitta wdth a bold,
peachy supercilium, this gem of a bird is
certainly one of the avian highlights of
Kinabalu.
To see the high-altitude species it is
necessary to climb beyond the power
station, which at 1,950 m is the limit of the
tarmac road from the HQ, a distance of 4.5
km. A bus service operates from the
park's reception to this point. Golden-
naped Barbet Megalaima pulcherrima, Little
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni and
Mountain Tailorbird Orthotomus cuculatus
are all common, w7hereas Wreathed
Hornbill Aceros undulatus may be
encountered from the powder station
lookout. A constant eye should be kept on
the skies, for Mountain Serpent-Eagle
Spilornis kinabaluensis occurs there, but a
sighting is far from guaranteed, even if it
were not for the low7 cloud w7hich is a
common problem at this altitude. To
climb beyond the power station, a permit
costing M$10 is required. To obtain a
21
Lowland frugivores
1: Thick-billed Green-Pigeon Treron curvirostra (Photo: Prank
Lambert). 2: Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros (Photo: Morten
Strange/Flying Colours Photography). 3: Straw-headed Bulbul
Pycnonotus zeylanicus (Photo: Allen Jeyarajasingam). 4: Brown
Barbet Calorhamphus fuliginosus (Photo: Allen Jeyarajasingam). 5:
Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesii (Photo: Morten Strange/
Flying Colours Photography).
Bornean montane endemics 6
1. Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush Garrulax
mitratus of the Peninsular race (Photo: Morten
Strange/Flying Colours Photography). 2.
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush of the Bornean race
(Photo: Morten Strange/Flying Colours Photography).
3. Male Black-breasted Fruit-hunter Chlamydochaera
jefferyi (Photo: Nick Pope). 4. Female Black-breasted
Fruit-hunter (Photo: Pete Morris). 5. Bornean Stubtail
Urosphena whiteheadi (Photo: Pete Morris). 6.
Sunda Treepie Dendrocitta occipitalis (Photo:
j Morten Strange/Flying Colours Photography).
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
permit a guide must be hired, which costs
a further M$50. Though our permit was
never checked, you are conspicuous
without a guide, and it was only through
personal permission of the Chief Warden
that the 'services' of a guide were waived.
Though there is no logical reason for a
guide to escort visitors to reach the
overnight accommodation at Laban Rata,
should you wish to climb to the summit a
guide is imperative as the final section is
completed in the dark in order to reach
the summit of Mount Kinabalu at sunrise.
The climb is very steep in places, and
although the trail is well maintained it is
nonetheless quite tiring, requiring a
reasonable degree of fitness. The weather
can rapidly deteriorate at this altitude,
making walking conditions more
unpleasant.
The Friendly Bush-Warbler Brad-
ypterus accentor occurs in forests above
2,150 m. Just before sunrise is a good time
to see them, and although years of
disturbance from climbers has dispelled
any illusions of their confiding nature,
they can still be seen by venturing a few
metres off the trail and listening out for
their song, a high-pitched buzzing trp trp
trrzzz....
By far the most 'comfortable' way of
seeing the warbler is to stay at Laban Rata,
a collection of shelters centred around a
well-appointed hostel, complete with
heating and hot water and a restaurant. It
costs M$25 a night, and is somewhat more
pleasant than the hostels at the bottom. To
stay at Laban Rata, the authorities will
insist that a climbing permit is obtained.
On the Summit Trail between the
power station and Laban Rata, large
numbers of Mountain Blackeye
Chlorocharis emiliae will be encountered,
along with Island Thrush Turdn s
poliocephalus, especially higher up. Black¬
breasted Fruit-hunter Chlamydochaera
jefferyi may be seen in the fruiting trees in
the forested zone, while White-browed
Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis will
never be too far away. Flavescent Bulbul
Pycnonotus flavescens, Sunda Bush-
Warbler, and Mountain Leaf-Warbler
occur all along the trail, right up to the
tree line.
A week is probably the minimum time
required to see most of the specialist birds
of Kinabalu. However, the two barbets
endemic to Borneo (Mountain Megalaima
monticola and Bornean Barbets M. eximia)
and the endemic Pygmy White-eye
Oculocincta scjuamifrons, which occur in the
park, are difficult to see. It is more of a
matter of luck whether or not you see the
barbets. The white-eye appears to inhabit
the mid-elevation (and hence heavily
deforested) slopes and is seen only by a
few people; though when seen, these
birds are highly vocal and gregarious in
their behaviour.
It is advisable to book accommodation
at Kinabalu well in advance, as it can be
very busy at weekends. The postal
address of the park (including Poring - see
below) is: Sabah Parks Office
(Reservations), PO Box 10626, Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah (Tel/fax 088-211585). The
hostel, though cheap (M$10 a night), can
be very noisy at times (insomniac
schoolchildren) and, if there is a group
travelling together, I would strongly
recommend considering staying at one of
the chalets in the park which, although
more expensive, do have hot water,
heating (it can get cold there), and a
degree of privacy and security not
possible at the hostels.
35 Poring Hot Springs
The Poring Springs are located within
Kinabalu National Park some 43km
from the headquarters. The nearest town
is Ranau which is on the main Kota
Kinabalu to Sandakan road. The hot
springs were developed by the Japanese
during the Second World War and
comprise a collection of baths fed by a
supply of hot sulphurous water. They are
a major attraction to both locals and
tourists and as a result can be quite
crowded at weekends and public
holidays. There is a maze of trails within
the vicinity of the springs, and it doesn't
take too long to get out into the
surrounding forest, which is generally
ignored by the majority of visitors. The
altitude at Poring is approximately
midway between that at Danum and the
HQ area of Kinabalu, and accordingly
offers the chance to see some different
birds.
Early morning is the best time to
explore the area immediately around the
hot springs, where the profusion of
flowering and fruiting trees is a major
attraction to many birds. Typical species
include Gold-whiskered Barbet Megalaima
chrysopogon, Blue-banded Kingfisher
Alcedo euryzona, Blue-crowned Hanging-
Parrot Loriculus galgulus, Ruddy Cuckoo-
Dove Macropygia emiliana, Emerald Dove
Chalcophaps indica , Crested Jay Platylophus
galericulatus, Black-winged Flycatcher-
shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus, White-
crowned Shama, White-crowned Forktail,
Scaly-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus
scjuamatus, Everett's White-eye, Hors-
field's Babbler, Black-capped Babbler,
Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler Pom-
atorhinus montanus, and Plain Sunbird
Anthreptes simplex.
As the crowds start to arrive it is time
to head for the hills, and one trail that is
particularly worth exploring eventually
arriving at the impressive Langanan
Waterfalls. As you pass by the Kipungit
falls, it is worth remembering that
Chestnut-capped Thrush has been seen
there in the past. The trail slowly winds
up the gradient on the way to the
Langanan Falls passing through some
excellent forest and offering fine birding.
Birds to look out for include: Rufous
Piculet Sasia abnormis, Buff-rumped
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis, Red-
throated Barbet Megalaima mystacophanos,
Bornean Barbet, Red-naped Trogon
Harpactes kasumba, Banded Kingfisher,
Red-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis
amictus, Glossy Swiftlet, Banded Pitta,
Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis,
Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochin-
chinensis, Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera
citrina, Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher
Rhino-myias ruficauda, White-tailed
Flycatcher Cyornis concretus, Bornean
Blue-Flycatcher, Scaly-breasted Bulbul,
Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus
super ciliaris, Moustached Babbler
Malacopteron magnirostre, Eyebrowed
Wren-Babbler Napothera epilepidota,
Chestnut-crested Yuhina, White-bellied
Yuhina Yuhina zaniholeuca, Yellow-ramped
Flowerpecker Prionochilus xanthopygius,
and Scarlet Sunbird. Particular attention
should be paid to patches of bamboo as
they are the favoured habitat of Blue-
banded Pitta, a Bornean endemic. Once
the 2-3 hour trek is completed, you can
relax in the rock pools at the foot of the
Langanan Falls, which are truly
magnificent and well away from the
hordes of visitors lower down.
The grounds around the acc¬
ommodation areas of Poring Springs are
also worth exploring, in particular the
road leading to the generator. This area is
especially interesting in the late afternoon
and is particularly good for woodpeckers
and barbets, as well as: Lesser Cuckoo
Cuculus poliocephalus, Jambu Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus jambu, White-fronted Falconet
Microhierax latifrons, Asian Fairy-Bluebird
Irena puella, Dark-throated Oriole Oriolus
xanthonotus, Yellow-rumped Prionochilus
xanthopygius, Yellow-vented Dicaeum
chrysorrheum and Orange-bellied Flower-
pecker, Grey-breasted Spider-hunter
Arachnothera affinis, and Bornean
Spiderhunter Arachnothera everetti.
Another good spot to look for the falconet
is around the dead trees 700 m back along
the main access road, where a pair has
nested in the past. Oriental Magpie-
Robins Copsychus saularis are worth
looking at carefully as, unlike the birds on
the rest of Borneo and in mainland South-
East Asia, the males have all-black bellies.
The accommodation at Poring is at one
of two hostels, both of which are clean
and comfortable, and are only likely to be
crowded at weekends and at holiday
times. Nevertheless, it is advisable to
make your reservation through the Sabah
Parks Office in advance. Options will
shortly be extended with the completion
of a number of chalets. The charge for
either hostel is M$10 a night, and there are
cooking facilities available. It is, however,
possible to eat in the small restaurant just
outside the entrance gate, as the park does
not close until 19h30 in the evening. The
weather at Poring can be somewhat
unpredictable and sometimes a whole day
can be lost as far as birding is concerned,
so be prepared.
There are plenty of mini-buses
available for the 19 km drive from Ranau
to the hot springs, and apparently it is
quite easy to hitch in the morning when
the locals drive up to the springs. On the
return to Ranau, in order to guarantee
getting there, it is necessary to wait for
returning vehicles fairly early in the
morning.
Summary
Sabah is a most rewarding destination
complete with breathtaking scenery,
excellent cuisine, and most of all its
stunning flora and fauna. Species that can
be quite difficult to see in West Malaysia
are in many instances surprisingly easy to
see on Sabah, and visitors can expect
fabulous views of Crested Jays, Banded
Broadbills, Bat Hawks and Diard's
Trogons to name but a few! Sabah offers
endless possibilities, and if combined with
a few days in West Malaysia (Genting
Highlands, Fraser's Hill, Kuala Selangor,
etc.), a good number of species can be
seen in a three- or four-week holiday. It is
possible to see twenty-nine of Borneo's
endemics in Sabah, though some like
Hose's Broadbill Calyptomena hosii and
Pygmy White-Eye are highly localised
and others like Dulit Frogmouth
Batrachostomus harterti and Black Oriole
Oriolus hosi, may not occur there.
Finally, should anyone be considering
a visit to Sabah or West Malaysia, I shall
of course be pleased to offer any
assistance.
Acknowledgements
I wish to extend my thanks to Dave
Showier for kindly providing much
invaluable information, to Phil Heath for
his in-depth knowledge whilst at Danum,
and to Alan Pearson for helping in
arranging the trip and for commenting on
an earlier draft of this article.
Nick J. N. Pope, Flat 2, 38 Carshalton
Grove, Sutton, Surrey, SMI 4LZ, U.K.
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
Batu Punggul Virgin Forest Reserve,
Sabah, Malaysia
If you want to get off the well-worn
circuit of Sabah's birding sites, the
spectacular and little-visited reserve of
Batu Punggul is an excellent choice
writes Phil Heath.
Batu Punggul Virgin Forest
Reserve is a small area of
primary, lowland dipterocarp rain
forest extending over 2,000 ha, and
bisected by the Sapulut River in the
Labang Valley of Sabah (Figure 1). It
is surrounded by more extensive
tracts of dense regenerating
secondary forest. At the heart of this
superb reserve towers the impressive
limestone pinnacle of Batu Punggul,
the focus of many legends and tales
to the local Murut tribes.
Access is via the small settlement
of Sapulut, reached by occasional
jeeps along the logging road from
Keningau for M$20. From there it is a
3-5 hour canoe trip upriver,
depending on the state of flow in the
river, and how often you need to get
out and push the canoe over shallows
and rapids. This return boat journey
costs M$200, but is divisible between
up to six people. Ideally the boat,
accommodation and meals should be
booked in advance at the main
Korporasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD
- Rural Development Corporation)
offices in Kota Kinabalu, so that a
boatman and provisions can be
arranged. If you need to stop off
overnight at Sapulut, the staff at the
KPD office there will direct you to a
newlv built and comfortable rest
J
house.
The reserve is run by KPD as a
'resort centre' to promote ecotourism.
A full range of facilities is provided
for visitors, but few come because of
its remoteness, cost and difficult
access. You can choose from a rest
house at M$30-150/ night, native huts
at M$24-32/ night, or an impressive
mock longhouse at M$6/night.
Camping is another cheap alternative
at M$2/day. Meals can be provided
at the very reasonable rate of around
M$5, or you can do your own
cooking, for which utensils can be
hired at M$10 for your stay, provided
you bring in all your own food. Most
packaged and canned foods are
available in Sapulut; fresh vegetables
and fruit should be bought in
Keningau.
Visitors to Batu Punggul have
been few, and naturalists fewer. The
following account is based on a visit
by Phil Hurrell in August 1992 and
myself in May 1993, so there is plenty
of scope for additional exploration.
To date only four of the 30 plus
Borneo's endemic birds have been
recorded but these include the highly
sought-after Hose's Broadbill
Calyptomena hosii. Additionally, many
scarce lowland forest species occur.
Mammals seem to be poorly
represented and those present,
notably the primates, are shy,
probably because they are regularly
hunted by the Murut families living
near the reserve. Mammals recorded
include Crab-eating Macaque Macaca
fascicularis , Pig-tailed Macaque M.
nemestrina and the endemic Bornean
Gibbon Hylobates muelleri. Among
the smaller mammals are several
species of treeshrews, Yellow-
throated Marten Martes flavigula, and
various squirrels including the
spectacular endemic Tufted Ground-
Squirrel Rheithrosciurus macrotis.
The first wildlife will be seen on
the canoe journey along the river into
the reserve. Indeed, providing there
is a reasonable depth of water, it
would be worthwhile hiring one of
the camp's canoes with a boatman
and exploring upriver. Common
birds include hawking flocks of
Glossy Swiftlets Collocalia esculenta
and Silver-rumped Spinetails
Raphidura leucopygialis. The river
provides a natural gap amongst the
surrounding forest for viewing
raptors, and as well as the ubiquitous
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis
cheela, Rufous-bellied Eagles
Hieraaetus kienerii frequent the area.
Black-and-Red Broadbills Cym-
birhynchus macrorhynchos are common,
and their woven nests suspended
from branches over-hanging the
water are a familiar sight during the
canoe trip. Other species to look for in
the riverside trees are Malaysian
Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis turcosus,
Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus
zeylanicus and Rufous-tailed
Tailorbird Orthotomus sericeus,
whereas White-chested Babblers
Trichastoma rostratum forage on
exposed mud close to the river bank.
The various flowering trees and vines
are feeding areas for Little
Spiderhunters Arachnothera long-
irostra, Crimson Sunbirds Aethopyga
siparaja and Red-throated Sunbirds
Anthreptes rhodolaerna. Around
cleared patches of forest near the few
small settlements are small flocks of
the Dusky Munia Lonchura fuscans, a
Bornean endemic.
The small clearing around the
longhouse and campsite is a good
area to look for forest-edge species
such as Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx
xanthorhynchus, Plaintive Cuckoo
Cacomantis merulinus, Moustached
Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus vagans, and
Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Hemipus hirundinaceus. Visitors to
flowering vines and mistletoes are
spiderhunters, Yellow-breasted
BIRDING SITES IN MALAYSIA
Figure 1. Map of Batu Punggul, Sabah.
Flowerpeckers Prionochilus maculatus
or the Bornean endemic Yellow-
rumped Flowerpecker P. xanth-
opygius. A well-maintained 2 km
nature trail runs eastward from the
accommodation area, then doubles
back to the camp, running parallel
with the river. Once along the nature
trail, species to look and listen for
include Scarlet-rumped Harpactes
duvaucelii, Red-naped H. kasumba and
Diard's Trogons H. diardi , and
Orange-backed Reinwar dtipicus validus
and Olive-backed Woodpeckers
Dinopium rafflesii. Denser stands of
undergrowth may hold the White-
crowned Shama Copsychus stricklandii
(a Bornean endemic), the diminutive
Rufous Piculet Sasia abnormis, or a
foraging pair of Chestnut-backed
Scimitar-Babblers Pomatorhinus
montanus.
Around the reserve 11 species of
babbler occur, often feeding in noisy
mixed flocks through the smaller
trees and undergrowth. Where the
forest is more open and the floor
viewable, you may encounter pairs of
Short-tailed Babblers Malacocincla
malaccense, Black-capped Babblers
Pellorneum capistratum and Striped
Wren-Babbler Kenopia striata, or a
stunning Blue-headed Pitta Pitta
baudii. Between the two paths of the
trail are a few examples of the
monstrous parasitic Rafflesia keithii
plants, and their occasional flowers
can be found with the help of a Murut
guide.
A short trail leads from the
accommodation area to a suspension
bridge over the river. The trail then
runs below a couple of large
limestone bluffs, from one of which
the huge Batu Punggul pinnacle
projects. The pinnacle can often be
viewed from the longhouse clearing,
and at dusk a Peregrine Falcon Falco
peregrinus of the dark local race ernesti
can be watched flying around it,
while flights of Wreathed Aceros
undulatus, Bushy-crested Anorrhinus
galeritus, Helmeted Buceros vigil and
Rhinoceros Hornbills B. rhinoceros
pass by to roost.
This area west of the camp and
below the limestone bluffs held many
figs and fruiting trees during my visit
in May, and any with ripening fruit
are well worth a vigil. The prize
visitor could be Hose's Broadbill,
which is larger than the more
widespread Green Broadbill
Calyptomena viridis, and has striking
brilliant blue underparts contrasting
markedly with the rest of the bird's
bright green plumage. Other regular
visitors to the fruiting trees as well as
the broadbills are trogons, several
barbets including Red-throated
Megalaima mystacophanos and Gold-
whiskered M. chrysopogon, and 13
ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB
species of bulbul including Scaly-
bellied Pycnonotus squamatus, Grey-
bellied P. cyaniventris, Puff-backed
P. eutilotus, Finsch's Criniger finschii,
and Streaked Ixos malaccensis.
Another notable visitor is Chestnut-
backed Thrush Zoothera interpres,
which seems to be locally common.
The forest below the bluffs has a
fairly open canopy and thus is a good
place to see flycatchers such as
Bornean Blue Cyornis superbus,
Rufous-chested Ficedula dumetoria
and the Bornean race of White-tailed
Flycatcher Cyornis concretus which
lacks the white tail flashes of those
elsewhere in South-East Asia.
There is a series of caves at the
base of the limestone bluffs and cliffs
with many species’ of bat present.
Those in the base of Batu Punggul
have a number of Tailless Fruit Bats
Megaerops ecaudatus just inside the
entrance, while a large colony of
several hundred fruit-bats in the
central chamber seem to be Dusky
Fruit Bats Penthetor lucasi.
Other bird species in this area
include Horsfield's Babbler Malaco-
cincla sepiarium, Rufous-tailed Shama
Trichixos pyrrhopygas, Brown Fulvetta
Alcippe brunneicauda , Spotted Fantail
Rhipidura perlata and Velvet-fronted
Hose's Broadbill Calyptomena hosii
by Alan Pearson
Nuthatch Sitta frontalis. By a large
boulder on this trail it is possible to
follow a Murut hunting track which
leaves the reserve and enters an area
with an extensive network of old
logging trails. These are a good
locality to find Black-and-Yellow
Broadbills Eurylaimus ochromalus,
and feeding among the tangled
creepers on the remaining and
regrowing trees, leafbirds, Raffles'
Malkoha Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus
and Chestnut-breasted Malkoha P.
curvirostris.
The main trail circles uphill over
the limestone outcrops and along a
series of steep-sided ridges. Two
birds often heard calling there, but
difficult to see are Great Argus
Argusianus argus and Black-crowned
Pitta Pitta venusta. The last species
can sometimes be brought into view
by imitating its pure whistled call.
Also easy to hear but harder to locate
is Malaysian Honeyguide Indicator
archipelagicus, which holds territory
along the ridges, giving its strange
mew and nasal rattle call for hours on
end. This is a good area to see
Bornean Gibbon, Pale Giant
Squirrel Ratufa affinis and Yellow-
throated Marten.
Finally, unless you are planning to
climb Batu Punggul with the help of
a guide, the trail drops steeply down
a series of steps to the suspension
bridge.
For further information about
visiting the area contact The General
Manager, Korperasi Pembungunan
Desa, Beg Berkunci 86, 88998 Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah.
Phil Heath, 73 Cozens Road,
Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1JP, U.K.
ORIENT
timeless land of ancient cultures, golden pagodas, and
wonderful little-known birds. For almost a decade, Victor
Emanuel Nature Tours has conducted birding and natural
history tours in India, Borneo, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan,
Indonesia and Nepal.
Most of our tours to the Orient are led by David
Bishop, an expert on Asian birds and one of our most
popular leaders. David's enthusiasm for the birds of this
region is boundless, his knowledge is impressive, and his
handling of trip logistics is superb.
Last February our India tour group saw 105 species of
birds before lunch! These included such fancy. birds as
Coppersmith Barbets, Siberian, Eurasian and Sarus cranes.
Spotted Owlets, Bar-headed and Grey-lag geese, Black¬
necked Storks, Small Minivets, White-breasted, Common
and Black-capped kingfishers.
Our upcoming Borneo tour, July 22- August 4, and
Malay Peninsula tour, August 3-17, will be led by David ,
Bishop. These tours will visit Taman Negara, Fraser's Hill,
Mount Kinabalu and Sepilok. Previous tour participants
have regarded this tour as their finest experience in over a
decade of international birding.
For details on our tours throughout Asia or
information on tours we conduct in North and South
America, Antarctica, Africa, Europe, Australia, New Guinea
or New Zealand, please call or write.
VICTOR
EMANUEL
NATURE
TOURS
♦
THE
POST OFFICE BOX 33008, DEPT. OB, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78764 800/328-VENT
Lowland ground- dwelling species
1: Striped Wren-Babbler Kenopia striata (Photo: Simon
Harrap). 2: Black Partridge Melanoperdix nigra (Photo:
Frank Lambert). 3: Garnet Pitta Pitta granatina (Photo:
Frank Lambert). 4: Black-crowned Pitta Pitta venusta
(Photo: Frank Lambert).
2
Lowland species
1: Diard's Trogon Harpactes diardii (Photo: Morten
Strange/Flying Colours Photography). 2: Blue-crowned
Hanging-Parrot Loriculus galgulus (Photo: Morten
Strange/Flying Colours Photography). 3: Buff-rumped
Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis (Photo: Morten Strange/
Flying Colours Photography). 4: Sultan Tit
Melanochlora sultanea (Photo: Simon Harrap). 5:
Black-and-yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus
(Photo: Morten Strange/Flying Colours Photography).
A Birdwatcher's Guide to
Malaysia by John Bransbury, 1993.
Waymark Publishing. 282pp.,
£14(sb) ISBN 0-646-14559-2.
World distribution by Natural
History Book Service Ltd, 2-3 Wills
Road, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5XN
UNITED KINGDOM.
Tel 01803-865913282
Tax 01803-865280
THE ORIENTAL BIRD CLUB 10BC) exists to encourage an interest in the
birds of the Oriental Region and their conservation. The Club liaises with
and promotes the work of existing regional societies, and it collates and
publishes material on Oriental birds annually in two Bulletins and a journal,
Forktail. The Club is a U.K. registered charity no. 297242. If you would like
any more information on the OBC please write to the Secretary at the
Oriental Bird Club , c/o The Lodge, Sandy , Beds., SG19 2DL, U.K.
CREDITS
Authors:
John Bransbury, Nick Pope, Phil Heath
Editing:
OBC Editorial Committee
Design and production:
Rob Still, Rubythroat Publications
Colour separations:
Bob and Scott Hibbert
Cover line drawing
A scene from Mount Kinabalu: Whitehead's
Spiderhunter, Bornean Stubtail, pitcher plant Nepenthes villosa and
Kinabalu Horned Toad Megophrys baluensis. Dave Showier
Rubythroat
Publications
6 Corinthian Close,
Basingstoke,
Hants RG22 4TN
Birding Sites in Malaysia
© The Oriental Bird Club 1994
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11