Bornean Bird Families of the Oldest Rainforest
Borneo is defiantly one of the top birding destinations on earth. Three nations share the third biggest island: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. We visited the two counties on the Malaysian part: Sabah and Sarawak. Accommodation varied from the humbled basic cabin of Paya Maga to the luxury of Borneo Rainforest Lodge. Although most of the ancient and unique rainforest gone, mainly due intensive Oil Palms agriculture, which covers most of the island ground, some exciting national parks and nature reserves still provide great birding and nature experience. As a bird families lister I had 3 targets, all monotypes: Obviously the only endemic bird family Bornean Bristlehead (Pityriasidae) which we got in Danum Valley around and from the Canopy Walkway (missed on Sepilok, although others got it while we were there), and 2 regional endemics: Rail-Babbler (Eupetidae), in Sarawak, and Crested Jayshrike (Platylophidae), mainly heard in most of the places, seen shortly in a few.
Other bird families to be mentioned below.
246. Family #155: Bristlehead (Pityriasidae) | Bornean Bristlehead
247. Family #165 Crested Jayshrike (Platylophidae) | Crested Jayshrike
248. Family #175: Rail-babbler (Eupetidae) | Malaysian Rail-babbler
- Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies (Phasianidae) is well represented and some of the rarities seen on hides, which some of them quite expensive: Red-breasted Partridge & Crimson-headed Partridge (at Ganung Alab), Crested Partridge & Bulwer’s Pheasant (Trusmadi), Bornean Peacock-Pheasant (Telupid) and Great Argus in a few places.
- Frogmouths (Podargidae): Large Frogmouth (Kinabatangan River), Dulit Frogmouth (Ba’kelalan), Gould’s Frogmouth & Blyth’s Frogmouth (Danum Valley)
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites (Accipitridae): Out of the 12 species seen worth mentioned Mountain Serpent-Eagle at Mount Kinabalu
- Trogons (Trogonidae): Diard’s Trogon (Sepilok), Whitehead’s Trogon (Mount Kinabalu), Scarlet-rumped Trogon (Paya Maga)
- Hornbills (Bucerotidae): all 8 species presented in different locations but unfortunately the rarest Helmeted Hornbill heard only.
- Asian Barbets (Megalaimidae): all 9 species seen
- Honeyguides (Indicatoridae): Luckily, we have got the rare Malaysian Honeyguide at Ba’kelalan
- Picidae (Woodpeckers): 13 species seen
- African and Green Broadbills (Calyptomenidae): Green Broadbill (Ba’kelalan), Hose’s Broadbill (Paya Maga), Whitehead’s Broadbill (Mount Kinabalu & Ba’kelalan)
- Asian and Grauer’s Broadbills (Eurylaimidae): 4 species in a few places: Black-and-red Broadbill, Banded Broadbill, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Dusky Broadbill
- Pittas (Pittidae): Bornean Banded-Pitta (Trusmadi), Blue-headed Pitta (Danum Valley), Blue-banded Pitta (Tawau), Black-crowned Pitta (Sepilok)
- Old World Orioles (Oriolidae): Out of the 3 species seen worth mentioned Black Oriole (Paya Maga)
- Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae): Out of the 20 species seen worth mentioned Hook-billed Bulbul at Klias wetlands and Scaly-breasted Bulbul (Trusmadi & Ba’kelalan)
- Thrushes and Allies (Turdidae): Everett’s Thrush & Fruit-hunter (Mount Kinabalu)
- Leafbirds (Chloropseidae): Greater Green Leafbird, Lesser Green Leafbird, Bornean Leafbird in a few locations
English | Latin | First seen |
Red-breasted Partridge | Arborophila hyperythra | Ganung Alab |
Crimson-headed Partridge | Haematortyx sanguiniceps | Ganung Alab |
Crested Partridge | Rollulus rouloul | Trusmadi |
Crested Fireback | Lophura ignita | Danum Valley |
Bulwer’s Pheasant | Lophura bulweri | Trusmadi |
Bornean Peacock-Pheasant | Polyplectron schleiermacheri | Telupid |
Great Argus | Argusianus argus | Danum Valley |
Storm’s Stork | Ciconia stormi | Kinabatangan River |
Lesser Adjutant | Leptoptilos javanicus | Kinabatangan River |
Oriental Darter | Anhinga melanogaster | Sepilok |
Cinnamon Bittern | Ixobrychus cinnamomeus | Ba’kelalan |
Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea | Kinabatangan River |
Great Egret | Ardea alba | Kinabatangan River |
Intermediate Egret | Mesophoyx intermedia | Lahadat Datu |
Eastern Cattle Egret | Bubulcus coromandus | Sepilok |
Striated Heron | Butorides striata | Tawau |
Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | Klias wetlands |
Oriental Honey-buzzard | Pernis ptilorhynchus | Sepilok |
Jerdon’s Baza | Aviceda jerdoni | Kinabatangan River |
Mountain Serpent-Eagle | Spilornis kinabaluensis | Mount Kinabalu |
Crested Serpent-Eagle | Spilornis cheela | Danum Valley |
Bat Hawk | Macheiramphus alcinus | Sepilok |
Changeable Hawk-Eagle | Nisaetus limnaeetus | Kinabatangan River |
Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle | Nisaetus alboniger | Ba’kelalan |
Wallace’s Hawk-Eagle | Nisaetus nanus | Sepilok |
Rufous-bellied Eagle | Lophotriorchis kienerii | Danum Valley |
Brahminy Kite | Haliastur indus | Kinabatangan River |
White-bellied Sea-Eagle | Haliaeetus leucogaster | Kinabatangan River |
Gray-headed Fish-Eagle | Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus | Kinabatangan River |
White-breasted Waterhen | Amaurornis phoenicurus | Kinabatangan River |
Spotted Dove | Streptopelia chinensis | Ba’kelalan |
Philippine Cuckoo-Dove | Macropygia tenuirostris | Ba’kelalan |
Little Cuckoo-Dove | Macropygia ruficeps | Sabah |
Asian Emerald Dove | Chalcophaps indica | Sepilok |
Zebra Dove | Geopelia striata | Sepilok |
Little Green-Pigeon | Treron olax | Kinabatangan River |
Pink-necked Pigeon | Treron vernans | Sepilok |
Thick-billed Pigeon | Treron curvirostra | Sepilok |
Green Imperial-Pigeon | Ducula aenea | Sepilok |
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon | Ducula badia | Mount Kinabalu |
Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo | Hierococcyx vagans | Kinabatangan River |
Northern Hawk-Cuckoo | Hierococcyx hyperythrus | Mount Kinabalu |
Violet Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus | Sepilok |
Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo | Surniculus lugubris | Danum Valley |
Black-bellied Malkoha | Phaenicophaeus diardi | Danum Valley |
Raffles’s Malkoha | Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus | Sepilok |
Red-billed Malkoha | Phaenicophaeus javanicus | Danum Valley |
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha | Phaenicophaeus curvirostris | Sepilok |
Bornean Ground-Cuckoo | Carpococcyx radiatus | Kinabatangan River |
Greater Coucal | Centropus sinensis | Sepilok |
Oriental Bay-Owl | Phodilus badius | Kinabatangan River |
Reddish Scops-Owl | Otus rufescens | Danum Valley |
Mountain Scops-Owl | Otus spilocephalus | Mount Kinabalu |
Sunda Scops-Owl | Otus lempiji | Kinabatangan River |
Barred Eagle-Owl | Bubo sumatranus | Danum Valley |
Buffy Fish-Owl | Ketupa ketupu | Danum Valley |
Sunda Owlet | Taenioptynx sylvaticus | Ganung Alab |
Brown Wood-Owl | Strix leptogrammica | Danum Valley |
Large Frogmouth | Batrachostomus auritus | Kinabatangan River |
Dulit Frogmouth | Batrachostomus harterti | Ba’kelalan |
Gould’s Frogmouth | Batrachostomus stellatus | Danum Valley |
Blyth’s Frogmouth | Batrachostomus affinis | Danum Valley |
Large-tailed Nightjar | Caprimulgus macrurus | Klias wetlands |
Silver-rumped Needletail | Rhaphidura leucopygialis | Sepilok |
Brown-backed Needletail | Hirundapus giganteus | Klias wetlands |
Waterfall Swift | Hydrochous gigas | Mount Kinabalu |
Bornean Swiftlet | Collocalia dodgei | Ganung Alab |
Plume-toed Swiftlet | Collocalia affinis | Sepilok |
Gray-rumped Treeswift | Hemiprocne longipennis | Danum Valley |
Whiskered Treeswift | Hemiprocne comata | Danum Valley |
Diard’s Trogon | Harpactes diardii | Sepilok |
Whitehead’s Trogon | Harpactes whiteheadi | Mount Kinabalu |
Scarlet-rumped Trogon | Harpactes duvaucelii | Paya Maga |
Blue-eared Kingfisher | Alcedo meninting | Danum Valley |
Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher | Ceyx rufidorsa | Sepilok |
Banded Kingfisher | Lacedo pulchella | Paya Maga |
Stork-billed Kingfisher | Pelargopsis capensis | Kinabatangan River |
Collared Kingfisher | Todiramphus chloris | Sepilok |
Rufous-collared Kingfisher | Actenoides concretus | Danum Valley |
Blue-throated Bee-eater | Merops viridis | Sepilok |
Dollarbird | Eurystomus orientalis | Sepilok |
Oriental Pied-Hornbill | Anthracoceros albirostris | Kinabatangan River |
Black Hornbill | Anthracoceros malayanus | Sepilok |
Rhinoceros Hornbill | Buceros rhinoceros | Sepilok |
Bushy-crested Hornbill | Anorrhinus galeritus | Sepilok |
White-crowned Hornbill | Aceros comatus | Kinabatangan River |
Wrinkled Hornbill | Aceros corrugatus | Danum Valley |
Wreathed Hornbill | Aceros undulatus | Danum Valley |
Brown Barbet | Calorhamphus fuliginosus | Sepilok |
Gold-whiskered Barbet | Megalaima chrysopogon | Danum Valley |
Red-crowned Barbet | Megalaima rafflesii | Klias wetlands |
Red-throated Barbet | Megalaima mystacophanos | Ba’kelalan |
Mountain Barbet | Megalaima monticola | Trusmadi |
Yellow-crowned Barbet | Megalaima henricii | Danum Valley |
Golden-naped Barbet | Megalaima pulcherrima | Ganung Alab |
Blue-eared Barbet | Megalaima australis | Sepilok |
Bornean Barbet | Megalaima eximia | Trusmadi |
Malaysian Honeyguide | Indicator archipelagicus | Ba’kelalan |
Rufous Piculet | Sasia abnormis | Danum Valley |
Rufous Woodpecker | Celeus brachyurus | Klias wetlands |
White-bellied Woodpecker | Dryocopus javensis | Sepilok |
Banded Woodpecker | Picus miniaceus | Klias wetlands |
Crimson-winged Woodpecker | Picus puniceus | Danum Valley |
Checker-throated Woodpecker | Picus mentalis | Ba’kelalan |
Olive-backed Woodpecker | Dinopium rafflesii | Danum Valley |
Maroon Woodpecker | Blythipicus rubiginosus | Sepilok |
Orange-backed Woodpecker | Reinwardtipicus validus | Sepilok |
Buff-rumped Woodpecker | Meiglyptes tristis | Sepilok |
Buff-necked Woodpecker | Meiglyptes tukki | Sepilok |
Gray-and-buff Woodpecker | Hemicircus concretus | Sepilok |
Great Slaty Woodpecker | Mulleripicus pulverulentus | Danum Valley |
Long-tailed Parakeet | Psittacula longicauda | Kinabatangan River |
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot | Loriculus galgulus | Danum Valley |
Green Broadbill | Calyptomena viridis | Ba’kelalan |
Hose’s Broadbill | Calyptomena hosii | Paya Maga |
Whitehead’s Broadbill | Calyptomena whiteheadi | Mount Kinabalu |
Black-and-red Broadbill | Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos | Sepilok |
Banded Broadbill | Eurylaimus javanicus | Ba’kelalan |
Black-and-yellow Broadbill | Eurylaimus ochromalus | Sepilok |
Dusky Broadbill | Corydon sumatranus | Danum Valley |
Bornean Banded-Pitta | Pitta schwaneri | Trusmadi |
Blue-headed Pitta | Pitta baudii | Danum Valley |
Blue-banded Pitta | Pitta arquata | Tawau |
Black-crowned Pitta | Pitta venusta | Sepilok |
Hooded Pitta | Pitta sordida | Sepilok |
Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike | Hemipus hirundinaceus | Sepilok |
Rufous-winged Philentoma | Philentoma pyrhoptera | Danum Valley |
Maroon-breasted Philentoma | Philentoma velata | Danum Valley |
White-breasted Woodswallow | Artamus leucorynchus | Sabah |
Bornean Bristlehead | Pityriasis gymnocephala | Danum Valley |
Common Iora | Aegithina tiphia | Sepilok |
Green Iora | Aegithina viridissima | Sepilok |
Fiery Minivet | Pericrocotus igneus | Klias wetlands |
Gray-chinned Minivet | Pericrocotus solaris | Ganung Alab |
Scarlet Minivet | Pericrocotus speciosus | Ba’kelalan |
Lesser Cuckooshrike | Lalage fimbriata | Danum Valley |
Bornean Whistler | Pachycephala hypoxantha | Ganung Alab |
Long-tailed Shrike | Lanius schach | Ba’kelalan |
White-bellied Erpornis | Erpornis zantholeuca | Sepilok |
Dark-throated Oriole | Oriolus xanthonotus | Sepilok |
Black Oriole | Oriolus hosii | Paya Maga |
Black-and-crimson Oriole | Oriolus cruentus | Mount Kinabalu |
Ashy Drongo | Dicrurus leucophaeus | Trusmadi |
Crow-billed Drongo | Dicrurus annectans | Sepilok |
Spotted Fantail | Rhipidura perlata | Danum Valley |
Malaysian Pied-Fantail | Rhipidura javanica | Sepilok |
Black-naped Monarch | Hypothymis azurea | Sepilok |
Blyth’s Paradise-Flycatcher | Terpsiphone affinis | Danum Valley |
Crested Jay | Platylophus galericulatus | Telupid |
Black Magpie | Platysmurus leucopterus | Sepilok |
Bornean Green-Magpie | Cissa jefferyi | Ganung Alab |
Bornean Treepie | Dendrocitta cinerascens | Ganung Alab |
Slender-billed Crow | Corvus enca | Danum Valley |
Large-billed Crow | Corvus macrorhynchos | Sepilok |
Malaysian Rail-babbler | Eupetes macrocerus | Ba’kelalan |
Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Paya Maga |
Pacific Swallow | Hirundo tahitica | Sepilok |
Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher | Culicicapa ceylonensis | Danum Valley |
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch | Sitta frontalis | Sepilok |
Puff-backed Bulbul | Pycnonotus eutilotus | Danum Valley |
Black-headed Bulbul | Pycnonotus atriceps | Ba’kelalan |
Bornean Bulbul | Pycnonotus montis | Trusmadi |
Scaly-breasted Bulbul | Pycnonotus squamatus | Trusmadi |
Gray-bellied Bulbul | Pycnonotus cyaniventris | Danum Valley |
Flavescent Bulbul | Pycnonotus flavescens | Mount Kinabalu |
Yellow-vented Bulbul | Pycnonotus goiavier | Sepilok |
Olive-winged Bulbul | Pycnonotus plumosus | Sepilok |
Cream-vented Bulbul | Pycnonotus simplex | Sepilok |
Red-eyed Bulbul | Pycnonotus brunneus | Sepilok |
Spectacled Bulbul | Pycnonotus erythropthalmos | Sepilok |
Hairy-backed Bulbul | Tricholestes criniger | Danum Valley |
Cream-eyed Bulbul | Pycnonotus pseudosimplex | Sepilok |
Hook-billed Bulbul | Setornis criniger | Klias wetlands |
Gray-cheeked Bulbul | Alophoixus bres | Danum Valley |
Penan Bulbul | Alophoixus ruficrissus | Trusmadi |
Yellow-bellied Bulbul | Alophoixus phaeocephalus | Sepilok |
Charlotte’s Bulbul | Iole charlottae | Sepilok |
Cinereous Bulbul | Hemixos cinereus | Trusmadi |
Streaked Bulbul | Ixos malaccensis | Sepilok |
Bornean Stubtail | Urosphena whiteheadi | Mount Kinabalu |
Yellow-bellied Warbler | Abroscopus superciliaris | Ganung Alab |
Mountain Tailorbird | Phyllergates cucullatus | Ganung Alab |
Aberrant Bush-Warbler | Horornis flavolivaceus | Ganung Alab |
Mountain Leaf-Warbler | Phylloscopus trivirgatus | Ganung Alab |
Dark-necked Tailorbird | Orthotomus atrogularis | Danum Valley |
Ashy Tailorbird | Orthotomus ruficeps | Sepilok |
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird | Orthotomus sericeus | Danum Valley |
Chestnut-crested Yuhina | Yuhina everetti | Ganung Alab |
Pygmy White-eye | Oculocincta squamifrons | Trusmadi |
Mountain Black-eye | Chlorocharis emiliae | Ganung Alab |
Black-capped White-eye | Zosterops atricapilla | Ganung Alab |
Bold-striped Tit-Babbler | Mixornis bornensis | Danum Valley |
Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler | Macronus ptilosus | Paya Maga |
Chestnut-winged Babbler | Cyanoderma erythropterum | Sepilok |
Rufous-fronted Babbler | Cyanoderma rufifrons | Danum Valley |
Sunda Scimitar-Babbler | Pomatorhinus bornensis | Danum Valley |
Black-throated Babbler | Stachyris nigricollis | Sepilok |
Chestnut-rumped Babbler | Stachyris maculata | Danum Valley |
Gray-headed Babbler | Stachyris poliocephala | Danum Valley |
White-necked Babbler | Stachyris leucotis | Paya Maga |
Sooty-capped Babbler | Malacopteron affine | Danum Valley |
Temminck’s Babbler | Pellorneum pyrrogenys | Trusmadi |
Short-tailed Babbler | Pellorneum malaccense | Sepilok |
Black-capped Babbler | Pellorneum capistratum | Tawau |
White-chested Babbler | Pellorneum rostratum | Danum Valley |
Striped Wren-Babbler | Kenopia striata | Danum Valley |
Brown Fulvetta | Alcippe brunneicauda | Danum Valley |
Sunda Laughingthrush | Garrulax palliatus | Ganung Alab |
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush | Ianthocincla mitrata | Ganung Alab |
Asian Fairy-bluebird | Irena puella | Danum Valley |
Oriental Magpie-Robin | Copsychus saularis | Sepilok |
White-rumped Shama | Copsychus malabaricus | Danum Valley |
Dayak Blue Flycatcher | Cyornis montanus | Trusmadi |
Malaysian Blue-Flycatcher | Cyornis turcosus | Danum Valley |
Bornean Blue-Flycatcher | Cyornis superbus | Danum Valley |
Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher | Cyornis rufigastra | Tawau |
Indigo Flycatcher | Eumyias indigo | Ganung Alab |
Verditer Flycatcher | Eumyias thalassinus | Sepilok |
Eyebrowed Jungle-Flycatcher | Vauriella gularis | Mount Kinabalu |
White-browed Shortwing | Brachypteryx montana | Mount Kinabalu |
Bornean Whistling-Thrush | Myophonus borneensis | Mount Kinabalu |
White-crowned Forktail | Enicurus leschenaulti | Danum Valley |
Little Pied Flycatcher | Ficedula westermanni | Ganung Alab |
Snowy-browed Flycatcher | Ficedula hyperythra | Ganung Alab |
Everett’s Thrush | Zoothera everetti | Mount Kinabalu |
Fruit-hunter | Chlamydochaera jefferyi | Mount Kinabalu |
Asian Glossy Starling | Aplonis panayensis | Sepilok |
Common Hill Myna | Gracula religiosa | Sepilok |
Crested Myna | Acridotheres cristatellus | Sepilok |
Javan Myna | Acridotheres javanicus | Kinabatangan River |
Greater Green Leafbird | Chloropsis sonnerati | Sepilok |
Lesser Green Leafbird | Chloropsis cyanopogon | Sepilok |
Bornean Leafbird | Chloropsis kinabaluensis | Ganung Alab |
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker | Prionochilus xanthopygius | Danum Valley |
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker | Dicaeum trigonostigma | Sepilok |
Plain Flowerpecker | Dicaeum minullum | Sabah |
Black-sided Flowerpecker | Dicaeum monticolum | Mount Kinabalu |
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird | Chalcoparia singalensis | Sepilok |
Plain Sunbird | Anthreptes simplex | Trusmadi |
Red-throated Sunbird | Anthreptes rhodolaemus | Danum Valley |
Van Hasselt’s Sunbird | Leptocoma brasiliana | Sepilok |
Temminck’s Sunbird | Aethopyga temminckii | Ganung Alab |
Crimson Sunbird | Aethopyga siparaja | Sepilok |
Long-billed Spiderhunter | Arachnothera robusta | Sepilok |
Little Spiderhunter | Arachnothera longirostra | Sepilok |
Purple-naped Spiderhunter | Arachnothera hypogrammicum | Sepilok |
Whitehead’s Spiderhunter | Arachnothera juliae | Ba’kelalan |
Bornean Spiderhunter | Arachnothera everetti | Danum Valley |
Oriental Pipit | Anthus rufulus | Ba’kelalan |
Eurasian Tree Sparrow | Passer montanus | Sepilok |
Dusky Munia | Lonchura fuscans | Sepilok |
Nutmeg Mannikin | Lonchura punctulata | Ba’kelalan |
Chestnut Munia | Lonchura atricapilla | Sepilok |
30-May | Kuala Lumpur – Sandakan – Sepilok | |
30-May | 02-Jun | Sepilok |
02-Jun | Sepilok – Lahad Datu | |
03-Jun | 07-Jun | Danum Valley, BRL |
07-Jun | 09-Jun | Kinabatangan river |
10-Jun | Telupid (Peacock Pheasant hide) | |
11-Jun | 12-Jun | Ganung Alab |
12-Jun | 14-Jun | Trusmadi |
15-Jun | 17-Jun | Mount Kinabalu |
18-Jun | Klias wetlands | |
19-Jun | 23-Jun | Ba’kelalan |
24-Jun | 26-Jun | Paya Maga |
27-Jun | Klias wetlands | |
28-Jun | Kota Kinabalu – Tawau | |
29-Jun | 30-Jun | Tawau |
30-Jun | 01-Jul | Tawau – Kota Kinabalu – Kuala Lumpur |