The endemic birds of Borneo have caught my attention after visiting Sabah and Sarawak over the years, where professional birders have taught me a fair bit about this unique hobby.
I took up birdwatching as a hobby in 2007, not that I am a hardcore birder, but at some of the places I visit, there are notable birds to be observed or spotted.
I took up birdwatching as a hobby in 2007, not that I am a hardcore birder, but at some of the places I visit, there are notable birds to be observed or spotted.
Endemic Birds of Borneo
Birdwatching or birding is a form of wildlife observation in which the world of birds is a recreational activity.
Usually, it is done with the naked eye through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and field scopes and, more recently, via photography with the latest camera technology.
For avid birders, Borneo provides one of the best places in the region to do birdwatching, and the Malaysian state of Sabah is one of the optimum places to start.
Many rainforest lodges and resorts are available here, while the number of nature or birding guides is few. Therefore, this list highlights some endemic birds in Borneo, which are slowly getting smaller in numbers.
Thanks to the many state wildlife parks, there have been specially gazetted areas which are highly protected, where much of the rainforest here has been eaten away slowly by development and deforestation.
Many rainforest lodges and resorts are available here, while the number of nature or birding guides is few. Therefore, this list highlights some endemic birds in Borneo, which are slowly getting smaller in numbers.
Thanks to the many state wildlife parks, there have been specially gazetted areas which are highly protected, where much of the rainforest here has been eaten away slowly by development and deforestation.
Birdwatching was heavily introduced in 2008 when local birders in Sabah set up the Borneo Bird Club. Since then, the club has worked for hand in hand with the state tourism board to create the Borneo Bird Festival, which is now in its 5th year.
While catering to the many birders in the region and as far as Europe, the club then moved to have the first Borneo Bird Race, which covered two countries - Sabah and Brunei in 2013.
This year, the bird race has included Sarawak, the largest state of Malaysia, to be in the Borneo Bird Race. Therefore it will be three locations to spot the beautiful birds of Borneo for anyone joining this race; chances are you will be spotting several endemic birds of Borneo too.
Again, if you are an avid birder, this is one of the best chances to spot these birds, as the 10-day bird race will cover most of the famous Borneo birding places.
List of Endemic Birds of Borneo
Update Aug 2022: There is an updated list of endemic birds of Borneo with six new additions.
No.
|
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
1
|
Black-browed Babbler
|
Trichastoma perspicillatum
|
2
|
Black-headed Pitta
|
Pitta ussheri
|
3
|
Black-throated Wren-babbler
|
Napothera atrigularis
|
4
|
Blue-banded Pitta
|
Pitta arquata
|
5
|
Blue-headed Pitta
|
Pitta baudii
|
6
|
Bornean Banded Kingfisher
|
Lacedo melanops
|
7
|
Bornean Banded Pitta
|
Pitta Schwaner
|
8
|
Bornean Barbet
|
Megalaima eximia
|
9
|
Bornean Black Magpie
|
Platysmurus aterrimus
|
10
|
Bornean Black Oriole
|
Oriolus hosii
|
11
|
Bornean Blue Flycatcher
|
Cyornis superbus
|
12
|
Bornean Bristlehead
|
Pityriasis gymnocephala
|
13
|
Bornean Brown Barbet
|
Calorhamphus fulginosus
|
14
|
Bornean Bulbul
|
Pycnonotus montis
|
15
|
Bornean Crested Fireback
|
Lophura ignita
|
16
|
Bornean Crestless Fireback
|
Lophura pyronota
|
17
|
Bornean Falconet
|
Microhierax latifrons
|
18
|
Bornean Flowerpecker
|
Dicaeum monticolum
|
19
|
Bornean Forktail
|
Enicurus borneensis
|
20
|
Bornean Frogmouth
|
Batrachostomus mixtus
|
21
|
Bornean Green Magpie
|
Cissa jefferyi
|
22
|
Bornean Ground-Cuckoo
|
Carpococcyx radiatus
|
23
|
Bornean Ibon
|
Oculocincla squamifrons
|
24
|
Bornean Laughing-thrush
|
Melanocichla calva
|
25
|
Bornean Leafbird
|
Chloropsis kinabaluensis
|
26
|
Bornean Necklaced Patridge
|
Arborophila graydoni
|
27
|
Bornean Peacock-pheasant
|
Polyplectron schleiermacheri
|
28
|
Bornean Serpent Eagle
|
Spilornis kinabaluensis
|
29
|
Bornean Spiderhunter
|
Arachnothera everetti
|
30
|
Bornean Stubtail
|
Urosphena whiteheadi
|
31
|
Bornean Swiftlet
|
Collocalia dodgei
|
32
|
Bornean Treepie
|
Dendrocitta cinerascens
|
33
|
Bornean Whistler
|
Pachycephala hypoxantha
|
34
|
Bornean Whistling Thrush
|
Myophonus borneensis
|
35
|
Bornean Wren-babbler
|
Ptilocichla leucogrammica
|
36
| Bulwer's Pheasant
|
Lophura bulweri
|
37
|
Chestnut-crested Yuhina
|
Yuhina everetti
|
38
|
Chestnut-hooded Laughing-trush
|
Garrulax treacheri
|
39
|
Crimson-headed Partridge
|
Haematortyx sanguiniceps
|
40
|
Dulit Frogmouth
|
Batrachostomus harterti
|
41
|
Dulit Patridge
|
Rhizothera dulitensis
|
42
|
Dusky Munia
|
Lonchura fuscans
|
43
| Everett's Thrush
|
Zoothera everetti
|
44
|
Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher
|
Rhinomyias gularis
|
45
|
Friendly Bush Warbler
|
Bradypterus accentor
|
46
|
Fruithunter
|
Chlamydochaera jefferyi
|
47
|
Golden-naped Barbet
|
Megalaima pulcherrima
|
48
| Hose's Broadbill
|
Calyptomena hosii
|
49
|
Maratua Bulbul
|
Pycnonotus hodiernus
|
50
|
Maratua Shama
|
Copsychus barbouri
|
51
|
Mountain Barbet
|
Megalaima monticola
|
52
|
Mountain Black-eye
|
Chlorocharis emiliae
|
53
|
Mountain Wren-babbler
|
Napothera crassa
|
54
|
Pale-faced Bulbul
|
Pycnonotus leucops
|
55
|
Red-breasted Hill Partridge
|
Arborophila hyperythra
|
56
|
White-crowned Shama
|
Copsychus stricklandii
|
57
| Whitehead's Broadbill
|
Calyptomena Whiteheadi
|
58
| Whitehead's Spiderhunter
|
Arachnothera juliae
|
59
| Whitehead's Trogon
|
Harpactes whiteheadi
|
60
|
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker
|
Prionochilus xanthopygius
|
Source: Phillipps' Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan (Third Edition Fully Revised) by Quentin Phillipps and Karen Phillipps, published by John Beaufoy Publishing.
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The Borneo Bird Race 2014 |
This article has created awareness for these beautiful birds in conjunction with the Borneo Bird Race. For those who love the outdoors or Ecotourism, if you ever go for a nature trip, check with the guides or tour company about bird watching.
It is also highly recommended that you educate the younger generation about the outdoors and hobbies like this, especially if you have children.
It is also highly recommended that you educate the younger generation about the outdoors and hobbies like this, especially if you have children.
Gone are the days when families participated in natural outdoor activities like these, where it is very educational, compared to spending countless hours on gadgets, phones or visiting the malls.
You know I am right when you read this, as I see society in the city getting worse, but we can make a difference.
You know I am right when you read this, as I see society in the city getting worse, but we can make a difference.
For more information on the endemic birds of Borneo, you can also visit the Borneo Bird Club website and the Borneo Bird Race website.
Conclusion
This year, I will be attending the Borneo Bird Race 2014 not as a participant but more as an observer and reporter. It has been a long time since I went on a pure birding trip, with the bird race happening from September to October.
It is a great time to pick up where I left off. If anyone reading this is also attending this race, please let me know; otherwise, I will see you at the next Borneo Bird Race.
It is a great time to pick up where I left off. If anyone reading this is also attending this race, please let me know; otherwise, I will see you at the next Borneo Bird Race.