Endemic Birds of Borneo
Endemic Birds of Borneo is something that has caught my attention after visiting Sabah and Sarawak over the years where professional birders have thought me a fair bit about this unique hobby.
Generally, this is a 'Birder' or Birdwatcher's topic but in the recent years of travel, I have taken up Bird watching as a new hobby, not that I am a hardcore birder but at some of the places I visit, there are notable birds to be observed or spotted.
Generally, this is a 'Birder' or Birdwatcher's topic but in the recent years of travel, I have taken up Bird watching as a new hobby, not that I am a hardcore birder but at some of the places I visit, there are notable birds to be observed or spotted.
Bird watching or birding is actually a form of wildlife observation in which the observation of birds as a recreational activity. Usually, it is done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes and more recently via photography.
Borneo Endemic Birds
Borneo Endemic Birds
For the avid birders out there, Borneo provides you one of the best places in the region to do Birdwatching.
There are many rainforest lodges and resorts available here while the number of nature or birding guides are quite a handful too. Therefore, this list is to highlight some of the 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. Plantations are the biggest culprits too.
There are many rainforest lodges and resorts available here while the number of nature or birding guides are quite a handful too. Therefore, this list is to highlight some of the 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. Plantations are the biggest culprits too.
Bird watching in the rainforest of Borneo
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Birdwatching was introduced in the last 5 years where the Borneo Bird Club was set up by local birders in Sabah. Since then, the club worked 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 and for anyone joining this race, chances are you will be spotting a number of the 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 popular places for birding in Borneo.
List of Endemic Birds of Borneo
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 schwaneri
|
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 Bristelhead
|
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 was done in order to create awareness for these beautiful birds in conjunction to the Borneo Bird Race. For those who love the outdoors or Ecotourism, if you ever go for a nature trip, do check with the guides or tour company about bird watching.
It is also highly recommended that you start educating the younger generation about the outdoors and also hobbies like this, especially if you have children.
It is also highly recommended that you start educating the younger generation about the outdoors and also hobbies like this, especially if you have children.

You know I am right when you read this as I see society in the city is just getting bad to worst but we can make the difference.
For more information on the endemic birds of Borneo, you can also visit the Borneo Bird Club website and also the Borneo Bird Race website.
Borneo Bird Race 2014 DatesVenue: Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei Seri BegawanDate: 23rd September to 3rd October 2014
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 quite a long time since I went on a pure birding trip and with the bird race happening from September to October.
I think it is a great time to pick up where I left off. If anyone reading this is also attending this race, please feel free to let me know here, otherwise, I will see you at the Borneo Bird Race 2014.
I think it is a great time to pick up where I left off. If anyone reading this is also attending this race, please feel free to let me know here, otherwise, I will see you at the Borneo Bird Race 2014.
4 comments
I wish I could go too! I love photographing birds and Borneo has such a great range of wildlife! Have fun and I can't wait to see the photos.
Thanks Mica! I hope that one day you'll return back here and I can catch up with you.
Welcome David. See you in bird race :-)
Thank you Sabah Tourism! I will see you guys there :) Looking forward to some amazing bird spotting.
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