The inaugural Sarawak Bird Race 2015 will take place on November 1st at the Borneo Highlands Resort, where this bird watching event is organised by the Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Tourism of Sarawak.
This one-day event will see local and international participation where bird watchers and photographers will explore the area to spot birds here.
The bird race in Sarawak also takes place one week after the Borneo Bird Festival 2015, held at the Kinabalu National Park in Sabah, Borneo.
Sarawak Bird Race 2015
At the Sarawak Bird Race, there will also be a Beginners Birding Workshop, which will be held at BHR a day before the race on Oct 31 where; this workshop will lead to responsible guiding of birds, thus resulting in the protection of birds and their habitats by the participating local tourist guides.
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| Bird watchers at Borneo Highlands Resort |
The Borneo Highlands Resort area, which is part of the Penrissen Highlands, was named an important bird area (IBA) since 2010 and is one of the more accessible locations just outside of Kuching to see Sarawak’s rare and endemic birds.
The area hosts several endemic and endangered species, and the IBA is part of the global network created by Birdlife International.
The BHR resort also borders Kalimantan, Indonesia, at the 1,300-meter ridge that marks the international boundary between Sawarak and Indonesia. BHR is located about an hour’s drive from Kuching too.
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| The various areas of the Borneo Highlands Resort |
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| The main entrance up to the Borneo Highlands Resort |
Four out of the eight species of hornbills found in Sarawak (10 species are found in Malaysia) have been sighted here and for bird watchers, photographers and birders, species of birds found at Borneo Highlands Resort include;
• Blue-banded Pitta
• Bornean Barbet
• Black Hornbill
• Bornean Falconet
• Pygmy White-eye
• Rhinoceros Hornbill
• White-crowned Hornbill
• Wreathed Hornbill
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| Omicron Binoculars in Malaysia |
In total, there have been 201 species recorded around here to date. Most of the birds can be seen along the forest trail that skirts the cliff, around the main resort area, the edge of the golf courses, and the roads of the resort.
Below are various photos taken at the Borneo Highlands Resort during the last Borneo Bird Race 2015, where Sarawak was the second destination after Sabah. The bird race ended in Brunei too.
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| Birders looking for birds at the Borneo Highlands Resort grounds |
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| Bird watchers in Sarawak waiting for birds at the Borneo Highlands |
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| Bird watchers in action at the recent Borneo Bird Race here in Sarawak |
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| Participants from Taiwan in the Borneo Highlands Resort during the Bird Race in 2014 |
This birding event in Sarawak is highly recommended for anyone interested in birds or bird watching. You can bring your children to educate them about birds, nature, and bird conservation.
A positive move by the ministry and MNS is also part of promoting bird watching in Malaysia as a hobby to locals and visitors.
You can also take a look at the many Birding Events in Malaysia or visit Bird Watching Asia for more information.
Conclusion
For more information and for those who want to join the bird race, you can contact the society at mnskuching@gmail.com or call Rose Au at 016-8909468 or Eddy Wong 014-3951415.
This is also the third time a bird race has been conducted here, where the first was the Borneo Highlands Bird Race, the second event was the Borneo Bird Race 2014, and now the Sarawak Bird Race 2015.