Blue-Banded
Kingfisher in Play(Video taken in Taman Rimba Ampang, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia - 2006 by Mr Lee kok chung)
Outside Kuala Lumpur (More
than 3 Hours driving)
1) Cameron Highland, West
Pahang
3-4 hrs drive from Kuala Lumpur. Cameron
Highland is more developed than Fraser's Hill but is a still good birding
spot where you can see upper mountain forest birds. There are several
walking trails around Brinchang, Blue valley and Tanah Rata. Particularly, a
road to Gunung Brinchan and Gunung Irau is one of few spots to see Rufous-vented
Niltava and Chestnut-tailed Minla in Malaysia.
Others are Fire-tufted Barbet, Golden-throated
Barbet, Chestnut-capped Laughing-thrush, Long-tailed Sibia, Yellow-breasted
Warbler, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Large Niltava,
Hill Blue Flycatcher, White-throated Fantail and Black-throated Sunbird.
2) Tasik Bera (Lake Bera),
South Pahang
Tasik Bera a rather difficult to find, it’s
about 3-4 hrs drive from Kuala Lumpur heading to the Southeastern road. A
peat swamp and lowland forest birding spot. Tasik Bera classified as the
largest natural lake in Malaysia is dominated by pandanus shrub.
It is situated in the saddle of the main and
eastern mountain ranges of the Peninsula and is approximately 35km long and
20km wide. Tasik Bera has remained a unique and remote wetland wilderness,
which is surrounded by a patchwork of dry lowland forests.
The area is important as a prime example of
freshwater swamp habitat and blackwater lacustrine ecosystem, supporting a
high biodiversity. Bera Lake is a sanctuary for 328 species of flora, 200
bird species, 50 mammals, and more than 95 species of fishes.
Birds recorded are, for example, Crested Wood
Partridge, Brown Wood-owl, White-throated Kingfisher, Long-tailed Parakeet,
Oriental Pied Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, Great
Slaty Woodpecker, Black-and-Red Broadbill, leafbirds, Chestnut-winged
Babbler, Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler, Malaysian Rail-babbler, White-rumped
Shama and Pied Fantail.
3) Tasik Chini, Pahang
Tasik Chini is one of the only two natural
lakes in Peninsula Malaysia, both of which are located in the state of
Pahang. Located approximately 100km from Kuantan town, the capital of Pahang,
Chini is a lake that was formed from the natural damming of a river valley.
It is Malaysia's second largest natural lake and is made up of a series of
12 lakes.
Earnest bird watchers will be happy to know
that over 200 species of birds were recorded. Chini is a premier bird
watching destination in Peninsula Malaysia. There are three bird watching
trails, which go through different habitats. During the months of October to
March, migratory birds come to Chini from the northern parts of Asia to
escape the winter.
4) Taman Negara National
Park, Pahang
Malaysia’s Taman Negara, is classified as one
of the world’s oldest rainforests. Older than either the Amazon or the
Congo, it has remained undisturbed for 130 million years.
For many, the attraction of Taman Negara is the
abundant bird life, comprising of over 350 species. Though many forest
species live secretive lives, either foraging in the undergrowth or hiding
up in the canopy, at times these species may visit more open areas when
there are flowers or blossoming trees. Perhaps the easiest place to spot
the diversity of birds is right at your resort, where trees may have been
planted to attract birds. These sites will be active early in the morning
Taman Negara is known as the best birding spot
in the Peninsular Malaysia for observing lowland rainforest. The primary
forest holds rich fauna. However, it means that flora is also rich which
makes difficult to search canopy or upper storey birds.
Highlights here are Black Wood Partridge,
Crested Wood Partridge, Crestless Fireback, Crested Fireback, Great Argus,
Malaysian Peacock-pheasant, Masked Finfoot (mainly winter months), trogons,
Blue-eared Kingfisher, Banded Kingfisher, hornbills, pittas (Blue-winged,
Hooded, Garnet and Banded) and babblers.
5) Endau-Kota Tinggi
Wildlife Reserve, Johore
About 5 hrs drives from Kuala Lumpur. Three
main vegetation types occur, namely beach forest, fresh water swamp forest
and lowland dipterocarp forest, wide variety of birdlife. One of the best
place for forest bird.
6) Endau-Rompin National
Park, Johore
One of the few remaining lowland virgin forests
in Peninsular Malaysia, with rock formations dating back some 248 million
years, Endau-Rompin is mostly hilly with some prominent sandstone plateaus.
It’s about 5 hrs drives from Kuala Lumpur.
7) Kenong Rimba Park, Pahang
Nearest town are Kuala Lipis, about 4 hrs from
Kuala Lumpur. The park offers great adventure such as exploring limestone
caves and river swimming, camping and jungle trekking. For birdwatchers,
dove (Chalcophaps indica), merbah red eye “Pycnonothus Prunneus” and
Copsycus malabaricus,prized for their singing ability can be spotted here.
8) Kuala Gula Bird
Sanctuary, Perak
About 1 hrs south of Penang Island. Kuala Gula
is famous fishing village. From August to April every year, this area
becomes a transit point for water birds from all over the world.
Kuala Gula is also a sanctuary for migratory
and resident waterbirds such as storks, herons, bitterns, rails, gulls,
egrets and terns. About 35 species of these birds are found here. The
globally-threatened Milky Stork and Lesser Adjutant can sometimes be seen
feeding on the mudflats together with Great Egret, Intermediate Egret,
Little Egret, Grey Heron, Chinese Pond-Heron and Little Heron.
Other waterbirds such as Yellow Bittern,
Black-crowned Night-Heron, White-breasted Waterhen and occasionally.
Several species of terns can be seen, including the Whiskered Tern,
White-winged Tern, Common Tern and Little Tern. The Brown-headed Gull is a
regular winter visitor and sometimes many can be seen resting on mudflats.
In Kuala Gula, these wetland-dependent birds
include raptors and kingfishers. Fish-eaters such as the White-bellied
Sea-Eagle, Osprey and Brahminy Kite are a common sight around the waterways,
Ruddy Kingfisher, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher and
Black-capped Kingfisher can be found here.
9) Matang Forest reserve,
Perak
Short distance drive from Kuala Gula or about ½
hr drive from Taipeng, Perak. Another good place for water birds, especially
during the north hemisphere winter migratory season.
10) Royal Belum Forest Reserve
Long drive from
Kuala Lumpur, about 7 hrs driving distance. This is one of the best virgin
forest that hold many good species of wildlife as well as bird life ! Yu can
find 10 different species of hornbill here ! The only place in Malaysia that
you can see all this species
