Malaysia is a modern and efficient Asian country that makes a perfect birding destination. First class facilities exist within the extensive network of national parks and nature reserves, throughout the Malaysian Peninsula and the two Malaysian provinces of Borneo.

Habitats range from vast lowland and montane rainforests to rich mangrove swamps and extensive coastal mudflats. Famous birding sites include Fraser's Hill, venue of the legendary annual Bird Race, the grand Taman Negara National Park, Danum Valley, which protects the largest pristine lowland rainforests in South East Asia and fabled Mt Kinabalu.

A rich mix of typical South East Asian birds, peninsula Malaysian specialties and Bornean endemics combine to create superb birding. Expect to see several species of pittas, trogons, kingfishers, woodpeckers and broadbills, as well as leafbirds, ioras, pheasants and aplethora of babblers and bulbuls among others. Star birds include the impressive Great Argus, huge Helmeted and Rhinoceros Hornbills, Maasked Finfoot, Long-tailed Broadbill, Sultan Tit, Garnet, Banded and Blue-headed Pitta and the highly sought-after Bornean Bristlehead.

Mammal watching opportunities include the possibility of finding the old man of the forest, the Orangutan, as well as several species of Gibbons and Leaf-Monkeys. Civet, Leopard, Asian Elephant and Sumatran Rhinoceros occur but are seldom seen.

Text kindly provided by Rockjumper – leading bird tour operators with worldwide destinations including Malaysia.

Blue-headed Pitta

Blue-headed Pitta © Rob Hutchinson - Birdtour Asia

Birding Direct

Showing the 77 Most Recent Trip Reports Posted

Malaysia, Borneo, Sabah - August 3rd - 16th, 2009, author Mike Nelson (added September 3, 2009)
(Sepilok, Kinabatangan, Danum Valley, Mount Kinabalu, Whiteheads Trogon, )

Birding Sabah's Lowland Forests, Malaysian Borneo - 5th - 11th March 2006, author Dave Gandy (added September 27, 2006)
(5 hornbills, 5 broadbills, 5 pittas, Bornean Ground-cuckoo)

Malaysia - Taman Negara, winter records 2008-2011, author Tom Wheatley (added September 24, 2012)

Malaysian Borneo Sabah Aug 2015, author Pritam Baruah (link created September 18, 2015)
(Sepilok, Kinabatangan, Danum Valley, Crocker Range, Kinabalu, Poring, Selingaan Island)

Malaysia, winter sightings 2009-2011, author Tom Wheatley (added September 18, 2012)
(Cameron Higlands)

Malaysia and Singapore - July 13-15, 2010, author Gail Mackiernan (added September 18, 2010)
(Panti Forest Reserve, Jason's Bay, Singapore Botanical Gardens and Kranji Dam, Rail-babbler, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Scarlet-rumped Trogon)

Sabah, Borneo, May - June 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Singapore, Peninsula Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Flores, Rinca and Komodo Islands, 24th May - 4th August 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Malaysia - Kuala Selangor, Bukit Fraser, Taman Negara, January 15th - 24th 1998, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Interior Malaysia and southern Thailand, March - April 1998, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Langkawi Island, Malaysia, 19th - 23rd November 2000, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Sabah, (Peninsular) Malaysia and Southern Thailand, 28th March - 8th May 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Sabah, Malaysia, 12th March - 8th April 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, 12th - 26th August 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004)

Panti Bird Sanctuary, Johor, Malaysia - 30th July – 2nd August 2014 , author Oscar Campbell (link created September 17, 2014)

Trip to Peninsular and East Malaysia - 19th July – 4th August 2012, author Colin and Alison Parnell (added September 1, 2012)

Malaysia, Borneo June - July 2007, author Rich Peter Lindie (added October 5, 2007)

Singapore/Borneo/Peninsula Malaysia/Halmahera & Sulawesi, author Mike Nelson (added October 29, 2013)
(Ivory-breasted Pitta, Satanic Nightjar, Mountain Peacock-Pheasant, Blue-banded PItta)

Borneo, Sulawesi and Halmahera - 4th - 22nd August 2012 , author Daniel Mellegaard Lien (added October 2, 2012)
(Hornbills, Pittas, Standardwing)

Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur - October 10-12, 2009, author Mary Crickmore (added October 18, 2009)
(Fraser's Hill, Black Hornbill, Large Niltava, Lesser Racket-Tailed Drongo, Violet Cuckoo)

Malaysia: Borneo, Sabah - Birding Tour Report September 2022, author Birding Ecotours (added November 8, 2022)
(Bornean Orangutans, Northern (North Bornean) Grey Gibbons, Proboscis Monkeys, Reticulated Python, Helmeted Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Giant Pitta, Whitehead’s Trogon, Whitehead’s Broadbill, Whitehead’s Spiderhunter, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Rufou)

An Introduction to Peninsular Malaysia - April 9th - May 6th 2005, author Paul Jones (added November 7, 2005)
(Malaysia, Kuala Selangor, Fraser's Hill, Terengganu)

Diversity of Borneo’s Endemic Birds, author Surfbirds Admin (added November 30, 2004)

Sabah - July 2007, author Low Bing Wen Albert (added November 26, 2007)
(Kinabatagan River, Mt Kinabalu, Poring Hot Springs, Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve)

Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (Feb-Jun 2009), author Andy Boyce (link created November 17, 2009)

Malaysia Trogonquest VIII November 2023, author Jules Eden (added November 16, 2023)
(Cinnamon-rumped Trogon)

Malaysia, Borneo: September 2018, author Birding Ecotours (added November 11, 2022)
(Bornean Bristlehead, Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Whitehead’s trio (Broadbill, Trogon, and Spiderhunter), Hooded Pitta, Bornean Orangutans, Red Giant Flying Squirrels )

Malaysia 24 Apr 08, author Cheong Weng Chun (link created May 3, 2008)
(bukit rengit, hornbill, trogon, shama, emerald dove,)

Sabah (Borneo) - 16 March to 29 March 2007, author Marc Ameels (added May 23, 2007)
(Mount Kinabalu National Park (MKNP), Lower Kinabatangan River (LKR) and Danum Valley Field Center.)

Malaysia Trip Report March 2013, author Andrew Walker (link created May 21, 2013)
(320 species. Taman Negara, Fraser's Hill, The Gap, Kuala Selangor, Rusty-naped Pitta, Garnet Pitta, Hooded Pitta, Blue-winged Pitta, Banded Pitta, Rail-Babbler, Malaysian Partridge, Gould's Frogmouth, Green Broadbill, Black-and-Yellow Broadbill, Banded Br)

Sabah, Borneo, author Keith Taylor (link created March 17, 2018)
(Kota Kinabalu to Borneo Rainforest Lodge )

Sabah, Borneo - January 9-31, 2018, author Keith Taylor (link created March 14, 2018)

Malaysia, Melaka - March 2008, author Cheong Weng Chun (link created March 14, 2008)
(malaysia, crake)

Birds observed at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (August - December 2005), author Andy Russel Mojiol (added March 1, 2006)
(Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia)

Southeast Asia Mega Tour: Singapore - Borneo - Peninsular Malaysia - Halmahera - Sulawesi - August 9th - September 30th, 2013, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created June 4, 2020)

Sabah, (Northern Borneo) - 31st March - 17th April 2007, author Clare Vernon (added June 3, 2007)
(Mount Kinabalu, Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Danum Valley, Kinabatangan River)

Sabah - 3rd - 17th March 2019, author Pete Aley (added June 18, 2019)
(Danum Valley, Kinabatangan River, Deramakot & Mount Kinabalu. Thirty species of Bornean endemic birds including: Red-breasted & Crimson-headed Partridges, White-fronted Falconet, Bornean Bristlehead, Whitehead’s Trogon & Broadbill)

Sabah, Malaysia: 22 May - 10 June 2014, author Catherine McFadden (added July 5, 2014)
(Sepilok, Danum Valley, Kinabatangan, Kinabalu NP, Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Giant Pitta, Oriental Bay Owl, Whitehead's Trogon, Whitehead's Broadbill)

Borneo - 25th June - 9th July 2016, author Sam Woods/Tropical Birding (link created July 29, 2016)
(Bornean Bristlehead)

Malaysia & Borneo - Rainforest Birds & Mammals I Jun 17, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created July 26, 2017)
(Mountain Peacock-Pheasant, Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Bornean Treepie, Sunda Cuckoo, Golden-whiskered Barbet, Wrinkled Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Black-naped Monarch, Buffy Fish Owl, Black-and-red Broadbill, Grey-bellied Bulbul, )

An Account of Migrating Black Baza in large numbers - Malaysia - 3rd November, 2009, author Tom Wheatley (added July 13, 2014)
(Kuala Selangor Park , Black Baza)

Sabah, Borneo, 9th - 29th April 2007, author Wendy Newnham (link created July 10, 2007)
(written by Wendy Newnham, the team completed by Andy Mears, Jan Wilczur and Chris Wilkinson)

Malaysia-Peninsula and Borneo - 16 May - 11 June, 2010, author Greg Roberts (added July 1, 2010)
(Danum Valley, Crocker Range, Frasers Hill)

Malaysian Borneo - 3rd - 27th February 2020, author McKenzie Mudge (added January 9, 2023)
(Borneo, Sabah, Kota Kinabalu National Park, Rainforest Discovery Center, Kinabatangan River, Danum Valley, Tawau Hills)

Malaysia - Indonesia Aug 2014, author Timothy Boucher (link created January 8, 2015)

Sabah, Malaysia: 12 – 29 March 2005, author Jon Hornbuckle (added January 5, 2008)

Peninsular Malaysia - November - December 2009, author John van der Woude (link created January 25, 2011)
(Fraser's Hill, Panti)

West Malaysia - March 2002, author John van der Woude (link created January 25, 2011)
(Fraser's Hill, Taman Negara, Cameron Highlands, Kuala Selangor)

Malaysia (Peninsula) Aug-Sept 2006, author Frank Derriks (added January 19, 2007)
(The Gap, Fraser's Hill, Taman Negara, Cameron Highlands,Kuala Selangor,Sekinchan,)

Malaysia - Borneo, Sabah and Sarawak, December 1st - 22nd 2004, author David Ferguson (added January 12, 2005)
(Nexus Resort, Royal Mulu Resort, Mulu National Park, Barred Eagle-owl, Savannah Nightjar)

Sabah, Malaysia - 30th November to 16th December 2009, author Andrew Roadhouse (added February 23, 2010)
(Mount Kinabalu, Sepilok, Kinbatangan River and Danum Valley)

A few weeks in Malaysia and Thailand : December 2009 - January 2010, author Colin Reid (added February 23, 2010)
(Fraser's Hill, Selangor, Krabi, Similan Islands, Khao Sok, Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon.)

Expedition to Borneo!, author Alexander Coke Smith (link created December 5, 2011)
(borneo birding kinabatangan danum valey tabin)

Sabah, Malaysia - 25th June - 5th July 2010, author Graham Talbot (link created December 4, 2012)
(Although birding was tough at times and it took a lot of effort to see the birds, we did manage to see all three Whitehead’s and one Whitehead’s Squirrel plus a very good supporting cast, though no Ground Cuckoo.)

Malaysia - 13th July - 7th August 2011, author Dick Meijer and Peter van Scheepen (link created December 2, 2012)
(Birded mainland Malaysia and Sabah with stopover at Fraser's Hill. Also Pulau Tiga to relax.)

Peninsular Malaysia: Custom Tour July-August 2014, author Mike Nelson (link created December 16, 2016)
(Mountain Peacock-Pheasant, Rail-Babbler, Gould's Frogmouth, Malayan Whistling-Thrush, Malaysian Partridge)

Peninsular Malaysia: Genting Highlands October 2014, author Mike Nelson (link created December 16, 2016)
(Mountain Peacock-Pheasant, Rail-Babbler)

Peninsular Malaysia/Sabah: Clean up custom tour March 2015, author Mike Nelson (link created December 16, 2016)
(Mountain Peacock-Pheasant, Rail-Babbler, Crimson-headed Partridge, Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker)

Peninsular Malaysia: Rail-Babbler custom tour April 2015, author Mike Nelson (link created December 16, 2016)
(Rail-Babbler, Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker, Terek Sandpiper, Great Hornbill)

Birding in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo 24th -31st July 2004, author Dave Gandy (added December 15, 2004)

Borneo: Sabah and Sarawak, April/May 2016, author Mike Nelson (link created December 11, 2016)
(Black Oriole, Dulit Frogmouth, Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Hose's Broadbill, Whitehead's Trio)

Borneo: Sabah and Sarawak, November 2015, author Mike Nelson (link created December 11, 2016)
(Giant Pitta, Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Dulit Frogmouth, Black Oriole, Mountain Scops Owl, Grey-breasted Babbler)

Borneo: Sabah and Sarawak, March/April 2015, author Mike Nelson (link created December 11, 2016)
(Black Oriole, Dulit Frogmouth, Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Hose's Broadbill, Whitehead's Trio)

Cambodia custom tour: March 2016, author Mike Nelson (link created December 11, 2016)
(Giant Ibis, White-shouldered Ibis, Bengal Florican, Manchurian Reed Warbler, Cambodian Tailorbird)

Sabah, Borneo - March - April 2010, author Mark Gurney (added December 1, 2012)
(Sepilok, Kinabatangan River, Labuk Bay, Danum Valley, Kinabalu Park, Rafflesia Reserve, Poring Hot Springs)

Kuching, Sabah, Malaysia - 24th July - 1st August 2011, author Oscar Campbell (added December 1, 2011)
(Khubbah, Bako and Guning Gading National Parks, Blue-banded Pitta, Banded and Rufous-collared Kingfishers, Bornean Blue Flycatcher, Chestnut-naped Forktail)

Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia 11-17th November 2007, author Ashley Banwell (added December 1, 2007)
(Bornean Ground Cuckoo (2), Oriental Bay Owl, Short-toed Coucal and a heard only Bornean Frogmouth)

Malaysia - Tasik Kenyir - Nine Hornbill Day - June 18, 22-25 2007, author Paul Jones (added August 30, 2007)
(Hornbills)

Malaysia, Borneo, Sarawak - Family Listing Private Tour for Rail-Babbler & Crested Jayshrike - August 2022 , author Birding Ecotours (added August 26, 2022)
(Malaysia, Borneo, Sarawak, Rail-babbler, Crested Jayshrike, Blue-banded Pitta, Bornean Frogmouth, Oriental Bay Owl, Barred Eagle-Owl, Reddish Scops Owl, Sunda Scops Owl, Mountain Serpent Eagle, Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle, Bornean Barbet, Chestnut-naped Forktail)

Peninsula Malaysia Custom Tour, July 18th-August 3rd, 2014, author Mike Nelson (link created August 24, 2014)
(Fraser's Hill, Taman Negara, Malayan Whistling Thrush, Malaysian Partridge, Mountain and Malaysian Peacock-Pheasant)

Sabah, Borneo - 1st - 19th July 2018, author Luca Feuerriegel (added August 2, 2018)
(Everett's Thrush, Bornean Bristlehead, Malaysian Honeyguide, Whitehead's Trogon, Whitehead's Broadbill, Great Argus, Jambu Fruit Dove, Black-crowned Pitta, Blue-headed Pitta, Crested Partridge, Mt Kinabalu, Poring Hot Springs, Sepilok, Kinabatangan, Danum)

Malaysia - Taman Negara - June 10-16 2007, author Paul Jones (added August 2, 2007)

Birds at Sebatik Island, Tawau (August 2018), author Andy Russel Mojiol (added August 1, 2019)
(Great Egret (Ardea alba), Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotes), Dusky-grey Heron (Ardea sumatrana), Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster), and Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) )

Peninsular Malaysia - 15th - 28th June 2011, author Richard Sutton (added April 9, 2012)
(Fraser's Hill, Taman Negara)

Malaysian Borneo Mar 2010, author Mark Gurney (link created April 6, 2011)
(Mount Kinabalu, Danum Valley, Sepilok, Kinabatangan)

Peninsula Malaysia - 13th - 25th November 2008, author David Steele (added April 27, 2009)

Malaysia and Borneo March 2011, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created April 12, 2012)