The following is a list of birds from the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia seen on 5 or 6 seperate one week visits in the winters (October to March) of 2009 – 2011.
#### Added note (October 2012): A friend of mine has recently told me that the forests in the Cameron Highlands are being cleared at an alarming rate, and some of the trails are no longer accessible. Ask at your guesthouse for the latest details. ####
Food and Lodging
With an altitude of 1000 – 2000 meters above sea level, the Cam-Lands offer lots of hiking trails, and is an inexpensive birding alternative to Frasier’s Hill. There is a plethora of accommodation and restaurants in the main village of Tanah Rata.
The Twin Pines Guesthouse has little attic rooms for $US4/night, but you can’t stand up straight without bonking your head.
Transport
Getting here by bus is dead easy. If your not a hiker, it is possible to hire a vehicle and drive to the highest summit, Gunung Brinchang. You can also do a "Big Sit" at Tan's Camilla Garden at the southern end of Tanah Rata Village, a keen birding spot.
Grab a map from any guesthouse, buckle up your boots and go birding!
The rivers have become overrun with garbage and excess fertilizer/pesticdes over the years, don't drink the water or you may grow a third arm. Avoid visits during major Malaysian holidays.
NOTABLE BIRD SIGHTINGS
Green Broadbill - seen near the summit of Brinchang (2000M), this species well above its normal altitude.
Brown Bullfinch – observed for some time at the boardwalk near summit of Brinchang.
Cutia – On the steep hike up to Gunung Jasar around the 1500M altitude, look for it’s habitat.
Sultan Tit – this species seen as high as 1350 M near Robison Waterfall Trail 9.
FULL SPECIES LIST
Many of these species are being split, and names may have changed.
PHEASANT
Mountain Peacock Pheasant (Trail 4/5...The occasional snare trap is still found)
LAUGHINGTHRUSHES AND BABBLERS
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Split, now Malayan)
Black Laughingthrush (Trail 9)
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
Grey-throated Babbler
Golden Babbler
Rufous-fronted Babbler
Large Scimitar Babbler
Streaked Wren Babbler
Cutia
Black Eared Shrike Babbler
White-browed Shrike Babbler (Split?)
LAKE BIRDS
Little Heron
Purple Heron (Lake)
Pond Heron
Little Egret
White breasted Waterhen
STREAM BIRDS
Common Sandpiper
Slatyback Forktail
UGLY BIRDS
Large-billed Crow (now split?)
Common Myna
SHRIKES AND SUCH
Brown Shrike
Tiger Shrike
Barwinged Flycatcher Shrike
Javan Cuckooshrike
THRUSHES
Siberian Thrush
Blue Whistling Thrush
Malayan Whistling Thrush
FLYCATCHERS
Little Pied Flycatcher
Pygmy Blue flycatcher
Pale Blue Flycatcher
Grey headed Canary Flycatcher
Asian Paradise Flycatcher(White Morph)
Ferriginous Flycatcher
Snowy browed Flycatcher
Blue and White Flycatcher
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Rufous browed Flycathcer
Mugimaki Flycatcher
RAPTORS
Black Kite
Black-thighed Falconet
Black Eagle
Oriental Honey Buzzard
Blyth's Hawk Eagle
Japanese Sparrowhawk
White-bellied Sea Eagle (Lake)
Crested Serpent Eagle
DOVES
Mountain Imperial Pigeon
Emerald Dove
Spotted Dove
Rock Dove
Little Cuckoo Dove
BULBULS
Yellow vented Bulbul
Black Crested Bulbul
Stripe Throat Bulbul
Ochracous Bulbul
Mountain Bulbul
CUCKOOS
Large Hawk Cuckoo
Oriental Cuckoo
MIXED COLORFUL BIRDS
Red Headed Trogon
Orange-bellied Leafbird
Sultan Tit
Asian Fariy Bluebird
Grey Chinnned Minivet
Large Niltava
Rufous-vented Nitava
Rufous-winged Fulvetta
Mountain Fulvetta
Chestnut –tailed Minla
Bluewinged Minla
Silver Eared Mesia
Long-tailed Sibia
Green Billed Malkoha
Common Green Magpie
Magpie Robin
White-tailed Robin
Lesser Shortwing
Blue Nuthatch
ORIOLES AND DRONGOS
Black and Crimson Oriole
Blacknapped Oriole
Black Drongo
Lesser Raquet-tailed Drongo
OWLS
Collared Owlet
BARBETS, WOODPECKERS AND ALLIES
Long-tailed Broadbill (just once in a birdwave near Parit Falls)
Green Broadbill
Golden-throated Barbet
Black-browed Barbet
Fire tufted Barbet
Speckled Piculet
Greater Yellownape
Lesser Yellownape
Bay Woodpecker
FLUTTER-ABOUT BIRDS
Glossy Swiftlet
Forktailed Swift
House Swift
Pacific Swallow
Barn Swallow
BOUNCY-TAIL BIRDS
Gray Wagtail
Paddyfield Pipit
Whitethroated Fantail
WARBLERS
Mountain Leaf Warbler
Yellow bellied Warbler
Chestnut crowned Warbler
Yellow breasted Warbler
Arctic Warbler
LITTLE WEE BIRDS
Common Tailorbird
Mountain Tailorbird
Black-throated Sunbird
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Yellow Eared Spiderhunter
Streaked Spiderhunter
Thick-billed Spiderhunter
Everetts White Eye
Brown Bullfinch
Scaly-breasted Munia
White rumped Munia
Eurasian Tree Sparrow