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Highlights from Borneo: Sabah

Our Borneo birding tour took us from the misty montane forests of Kinabalu to the steamy lowlands of Danum Valley, delivering a rich variety of habitats and birdlife. 

At Trus Madi, we had a brilliant start with Crested Partridge and Bulwer’s Pheasants, while Kinabalu Park gave us stunning views of Whitehead’s Trogon and other endemic montane species, including the tiny but feisty Bornean Stubtail.

Crested Partridge
Crested Partridge
Susan Myers
Whitehead's Trogon
Whitehead's Trogon
Susan Myers
Bornean Stubtail
Bornean Stubtail
Susan Myers
Yellow-eared Spiderhunter
Yellow-eared Spiderhunter
Susan Myers

We continued east to Sepilok, where the canopy walkway offered close encounters with Rhinoceros Hornbill, Black Hornbill, and the musical Bornean Black Magpie. Boat trips along the Kinabatangan yielded Storm’s Stork, Wrinkled Hornbill, and excellent looks at White-crowned Hornbill.

Rhinocerus Hornbill
Rhinocerus Hornbill
Susan Myers
Storm's Stork
Storm's Stork
Susan Myers
White-crowned Hornbill
White-crowned Hornbill
Susan Myers

Tabin provided great lowland birding, plus night drives with Buffy Fish-Owl, Barred Eagle-Owl, and a superb Leopard Cat. In Danum, we explored forest trails and canopy walkways, turning up Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Violet Cuckoos and a memorable sighting of Black-crowned Pitta.

Leopard Cat
Leopard Cat
Susan Myers
Black-crowned Pitta
Black-crowned Pitta
Susan Myers

The trip was a rewarding mix of iconic species, challenging conditions, and classic Bornean birding—from trogons to tailorbirds, mud to magpies, leeches to lifers.