Birding in Borneo: A Journey into the Heart of the Wild
By Rajiz
The first time I heard the haunting whoop of a gibbon echo through the Bornean rainforest, I froze mid-step, binoculars still in hand, heart pounding—not from fear, but awe. The air was thick with mist, the canopy overhead alive with movement and mystery. Somewhere above me, a Rhinoceros Hornbill flapped its prehistoric wings through the trees, its profile momentarily etched against the jungle light.
Welcome to Borneo—a living Eden where birding becomes something far more profound than a hobby.
Into the Green Cathedral
Borneo is the kind of place where the word “lush” suddenly feels inadequate. The forests are ancient, layered, and loud. Every rustle, chirp, and distant hoot sends a jolt of curiosity through your spine. For birders, it’s the ultimate pilgrimage site: over 650 species, including more than 50 endemics. Some, like the Bornean Bristle-head, are almost mythical—so unique, they belong to their own bird family.
I spent most of my time chasing feathers across Sabah, the Malaysian state in northern Borneo. My journey took me from the cloud forests of Kinabalu Park to the primeval depths of the Danum Valley, and finally to the more remote Deramakot Forest Reserve—each a jewel in the crown of Southeast Asian birding.
Kinabalu: Birds on the Roof of Borneo
At dawn in Kinabalu Park, the sky turns soft silver as the mountain breathes clouds into the sky. Here, I spotted my first endemic: the Flavescent Bulbul, soon followed by a Whitehead’s Broadbill glowing neon green in the dim understory. The trails were steep and often slick, but every step brought the promise of a lifer.
It’s not just about the birds, though. There’s something almost spiritual about walking beneath trees that have stood for centuries, knowing they shelter creatures found nowhere else on Earth.
Danum Valley: Where the Wild Still Rules
If Kinabalu was magical, Danum Valley was mythical. No paved roads, no phone signal—just raw, dense wilderness. One morning, while scanning the canopy from a 26-meter-high tower, a pair of Great Argus pheasants began their otherworldly call. By night, I joined a local guide to search for owls—scoring a sighting of the Barred Eagle-Owl under a starlit sky.
Here, the birding felt like discovery. Each hour in Danum offered rare encounters, from Bornean Spider-hunters to the show-stopping Black-and-crimson Pitta.
Deramakot: Off the Beaten Track
Deramakot isn’t on every birder’s itinerary—but it should be. It’s a working forest, sustainably logged, and teeming with life. At night, under the beam of a spotlight, we watched a Brown Wood Owl glide silently across a clearing. One late morning, while walking a quiet trail flanked by towering dipterocarps, I caught a flash of deep blue and copper striding confidently through the undergrowth: a Bornean Crested Fireback. Its iridescent plumage shimmered as it moved, head crowned with its namesake crest, tail feathers fanned in understated glory. It paused, looked back at me as if sizing me up, then melted into the forest’s shadow.
Moments like that aren’t just sightings—they’re encounters. They stay with you
What makes this place special is the silence. No crowds, no noise—just the forest, doing what it has done for millennia.
More Than a Checklist
Birding in Borneo changed the way you travel. You will learn patience, presence, and how to listen—not just with ears, but with the heart. You don’t just see birds here; you share their space, however briefly, in a world that’s increasingly rare.
Local guides were key to the journey. Their stories, fieldcraft, and deep respect for the land turned every trek into a lesson—not just in birding, but in coexistence.
Final Reflections
I leave this blog with renewed appreciation for Borneo’s ecological treasures and a deeper commitment to conservation education. Each guest departs with not just a list of lifers but, I hope, a sense of awe and responsibility to protect the natural world. In that sense, this journey has been more than a tour; it has been a shared mission. Borneo gets under your skin. Its birds, its people, its untamed beauty—they stay with you.
If you ever get the chance, pack your boots, your binoculars, and a wide-open heart. Borneo is waiting.
lostborneo travel blog 