Malaysia
Malaysia is divided between the Malay Peninsula and northern Borneo, separated by the South China Sea. Its landscapes range from lowland tropical rainforest, mangroves and peat swamps to extensive mountain forests, plantations and limestone karst. Peninsular Malaysia has a mountainous interior surrounded by densely populated coastal lowlands, while Sabah and Sarawak contain some of Southeast Asia's largest remaining forest landscapes. Mount Kinabalu, rising to 4,095 metres in Sabah, creates a dramatic sequence of habitats from tropical forest to alpine vegetation. Malaysia has an equatorial climate with high temperatures and humidity throughout the year, while rainfall patterns vary according to the northeast and southwest monsoons.
Overview
Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia's premier destinations for tropical forest birds, especially hornbills, pittas, broadbills, trogons and babblers. Peninsular highlights include Taman Negara, Fraser's Hill and the forests of Pahang, while Malaysian Borneo adds exceptional diversity and numerous endemics. Mount Kinabalu is particularly important for Bornean specialties such as Whitehead's Trogon, Whitehead's Broadbill and Mountain Black-eye, while Danum Valley and Kinabatangan provide outstanding lowland birding for hornbills, pittas and raptors. Sabah has especially well-developed nature-tourism infrastructure, including specialist guides and rainforest lodges. Peninsular Malaysia is also straightforward to explore by road. A comprehensive trip requires flights between the peninsula and Borneo, but Malaysia's combination of excellent infrastructure, accessible reserves and rich Sundaic birdlife makes it one of tropical Asia's most approachable major birding destinations.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier | 30.0% | 34.1% | 34.4% | 30.8% | 30.9% | 29.5% | 27.5% | 26.7% | 27.6% | 27.9% | 28.1% | 30.0% | 33.0% |
| Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis | 27.7% | 27.0% | 30.0% | 28.5% | 29.8% | 31.6% | 32.5% | 28.2% | 27.4% | 26.1% | 23.3% | 23.1% | 25.0% |
| Pacific Swallow Hirundo javanica | 27.4% | 24.1% | 26.4% | 28.1% | 28.2% | 28.4% | 31.5% | 31.2% | 28.4% | 28.1% | 26.7% | 23.3% | 24.7% |
| Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis | 24.1% | 25.4% | 24.8% | 23.2% | 24.5% | 24.2% | 23.7% | 23.5% | 23.4% | 23.3% | 24.1% | 24.5% | 25.0% |
| Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis | 22.2% | 27.9% | 24.1% | 20.1% | 21.0% | 20.3% | 18.2% | 18.4% | 19.2% | 21.0% | 21.8% | 25.4% | 29.3% |
| Zebra Dove Geopelia striata | 21.2% | 25.8% | 22.5% | 18.8% | 19.7% | 20.2% | 19.2% | 18.2% | 20.0% | 20.8% | 20.4% | 23.0% | 26.1% |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus | 20.1% | 21.1% | 22.6% | 21.7% | 21.4% | 20.5% | 20.2% | 20.2% | 19.5% | 18.9% | 18.5% | 17.5% | 18.9% |
| Javan Myna Acridotheres javanicus | 20.1% | 23.6% | 22.5% | 20.4% | 21.2% | 21.4% | 19.2% | 17.4% | 17.0% | 16.7% | 17.7% | 20.1% | 23.5% |
| Plume-toed Swiftlet Collocalia affinis | 15.7% | 11.9% | 14.1% | 17.9% | 17.0% | 17.0% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 17.8% | 16.2% | 16.0% | 10.5% | 10.8% |
| White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis | 14.9% | 19.5% | 16.4% | 12.6% | 13.7% | 14.0% | 10.7% | 10.2% | 11.7% | 13.2% | 14.2% | 18.9% | 23.9% |