Borneo: Broadbills and Bristleheads - Birding Tour
Tour Overview:
Borneo is an island that boasts verdant tropical rainforests, rich both in birds and mammals, many of which are only found there. One of the major draw cards is the spectacular endemic birds like Blue-headed Pitta, Whitehead’s Trogon, Bornean Crested Fireback, and the unique Bornean Bristlehead, in a family all of its own. Also within the long list of endemics is one of the smallest raptors on Earth, the tiny White-fronted Falconet, and the shocking green Bornean Leafbird. The Sarawak extension offers shots at the once near-mythical Bornean and Dulit Frogmouths, Black Oriole and Hose’s Broadbilll as well as real shots at Blue-banded and Bornean Banded Pitta and difficult families like Rail-babbler.However, other amazing birds like Rhinoceros and White-crowned Hornbills often steal the thunder from these endemics, as they too are a sight to behold. Borneo boasts an impressive list of 8 species of hornbill alone. The mammals are also reason enough to visit. This is arguably the best country in Southeast Asia for mammal viewing; healthy lists of primates and squirrels are a major feature of this tour, including the “Red Ape”, Bornean Orangutan, and the comical, bulbous-nosed Proboscis Monkey, not to mention the unique Bornean Pygmy Elephant. To add to all of that, Borneo is home to one of the largest flowers on the planet, the Rafflesia. The island boasts both tropical lowland forest parks, and montane forests on the slopes of Mount Kinabalu, the largest mountain between the Himalayas and the island of New Guinea. Thus, while the birder may come for a list of endemic birds that exceeds 40 species, there is plenty to see for the more casual birder-come-general naturalist. By basing the entire tour in the modern Malaysian state of Sabah, we also do this in comfort, with very good accommodations throughout. In particular, the Borneo Rainforest Lodge in Danum Valley, ranks as one of the best lodges in all of Asia.