Malayan Night-heron

I have seen the bird in Taipei and Bangkok but it took me a long time to see the bird which has my country’s namesake back in my own backyard.  The Malayan Night-heron (also known as Malaysian Night-heron) Gorsachius melanolophus is a non-breeding visitor to Borneo and can turn up anywhere during winter migration.  This one turned up 3 weeks ago in Tanjung Aru beach near Kota Kinabalu and has been a star bird for local bird photographers.

Special thanks to Quentin Phillipps, author of Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo for letting me know of this bird which had happily installed itself in the garden of the Phillipps’ family residence.