Borneo Birds

If you are visiting Mt Kinabalu between February and April, you would most likely hear the 3 note call of the Sunda Cuckoo Cuculus lepidus.  Reduced vocalisation during the other months of the year makes it more challenging  to look for then, even though it is a common resident here.  It used to be lumped together with Oriental Cuckoo but is now a species on its own, based on differences in size, call and plumage.

The big question is this – is it a resident bird?  From time to time, over quite a number of years now, local colleagues and visiting birders alike have reported seeing this bird, the Long-tailed Shrike, along the road between Kundasang and Mesilau on the eastern slopes of Mt Kinabalu.  Yours truly, contented and having seen this species, Lanius schach schach in Vietnam and L. s. tricolor in India never made an effort to check this bird in his backyard.  Yesterday, armed with info from a friend who said he had been seeing it regularly and because it was raining higher up the mountain, I finally decided it was time to meet this beast.

Saw it, got pictures of it, and was left suitably perplexed by it.  The black cap of this shrike was all black and reminded me of the tricolor but didn’t quite fit the description.  It was much later that I was able to look at a field guide and there it was, L. s. nasutus. The only problem was that it was supposed to be a Philippine endemic sub-species.

Most of the natural vegetation around Kundasang have been thrashed by vegetable farming.  Having lose the native forest, a lot of the land is now grassland.  Environmental concerns aside, this new “open farm and grass”  habitat is almost asking for visiting grassland dwelling species to stay.   Perhaps there is going to be a problem for the local residents ( Yellow-bellied Prinia first to mind), as this Long-tailed Shrike is quite an aggressive bird.

Grassland found in the Kundasang-Mesilau area

This L. s. nasutus will definitely delight you with continuous chirping song.  Will it stay?

Thanks to Andy.

Little Pied Flycatcher male

Here’s a common montane species you never get tired of.  The Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni is found in all levels of the forest as well as the edges of clearings.  Its behavior is typical of flycatchers while its tendency to perch on the same spot makes it a favourite with photographers.  Its call reminds me of a popular mobile phone ringtone.  Definitely one of my favourites.

The Black-sided Flowerpecker Dicaeum monticolum is one of 2 endemic flowerpeckers in Borneo.  It is a common montane species and can be seen easily in Mt Kinabalu and other mountain ranges.  Around Kinabalu Park Headquarters, it is often seen feeding on the ripe berries of the Pink Medinella.  When in flight, it announces itself with a series of metallic zit calls.

I took the picture of this White-throated Fantail in Mt Kinabalu so I suppose it should be Rhipidura a. kinabalu but I really have a problem with the white throat.  By all accounts it should have a white throat and chin but all the birds of this species that I have seen seem to have black chin.  Perhap my vision is blurred by the constant motion of the bird but have a second look at the picture.