HINTS FOR BIRDERS
Birdwatching in dense forest can be frustrating.To improve your chances:
• Stop and wait quietly for birds to come to you.
• Be alert for sound and movement
• Check fruiting/flowering forest trees.
• Check riverbanks, ponds, salt licks
• Wear neutral-coloured clothing
• ‘Keep quite
• Early morning is the best time for birds
BIRDWATCHING
First-time birdwatchers in Taman Negara often get very excited about the bird numbers they expect to find in the rainforest environment. However, it should be remembered that birdwatching is not easy in the dense rainforest and birdwatchers need to be quiet, patient and alert. On trails it is often best to pause for a while and wait quietly for the birds to come to you. A seemingly silent forest can suddenly come to life when a mixed feeding party passes through.
Most birdwatchers will already know exactly what is required to make the most of their pastime. For those with just a passing interest, binoculars and a good field guide are essential. Binoculars with 7 times magnification are generally adequate for Taman Negara. Telescopes are more powerful but can be hard to use in the forest. To identify species back at camp, a note book is useful to record identifying features such as size, colour, habitat, time of day, location etc.
Look for birds where they drink or feed, such as on any fruiting or flowering forest trees. The riverbanks, ponds and salt licks are another good location. Some of the best trails are those to Bukit Teresek (Crestless Fireback Pheasant, Argus Pheasant, pittas and Malaysian Rail Babbler), Sungai Tahan (Lesser Fish-eagle, Black and Red Broadbill and Masked Finfoot), Gua Telinga(swiftlets and White-crowned Forktail), the open banks opposite the TNR (Black-thighed Falconer) and the boat journey from Tembeling to Kuala Tahan (eagles, kingfishers, swifts and swallows).
Operators like Kingfisher Tours (see Address Book) offer special trips for birders.
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