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Borneo Bird Festival 2022 Prepares to Take Flight
30 July 2022 | Written by Chris Alexander

Tourism Malaysia have confirmed the long-awaited return of one of Southeast Asia’s biggest and best birdwatching events: the Borneo Bird Festival. After a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid pandemic, the festival is finally back. The main event will take place from 22-23 October this year, at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, Sabah.

The event will feature a wide range of activities and attractions, including various talks, exhibitions and workshops. As part of a special bird camp, there will also be fun competitions for participants to get involved in, such as a bird race and a bird photo race. For bird lovers of all ages and levels of knowledge, the event is sure to provide an unforgettable and enlightening experience.

In an official statement, Tourism Malaysia noted that Sabah is “undoubtedly one of the top birding destinations in Malaysia…the tourism board and local community have developed an excellent infrastructure that caters to nature lovers, birders and bird photographers.”

Working in collaboration with Sandakan Borneo Bird Club, Tourism Malaysia Sabah have created a special bird watching guide map, to help visitors explore and understand the amazing array of ornithological wonders Borneo has to offer.

“This fun bird watching guide highlights all the popular birding locations around Sabah, including the world heritage site Kinabalu Park, Kinabatangan Floodplains, Danum Valley, and the Tabin and Sepilok forests,” said Tourism Malaysia Sabah director Ednie Rahma Ab Rahim during the launch of the guide at RDC on 10 July. “It also provides information about each of the sites, the birds that can be seen there, trails, accommodation and how to get there,” she added.

The Borneo Bird Festival has been around for more than a decade and is currently Borneo’s only major birdwatching event. For avid photographers and bird lovers the world over, it is a major highlight in the calendar and a regular feature on travellers’ bucket lists.

There are 66 endemic species found only in Borneo, including the Bornean bristlehead, blue-headed pitta, Bornean ground cuckoo, Whitehead’s trogon, Whitehead’s spiderhunter and the crimson-headed wood-partridge.

Borneo Bird Festival 2022 will be held Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok, Sandakan (Malaysian Borneo) on Saturday, 22 October and Sunday, 23 October 2022. Activities will be held from 7 AM until 5 PM on both days. For more information, email borneobirdclub@gmail.com, or contact us to arrange a tour.