For those interested in this hobby, there are a few places to go bird-watching in Taman Negara. First, you should know that this rainforest area is one of the oldest in the world, dating back 130 million years.This means you will be doing tropical birding here. The main bird-watching area in Taman Negara is around the park headquarters and its surroundings. However, for serious birders, a few other places are great. In total, over 479 species of birds are recorded in the entire Taman Negara area, based on the last count done in 2018.

If you want to go bird-watching here, you should know that Kuala Tahan is the main gateway into Taman Negara National Park. Kuala Tahan is a small village town that offers accommodations, local restaurants, floating restaurants, tour desks, and convenient shops.

There are no modern cafes, restaurants, shopping malls, ATM machines, or pharmacies here. So, if you need any supplies or special items, ensure you get them before you leave the larger cities.

Visitors will take the boat taxi service across the Tembeling River from Kuala Tahan into the national park. For those interested, read this article on the best way to go to Taman Negara.

A Great Hornbill was seen at the Mutiara Resort.

Birdwatching Places in Taman Negara

Below is a list of birdwatching places in Taman Negara, Pahang, which we have narrowed down for you. Some of these places are very popular, while one is a new spot.

If you are looking for Broadbills, Taman Negara is home to many, which include Green, Banded, and Black-and-yellow Broadbills. And if you are a fan of Barbets, look out for the Gold-whiskered and Red-throated Barbets, which are challenging to spot.

When you are here, your bird guide will most likely take you to the popular ones where you can see the most birds. Again, this all depends on luck, weather, and timing.

Hornbill Valley in Taman Negara, one of the new birdwatching spots here.

The list of birdwatching places in Taman Negara is as follows;

Lata Berkoh (Berkoh Waterfalls)—This is one of the good places to go in the mornings or afternoons. The journey there will allow you to spot many birds. It is a short ride from the central area of Taman Negara.

Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang) is one of the very new areas for bird watching in Taman Negara. Here, you can spot hornbills, barbets, and many other birds.

This location is by the main road, about a 10-minute drive from Kuala Tahan. Your bird guide will drive you to the area where you alight from the vehicle and do bird watching by the road.

The best time is just before 7:00 a.m. and in the late afternoon. On a bird count in April 2017, 173 species of birds were spotted here. One of the star birds is the Helmet Hornbill. The Hornbill Valley in Taman Negara is also gazetted as a conservation area.

Lembah Enggang or Hornbill Valley in the morning.

Taman Negara Forest Loop Trail is the most accessible trail, looping around the back of the Mutiara Resort. The walkway is boarded, so walking without worrying about leeches or bugs on the ground is easy.

Taman Negara Swamp Loop Trail—This is another easy trail at the other end of the resort, which is also boarded. Walking here requires silence to spot the birds in the bush or canopy. A swampy area where birds are often spotted is seen in one section, but you must be silent and slow here.

Tahan Hide Trail—This trail connects to the Forest Loop Trail and takes you to the Tahan Hide, a wildlife lookout point. Along the way, birds are spotted in the canopy and mid-canopy levels.

Jenut Muda Trail – This is one of the most popular and best trails and is relatively easy. The Great Argus Pheasant is often spotted here along with other star birds like the Banded Pitta, Gould’s Frogmouth, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, and many others. Watch for the leeches here, though.

The Taman Negara Canopy Walk.

Canopy Walk Trail – This is one of the active trails from the park to the canopy walk. However, more birds are spotted along the walk than on the canopy walk, as sometimes, many people on the canopy walk distract the birds.

Bukit Teresek Trail – This is the further trail, 2.5 km away from the park quarters. However, the journey here will bear fruit, as many birds have been spotted in the first part of the trail. The unique Crestless Fireback is also spotted on this trail.

Beyond the Batek Orang Asli Village—This requires a boat ride upriver, passing the famous ethnic Batek Orang Asli tribe village. The ride will take about 20 to 30 minutes through mild rapids to a spot upriver. Hornbills, among other birds, are often sighted around here. But to be honest, I have yet to explore this part. Therefore, I will update this once I have visited this spot.

Around the Mutiara Resort—This is the best area for beginners, as you can do some casual birding around the resort grounds. A resident Great Hornbill named Abu is frequently seen in the trees around the resort reception area or the park headquarters area.

A Coucal was spotted along the Tembeling River during a boat trip.

Along the Tembeling River—Usually, when you depart Taman Negara, you will take a two-hour boat ride down the Tembeling River to Kuala Tembeling, where your van transfer will be waiting to take you back to KL.

On this boat ride, you will spot several birds along the river. On my journey back, I spotted broadbills, kingfishers, raptors, swallows, water birds, and others.

The trick is to sit behind the boat nearer to the captain, who can slow the ship down when photographing the birds. And no, he will not stop the boat for you unless you are the only passenger.

Star Birds of Taman Negara

Most birdwatchers or photographers come here searching for the many star birds of Taman Negara. They are primarily found in popular areas, while some require serious trekking. You may not see them all in one trip—perhaps less than half of the birds below.

The list of star birds in Taman Negara is as follows;

Some birds were spotted sitting on a tree along the Tembeling River.

Best Time For Bird Watching in Taman Negara

For the avid birder, there are the best and worst times to watch birds. As an amateur bird watcher, I find the worst times to watch birds to be during school holidays, weekends, public holidays, and the rainy season.

I recommend booking your visit for a weekday, as the best bird guides would be free and there would be very few people around the national park. This way, you can enjoy your birding in Taman Negara without distraction and noise.

One of the chalets at Mutiara Taman Negara.

The golden question for birders. Depending on your budget, there are basic air-conditioned rooms available at the many budget hotels in Kuala Tahan. Even cheaper, there are homestays available. But for optimum relaxation, there is the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort.

The resort is located in the national park where the park headquarters is. This is luxury in the rainforest, and an average room costs around RM350.00 (USD 80.00) per person, but you know you will get a good night’s rest here.

Your second choice would be the general guest houses, which cost around RM120 to RM140 per room. They are basic, with an attached bathroom, hot water, and air conditioning.

What is the Weather in Taman Negara?

Just to get you in the proper attire, the weather in Taman Negara is pretty hot and humid, with temperatures around 74°-88°F (23°-31°C).

Humidity gets high in the late mornings and afternoons, and random showers are possible unless it is rainy from October to January. Birdwatching in Taman Negara is not recommended during the rainy season.

In general, you need to be as comfortable as possible. Shorts, T-shirts, short-sleeved light-material clothes and comfortable hiking or trekking shoes are recommended. A hat is optional, as you will likely be in the rainforest under the canopy.

What to Prepare for Taman Negara?

Just like any other rainforest, you need to have a poncho or raincoat, lots of drinking water, leech socks (if you truly are scared of them), a very basic first aid kit, energy bars, and insect repellent (the local ones, please).

Besides that, you will perspire quite a bit during your walks, so you may need to bring a towel or tissue. If you are lugging a Bazooka lens with a massive tripod, I recommend using a comfortable shoulder pad to carry your gear.

A good pair of binoculars is recommended, as spotting birds in Taman Negara can be tricky due to the thick rainforest. I use the mid-level Omicron Savvy IV HR to spot birds. They are affordable and very easy to use, and I have brought them worldwide.

During my last birdwatching trip to Flores, Indonesia, in late 2016, the binoculars served me well, as I spotted many birds.

Some of the river birds around Taman Negara.

Booking a Bird Watching Tour in Taman Negara

Those interested can contact me to make a booking. I am in contact with one of the local bird tour operators in Taman Negara. There are many other places for birdwatching in Malaysia, and over the years, I have been active birdwatching in Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

This place was an eye-opener for the Peninsular, as the many interesting birds spotted were. You can also read this article for serious birders, which provides a complete list of birding events in Malaysia.

In 2018, I created a dedicated Birdwatching Malaysia website and have put all my birding articles there. Please visit that website if you want to find out more about birding locally.

Conclusion

My recent trip to Taman Negara was with the company above. It was a four-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. I stayed at the Mutiara Taman Negara and explored the many places around here.

This is also my first time bird watching in Taman Negara, and it was a fruitful trip. I spotted several birds. I am planning to go back for another round of birding here, as there are still many places that I want to visit.