For those interested, I have come out with an article about the many bird hides of Sabah, located all over North Borneo. This information comes first-hand as the Birdwatching Asia team has personally visited all the hides mentioned in this article. Also, note that some places term this as bird observation stations instead of hides.

Bird hides or bird observation stations have become highly popular among birders, namely photographers, in the last couple of years post-pandemic. More photographers are keen to spend time at these bird hides to observe and get a shot of the rare endemic birds.

Bird Hides of Sabah

Sabah is home to over five main bird hides, and the information provided here will help birdwatchers better plan their trip. Many birders choose to book a birding tour of Sabah, which often includes visits to some bird hides. However, not all packages cover every hide due to logistical considerations and extra costs.

From our recent observations, more birders and photographers are willing to pay more to spot some of Borneo’s endemic birds, especially given their long journey to get here. Below, we share details about Sabah’s bird hides, which are listed in no particular order.

Telupid Bird Hide for Bornean Peacock Pheasant

This is hands down the most famous bird hide in Sabah, where you can see the famous Bornean Peacock Pheasant, which is one of the ultra-endemic birds of Borneo. Visitors come here on a day trip to see and photograph one of the rarest and certainly the least known peacock-pheasant in the world. The local village community manages the hide, helping to create a unique community-based tourism product for Sabah. One needs to travel to Tambunan, spend a night there and arrive at the hide by 7.00 AM to see the pheasant at the Tepupid bird hide.

Telupid Bird Hide for Straw-headed Bulbul

This is another hide located near the same village and by a small wetland pond, and birders come here to spot the beautiful and rare Straw-headed Bulbul, which is not easy to see in the wild. This bird hide is a little tricky as the bulbul comes out simultaneously with the Peacock Pheasant; therefore, you can only choose one unless you spend two nights here to catch both birds.

Telupid Bird Hide for Blue-banded Pitta

A third location is also available for the beautiful Blue-banded Pitta, which many visiting birders and photographers want to see and photograph. However, getting to this hide requires trekking, which is a little longer than the Bornean Peacock Pheasant hide. If you are booking a birding tour, you can ask your bird guide about the hides at Telupid and which ones you want to see.

KK Lee Trusmadi Hide

This hide is probably the best-looking in Sabah and has the complete facilities of a manmade bird hide. KK Lee has put much effort into making the hide comfortable for visiting birders. The star bird here is no other than the Bulwer’s Pheasant (Lophura bulweri), which is highly sought after by many photographers and birders who want to tick this off their list. The KK Lee bird hide is comfortable with a proper male and female bathroom cum shower and a kitchen area with complimentary coffee and tea facilities. Rare and uncommon sub-montane birds are also easily spotted here.

Trusmadi Bird Station Hide

Further up from KK Lee’s bird hide, there is another hide by CP Song, who manages several hides in his vicinity, also targeting the Bulwer’s Pheasant, Red-breasted Partridge and Created Partridge or Roul Roul. Not as swanky as KK Lee, this hide is a little more raw but does offer complimentary coffee and tea with a standard simple bathroom. Apart from the partridges, you can spot some rare and uncommon sub-montane birds here. We made a video for the Trusmadi bird station hide for anyone interested to know what it looks like.

Gunung Alab Hide

A lot of controversy has evolved since late 2024, and this hide at the top of Gunung Alab Substation has now become a hot topic among birders. It was a free hide for birders and photographers who came to photograph the Red-breasted Partridge and Crimson-headed Partridge. Something happened, and now the hide automatically falls under the jurisdiction of the forestry department. Therefore, anyone visiting the Gunung Alab bird hide must pay a small fee before proceeding to the hide up the hill. Read our personal story on birding at the Gunung Alab.

Rainforest Discovery Centre Bird Observation Station

This one is a new bird hide in the Sepilok area of Sandakan, Sabah, and only opened in 2024. The purpose-built bird observation station was created for birders visiting the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC). During my last visit here in October 2024, the star bird was no other than the endemic Sabah Partridge, which was relatively tame and not afraid of visitors. The hide is free to visit and is located along the Pitta Trail at the RDC. Here is an article about the birds of the Rainforest Discovery Centre for anyone interested in learning more.

Danum Valley Bird Observation Station #1

This new bird hide is located in the Danum Valley Conservation Centre, under the management of the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, which was built in 2024. The hide is an observation station where you can see some of the endemic Borneo birds. However, the management is still creating a sustainable method and technique to get the endemic birds to visit the hide, which will take time. On our last visit here in January 2025, some endemics came to Bird Observation Station #1, which was a pleasant surprise. There are currently two bird hides in Danum Valley.

Danum Valley Bird Observation Station #2

The second bird observation station or bird hide at Danum Valley is located way past the famous Danum canopy walk, and this hide is more focused on the Great Argus, which has been seen around the area numerous times. On our last visit here in January 2025, we were shocked when the Great Argus jumped in front of us before we entered the trail to the hide. Eventually, it was unafraid and led the way in while we followed behind at a distance.

Kinabatangan Bird Hide for Giant Pitta

This is the one hide we missed visiting, and it is known to feature the Giant Pitta, a unique and largest of the Pittas. The bird is seasonal and moves around in a vast radius; therefore, it will not respond at certain times, and you can wait for hours for nothing. Our team hopes to revisit this place in 2025 to document it so that birders get a better idea of the Kinabatangan bird hide.

Menara Kayangan Bird Hide

Over in Lahad Datu, there is a place called Menara Kayangan, located on a hilltop just before you turn into Danum Valley. At the top of this hill, there is a location of a bird hide where you can spot the Blue-banded Pitta. However, you need to engage someone who knows this place as a hide netting needs to be set up before the pitta comes visiting. Again, when our team was here in October 2024, it suddenly rained heavily, and we decided to cancel our attempt at finding the Blue-banded Pitta.

KK Wetlands Bird Hide

Many do not know, but there is a bird hide at the KK Wetlands, just 10 minutes out of Kota Kinabalu city, and it is included in the wetland fees you pay to enter. All you need to do is walk along the boarded platform, and it will lead you to the bird hide that overlooks a small wetland pond. Birds spotted here are your regular herons, egrets, kingfishers and several other common birds. But if you are a visiting birder, all these are ‘lifers’ for you. So, if you are short of time, the KK Wetlands bird hide can be a quick fix for you.

Tawau Bird Hide

Known as Subki’s Bird Hide in Tawau, on the east coast of Sabah, this is one of the easiest hides as it is mere metres off the road and does not require trekking into the hide. However, the Blue-banded Pitta was last seen in mid-2024, and when we arrived here in October 2024, there was no sign of the pitta. As of early March 2025, there has not been any news about the re-emergence of the Blue-banded Pitta at the Tawau bird hide.

Bird Hides of Sabah Location Map

Below is a general map of Sabah, showing where the bird hides are. Again, this is just a simple guide map to indicate where some of these bird hides and observation stations are located. Birders or photographers need at least a week to visit some of these hides.

Some hides, like the ones at Danum Valley, are only open to resort guests. Others require pre-booking and planning, as you cannot simply drive there and request to use them. Again, if you need a bird guide service, please get in touch with us, and we can help you arrange this with a local Sabah bird tour company or bird guide.

Conclusion

Birdwatching Asia compiled this list of bird hides in Sabah, as our mission is to promote birding in Sabah and Malaysia to the world. While you may have searched online and landed here, we ask that you share this article with your birding network so that other birders will know.

You can also check out our other article on bird photography locations in Sabah, as we have detailed these places to help birders plan their trips. I appreciate your support in sharing this article. Happy birding!