I first went birding at the Kinabatangan River back in 2023. That trip opened my eyes to a new type of birding and ended up being incredibly satisfying and memorable. Yet there was plenty more that I missed, and the river still holds many secrets to unlock. Naturally, I was itching at another chance to go birding there again. Watching tv documentaries about the Kinabatangan only served to fan the flames even more.
As fate would have it, this opportunity finally came almost 3 years later, in March 2026. Thanks to the generosity of the good folks running the Sukau Greenview Lodge, I was finally able to experience the mighty river once again.
Birding at the Kinabatangan River: Trip Report
For this trip, I was joined by my regular birding buddy Ashwin. We stayed at the excellent Sukau Greenview Lodge, a mid-range eco-lodge run by locals from the small village of Sukau. During our 5-day stay, our adventures took us along the banks of the Kinabatangan River, the Gomantong Caves, and finally the Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok. Our guide throughout was the affable Mr Braun, one of Sukau Greenview’s senior bird guides.
Exploring The Kinabatangan River
For three days, we explored the river by way of boat cruises. Three cruises per day, morning, afternoon and night. There was a sense of familiarity as we visited the same birding spots I visited 3 years ago. However, never once did I feel bored, as there was always something good to see around each river bend.
Each session had a different flavour. The morning ones often began under chilly conditions, with a veil of mist cloaking the river and forests, almost as if the Kinabatangan River was reluctant to reveal her mysteries. The mist cleared up quickly though, and the riverside forest was soon alive with the sights and sounds of the jungle.
In contrast, the afternoon cruises usually began under the searing sun. Nevertheless, we found that the afternoon sessions were often better for seeing wildlife and large birds (ie hornbills), especially during the final hour of daylight.
The nocturnal cruises, on the other hand, were a completely novel experience for me. Setting off in the darkness was akin to casting off into the unknown and brought a sense of thrill that I found irresistable. For the most part, we didn’t actually see that much. However, the potential of seeing something great kept us on our toes.
Regal Hornbills and Soaring Storks
Birding-wise, the Kinabatangan River duly delivered. The birdlife was spectacular. Stork-billed and Blue-eared Kingfishers seem to stalk every corner, ignoring our presence as they zero in on their aquatic prey. Oriental Darters were numerous, and often seen with just their snake-like neck visible, only to suddenly explode out of the water as our boat neared. And every time we stopped near the banks to listen for birds, the cute Malaysian Blue Flycatchers would approach closely, as if to say hello.
Meanwhile, hornbills would often fly overhead, or spontaneously burst out in their cacophonous calls. We saw 6 out of the 8 possible hornbill species, missing out only on the critically endangered Helmeted Hornbill and the rare (for Kinabatangan) Wreathed Hornbill. Of particular highlight was the normally elusive White-crowned Hornbill. We encountered them 3 times, including once where a male bird joined us for breakfast on the river!
As the air heats up in late morning, we started to see the raptors and storks take to the skies. These stately birds utilize the rising thermals to minimize energy expenditure as they scan the terrain for food. Amongst these high-flyers, the Storm’s Stork was definitely the standout, being one of the must-see birds of the Kinabatangan. These endangered birds are rare elsewhere, and the Kinabatangan River is one of their last strongholds.
After sunset, Buffy Fish-Owls, sleeping kingfishers and night-herons were our most common finds. Additionally, we also saw some good birds including a Black Bittern (rare for Sabah) and a Large Frogmouth.
Orangutans, Crocs and Elephants
While our main objective was birding, being nature lovers we always kept an eye out for non-avian wildlife. The Kinabatangan didn’t disappoint in this regard, either. During our first afternoon cruise, we spied a female Orangutan building her nest. Then, on another afternoon, we spent more than an hour observing a young male Bornean Elephant taking a bath and feeding on the riverbank. Elsewhere along the river, Proboscis Monkeys were commonly encountered, and we even spotted a rowdy romp of otters!
But it was the crocs that captivated me the most. The Kinabatangan River is home to plenty of Saltwater Crocodiles, most of them were rather small but we did spy some 3 metre long individuals. Nothing like the giants regularly seen in Australia, though. Even so, there’s something unnerving about observing an animal that is a known maneater, yet for the most part flee (or submerge) as soon as you get close. Encountering them during our night cruises was even more unsettling, and seeing one slip into the water in the darkness brought out some primal, instinctive fear in me.
Raptor Rumble
On our last afternoon, Mr Braun took us to experience something radically different. In lieu of a cruise, we went to the nearby Gomantong Caves instead. These caves are well-known as one of the most important sources of swiftlet nests, a key ingredient for bird’s nest soup, a highly-prized delicacy. But for us, the attraction of Gomantong was not the swiftlets, but rather the bat exodus, and the numerous raptors preying on them. I’ve seen this event in documentaries before, but nothing could compare with seeing it with my own eyes.
And what a spectacle it was! As soon as the bats exited their cozy cave they were immediately attacked by several species of raptors, who have been patiently waiting to ambush them. Each species had their own special way of preying on the tiny bats. The Wallace’s Hawk-Eagles use their superior power and agility to outmaneuver and snatch the bats in mid-air with their outstretched talons. The Rufous-bellied Eagles, on the other hand, prefer using raw speed to their advantage. Swooping down from above at high velocities, they arrow through the exodus flocks, slowing down just enough to grab an unfortunate bat.
Again and again the raptors attacked, pausing only long enough to eat and resuming the hunt as soon as the first bat had been consumed.
Hunting Hornbills
But it wasn’t just the birds-of-prey that had an interest in the flying mammals. The Oriental Pied-Hornbills living around Gomantong also have a taste for bats! These predominantly frugivorous birds are known to indulge in a bit of carnivory, but hunting bats was a behaviour that was only documented relatively recently. Unlike the agile raptors, the hornbills were too clumsy to chase the bats. Rather, they perched on an exposed branch, and snatched at the bats as they fly past.
Despite the unrelenting aerial assault from the raptors and hornbills, the bats were simply too numerous, and the overwhelming majority successfully made their way past the predator gauntlet to reach their feeding grounds.
Au revoir, Kinabatangan River
The morning of our last day was spent birding along the access road to the Gomantong Caves. Nevertheless, there was still time for lifers, as I ticked-off the Grey-chested Jungle-Flycatcher and also bagged my first ever Ruddy Kingfisher in Malaysia.
After lunch, we said goodbye to our newfound friends at Sukau Greenview, and headed straight for the Rainforest Discovery Centre near Sepilok. Our flight back was at 9 pm, so we had plenty of time to spare. A couple of hours birding at the RDC was certainly better than waiting at the airport. Besides, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see the grail of bornean birds, no matter how slim the chance may be…
A Dream Detour
Despite the odds, one of the first birds we saw after arriving was the Bornean Bristlehead! We were utterly flabbergasted as we spied their brightly coloured heads peeking down on us from the forest canopy. The Bristlehead is notorious for eluding even the most ardent of birders, yet there they were, cavorting right in front of us. Magical was the only word that came to mind.
I’ve seen the Bristlehead before, at Danum Valley in 2025. While nothing can compare with the thrill of the first encounter, this second one was much more satisfying. For one thing, there was no mist. Also, unlike back at Danum, the birds descended low enough to be visible fully, head bristles and all. And most importantly, I was ‘photographically’ prepared this time. I had the right gear, and I made sure I was at the right place to take the shot…
Unfinished Business
Not everything on our trip went as intended, though. Our main target, the Bornean Ground-Cuckoo, eluded us yet again (after coming close at Tabin previously), but certainly not because of lack of trying. We scoured the Menanggol repeatedly yet didn’t hear any of its loud calls. We loitered along the Tenegang and didn’t even get a glimpse. The river, it seems, does not want to reveal all of its secrets to us just yet.
But that is experiencing nature in a nutshell. It can be frustrating yet also immensely rewarding. This unpredictability is what makes birding at the Kinabatangan River so enjoyable in the first place. Not knowing what lies around the next river bend makes every excursion exciting. It makes every bird sighting memorable, every photograph cherished.
Conclusion
Even though it was my second time here, at the end it felt like I’d barely scratched the surface of what the river can offer. Birding at the Kinabatangan River was just as exciting and rewarding now as it was back then. Truly, the river offers an experience unlike anything else in Malaysia. And I can’t wait to come back here again in the future.
