Fraser’s Hill is an excellent birdwatching destination. The combination of cool climate, species diversity, and easily accessible birding locations makes birding here easy and rewarding. Although it’s possible to bird anywhere here, several birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill deserve special mention.

This article series aims to provide useful information on these birding hotspots for birders, especially first-timers to Fraser’s Hill. 

Birdwatching Locations at Fraser’s Hill – Part 2

The second part of this article series will focus on birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill at a lower elevation than Fraser’s Hill proper. These are:

1. The Gap – 900m above sea level (asl)
2. Old Gap Road – 900m to 1200m asl
3. New Gap Road – 1200m to 900m asl
4. Jeriau Waterfall Road – 1200m to 1000m asl

Fraser’s Hill itself is between 1200 m to 1300+ m asl (roughly).

Birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill – Location 1: The Gap

‘The Gap’ refers to the layby and rest area at the foot of the Old Gap road leading up to Fraser’s Hill. All vehicles going to Fraser’s Hill will pass this area. Back in the old days, the Old Gap Road up to Fraser’s Hill was two-way. Vehicles are only allowed to pass up or down at certain times. The Gap layby was where vehicles would wait for their turn to go up the hill. 

Now, the Gap is one of the best birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill. Since it’s located at an elevation of 900 m asl, a mix of lowland and sub-montane species frequent the area. This includes uncommon species such as the Collared Babbler and Bamboo Woodpecker. 

How to go Birdwatching at The Gap:

The Gap is about 31 km from Kuala Kubu Bharu (KKB) and 8 km from Fraser’s Hill. 

• You can start birdwatching here while on the way up to Fraser’s Hill. This allows you to take a break from the winding drive from KKB. Spend 1-2 hours here before continuing birding up the Old Gap Road. 
• If you’re already at Fraser’s Hill, drive down to the Gap via the New Gap road.
• If possible, arrive early in the morning (before 8 a.m.), as that’s when bird activity is at its best.
• Ample parking and a public toilet are present.

Be aware:

• This spot is popular with noisy motorcycle convoys on weekends (so arrive early before they do). 
• Long-tailed Macaques roam the area. Please don’t feed them, and keep your belongings secure in your vehicle.

Birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill – Location 2: Old Gap Road

This road leads from the Gap up to Fraser’s Hill. The road is about 8 km long and strictly one-way up for road traffic. It traverses pristine lower montane forest, with an elevation difference of 300 metres. This elevational change allows birders to observe the gradual change of lowland/submontane species to montane species. Therefore, it’s one of the best birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill.

How to go Birdwatching at The Old Gap Road:

• While the road is quite narrow, several laybys are wide enough to park a car. Therefore, the most popular way to bird this road is drive-and-stop birding. Park at a suitable layby, then walk up/down while looking for birds. Repeat!
• More adventurous/fit birders can consider walking up/down the road from Fraser’s Hill or the Gap. While you may not cover as much area, you won’t have to worry about parking space! Moreover, the road isn’t too steep.
• Most birders will combine this road with birding at the Gap.
• Similarly to ‘the Gap’, birding here is best done in the morning.

Be aware:

• Make sure you park your vehicle properly to avoid blocking other road users.
• Don’t go too far from your vehicle in case you need to move to allow other vehicles to pass. Big tour buses occasionally use this road.
• Be wary of the road traffic going up.

Location 3: New Gap Road

This road is similar to the Old Gap Road, but it  leads down instead. It starts just after the Indian school and ends at the Gap, a distance of about 8 km. All road traffic going down from Fraser’s Hill will pass this road.

One highlight of birding along this road (in my opinion) is to hear the change of barbet calls. As you go further down the road, the barbet calls change from the montane species to the lowland ones. The order is roughly the following:

Fire-tufted Barbet & Black-browed Barbet → Gold-Whiskered Barbet → Red-throated Barbet →  Black-eared Barbet → Yellow-crowned Barbet.

How to go Birdwatching at The New Gap Road:

• Drive-and-stop birding. There are several laybys wide enough to park a vehicle. The road is generally wider than the Old Gap Road.
• Alternatively, park at the Indian school and walk down for about 1-2 km. Of course, you’ll have to walk back up, but the incline is very manageable.
• Again, the best time would be in the early morning. It gets quite hot around noon, and unlike the rest of Fraser’s Hill, there’s limited shade here.

Be aware:

• Be wary of the road traffic going down. There’s less traffic early in the morning, as most visitors leave Fraser’s around noon.
• Troops of Pig-tailed Macaques roam the road. They can get aggressive, especially when food is around. Never feed them.

Target Species – for The Gap, Old Gap Road and New Gap Road:

All three locations share a similar mix of lowland, submontane and lower montane species. As you go up the Old Gap Road, you’ll start to encounter more montane species typically seen at Fraser’s Hill proper. Conversely, lowland species will become more prevalent as you go down the New Gap road. 

Look out for the following birds (this list isn’t exhaustive):

1. Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle
2. Yellow-vented Green-Pigeon – a rare submontane pigeon. Search for them if there are fruiting trees present.
3. Red-bearded Bee-Eater
4. Orange-breasted Trogon
5. Bamboo Woodpecker
6. Speckled Piculet
7. Rufous-bellied Swallow
8. Collared Babbler – an uncommon submontane species.
9. Marbled Wren-Babbler – a rare resident that may be encountered along the Old Gap Road. Listen out for its distinctive song.
10. Black Laughingthrush
11. Hill Blue Flycatcher
12. Pin-tailed Parrotfinch – only when there’s seeding bamboo present.

Location 4: Jeriau Waterfall Road (Jalan Air Terjun)

This road starts from the food court area and heads to the Jeriau Waterfall, about 4 km away. The waterfall used to be one of the best birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill, especially to photograph the Silver-breasted Broadbill. Unfortunately, the waterfall is currently closed indefinitely. 

How to go Birdwatching at Jeriau Waterfall Road:

• Use ‘Jeriau Waterfall’ as the landmark for navigation apps.
• There are very few laybys along this road, so drive-and-stop birding is less feasible but still possible.
• One option is to drive all the way down to the waterfall, park there, and walk up 1-2 km. The incline is not steep, which is very manageable, especially at birding speed.
• Another way is to walk down and back up. There may be some space to park at the campsite (near Ye Olde Smokehouse) or near the water treatment plant. 

Be aware:

• The two-way road is winding and relatively narrow, with some blind corners. Drive slowly and honk near the bends. Thankfully, traffic along this road is minimal.
• Some sections of the road have been repaired after several landslides over the last two years.

Target birds:

The birds here are similar to the previous locations due to a similar altitudinal change. In addition to the species above, look out for the following birds:

1. Malaysian Eared-Nightjar – you can see them flying over the waterfall carpark at sunset.
2. Black Eagle
3. Silver-breasted Broadbill may still be seen along the road.
4. Blyth’s Paradise-Flycatcher
5. Slaty-backed Forktail
6. Ochraceous Bulbul
7. Sultan Tit
8. Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher
9. Many montane species seen at Fraser’s Hill proper also occur here—for example, the Long-tailed Broadbill and Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo.

If you’re short on time, skip this location completely. Other birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill are more rewarding, especially since the waterfall itself is closed.

More information:

• Birding locations around Fraser’s Hill – part 1. This article highlights the three main birding areas at Fraser’s Hill proper.
• Want to go birdwatching along the jungle trails around Fraser’s Hill? Check out the third part of this article series.
• For an overview of birdwatching at Fraser’s Hill, head over to my ‘Birdwatching at Fraser’s Hill‘ article. 
• To get information on some of the birds seen at Fraser’s Hill, check out my ‘Birds of Fraser’s Hill’ article series.

Conclusion

These birdwatching locations at Fraser’s Hill provide opportunities to observe a nice mix of lowland, submontane and montane species. Moreover, some highly sought-after submontane species may be seen here as well. Certainly, these lower elevation locations should be part of any birdwatcher’s itinerary when visiting Fraser’s Hill.