One of the beautiful birds in Sabah is the Blue-headed Pitta I photographed at Maliau Basin some years ago. Most birders or bird watchers worldwide have a pitta list, one of the birds they would love to see or photograph.
Over at Maliau Basin Conservation Area in Sabah Borneo’s middle, one has an excellent chance to spot the Blue-headed Pitta. And the best part is that it is usually seen around the Agathis Camp, a short trek from the base camp of Maliau.
Blue-headed Pitta Maliau Basin Sabah
Endemic to Borneo, Pitta hunters worldwide must visit this unique island and head to the Malaysian state of Sabah in the North. The photo shows a beautiful male Blue-headed Pitta standing in the open grassy area around the Agathis Camp when I visited some years ago.
This medium-sized bird usually spends a lot of time on the ground in lowland areas. Though Pitta’s are not easy to come by, over here in Maliau Basin, it is quite common to spot. Habitats usually are the primary forest, but they are often spotted in secondary forests.
The male has bright plumage, a distinctive bright blue crown, black cheeks, and a white throat. The Female is more buff-coloured with a hint of blue at the tail area.
Where To See Blue-headed Pittas in Sabah?
There are several places around Borneo where you can spot the Blue-headed Pitta, and they are;
Sabah
- Kabali-Sepilok Forest Reserve
- Kinabatangan River
- Sukau
- Tabin Wildlife Reserve
- Danum Valley Conservation Area
- Maliau Basin Conservation Area
- Kalabakan Forest Reserve
- Tawau Hills Park
- Ulu Merutai Besar (Tawau)
Sarawak
- Gunung Mulu National Park
- Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary
Brunei
- Sungai Rampayoh
- Labi
- Ulu Temburong National Park
Conclusion
This is probably the only time that the Blue-headed Pitta was comfortable in the open and allowed me to photograph it from a distance of 10 meters away. Usually, when I look for Pitta’s, it’s not as easy as this one, and to date, I have never had the opportunity to see one so quickly.
You will also need to engage a local bird guide for this, and there are some specialist bird guides available in Sabah, who speak good English, Mandarin and some even Japanese or other languages.
