In the birdwatching industry, bird hides (or blinds) are big business around the globe. Here in Malaysia, it is certainly getting more and more popular, with Sabah being foremost in this regard. Well-known bird hides around Sabah include the Trusmadi hides, Telupid BPP hide, Gunung Alab hides, and several more. And now, birders can look forward to visiting two new ones, at the world-famous Danum Valley no less! These two new Danum Valley bird hides are built and operated by the prestigious Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

Article updated in April 2026 with new information

Danum Valley Bird Hides at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge

In January 2025, Birdwatching Asia was invited to experience the award-winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) in Danum Valley. Our primary mission was to cover the birdwatching experience there, especially the two new bird hides that were built there only recently. 

The two hides, or Bird Observation Stations (BOS), are:

• Danum Bird Observation Station
• Takala Bird Observation Station

It is important to note that these two Danum Valley bird hides are still rather new, as they were built in late 2024. Therefore, these hides are not attracting birds regularly just yet. This process is gradual, and thus will take some time.  Nevertheless, as of April 2026, these hides are now already regularly attracting various rainforest birds, including some highly-prized species.

Hide features

Both hides are identical in configuration and size, and can fit about 6-8 persons. Both are primarily made out of wood, and built with eco-friendliness in mind. Features include:

• Full roof cover, affording protection from the rain
• Simple attached restroom with a sitting toilet. The flush water comes from a rainwater collection tank.
• Solar powered fan
• Camouflaged wall and viewing ports.
• Plastic sitting chairs
• Shelf and table to put personal belongings and camera
• The floor is the dirt itself, but quite flat and level. Setting up tripods should be straightforward.

Nevertheless, these hides are still relatively basic, especially when compared to the ones at Trusmadi. Don’t expect Wi-Fi or electrical ports here.

Additionally, these hides will undergo some minor upgrades before becoming fully operational. These include:

• Repositioning the viewing shelf so that tripods and cameras may be set-up closer to the viewing ports.
• Adding more covers to the walls, so that the inside of the hide is darker.
• Facilities to prepare drinks and/or light meals.

Additional details on the Danum Valley bird hides

Danum BOS

This is the nearest hide to the Lodge. It is roughly 600 metres away, and accessible via the ‘Nature Trail’.  The trail is flat and easily walkable, even with heavy camera gear. Nevertheless, the trail can be muddy after rains.

According to our guides, regular feeding of the birds at this hide has not yet begun. Instead, for the time being, call playback is necessary to attract the birds. This method is hit-and-miss, which is the reason the hide has yet to be fully integrated into the birdwatching package at BRL. 

During our visit, we only saw a handful of species here, possibly because of the rainy weather. As of April 2026, visitors to this hide may see the following birds (this list is not exhaustive):

Bornean endemics:

• Sabah Partridge
• Bornean Crested Fireback
• Bornean Wren-babbler – This rare Bornean specialty is undoubtedly the main star bird here. Hopefully, it will visit this hide regularly in the future.
• Black-throated Wren-babbler –  another rare Bornean endemic.
• Bornean Black-capped Babbler
• Grey-hooded Babbler
• Black-crowned Pitta
• White-crowned Shama – a regular attendant at bird hides throughout Sabah

Non-endemics:

• Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher (the Sabah ‘version’)
• Western Hooded Pitta
• Sunda Blue Flycatcher
• Striped Wren-babbler
• Horsfield’s Babbler 
• Ferruginous Babbler

Takala BOS

This hide is about 2 km by road from the lodge. After that, a 15 minute off-road hike via the Tekala Trail is necessary. The trail is relatively flat, except for the section closest to the main road. This section is on a slope that may be muddy and slippery when wet, so take care when walking here, especially if carrying heavy camera gear. The hide is roughly between 300 – 400m from the main road. 

As its name suggests, this hide was built to allow BRL guests a chance to see the Great Argus. This magnificent bird is often heard by birders visiting the lowland rainforests within Malaysia. However, these birds are exceptionally shy, and to actually see one is a challenge.

The Great Argus (Argusianus argus) is Malaysia’s very own answer to the Indian Peafowl. What it lacks in colour, the male Argus more than makes up with his impressive ocelli (‘eyespots’) and extraordinarily long tail feathers. Male birds roam a large area, and create clearings on the forest floor where they perform mating displays to females.

BRL’s Takala BOS is built adjacent to one such clearing. The male that made this display area is quite comfortable around people, often allowing birders to approach closely. Indeed, we ourselves had a close encounter with him during our trip there. And past visitors have even seen his spectacular displays! 

Update April 2026:

Besides the Great Argus, the following species are also regular visitors to this BOS:

• Bornean Crested Fireback
• Black-crowned Pitta
• Blue-headed Pitta
• Striped Wren-babbler

Even the elusive Bornean Ground-Cuckoo have been spotted at this BOS. This stunning bornean endemic is much-sought after by birdwatchers worldwide due to its beauty, elusiveness and rarity.

What’s next for these hides?

In the near future, BRL plans to incorporate both these hides into their birdwatching package, with no extra charges for customers wanting to visit the hides. Needless to say, these hides will be exclusive for BRL customers only.

Regular monitoring and/or feeding at these hides will begin soon, in order to attract the birds more reliably. Considering the pristine habitat around BRL, once these hides are ready, they will undoubtedly attract an amazing selection of lowland rainforest birds. In time, these new Danum Valley bird hides may rival (or even exceed) the popular ones at Trusmadi and Telupid. The future for these hides is very promising indeed!

Update April 2026:

Based on information we received from the BRL people themselves, it looks like these two bird observation stations are already well on the way to being one of the must-visit birding hotspots in Sabah!

Conclusion

Despite being quite new, these bird observation stations are already attracting a variety of rainforest birds, including some highly sought after species such as the Bornean Ground-Cuckoo. Undoubtedly, these two Danum Valley bird hides at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge are  exciting additional attractions for visitors to BRL, and will certainly enhance the overall birding experience here.