The Long-tailed Broadbill can be seen at Fraser’s Hill in Pahang and is one of the top birds that photographers have been eyeing for a long time.
Since things started to get back to normal after the Covid-19 pandemic, many have made their way to Fraser’s Hill to see and photograph this beautiful broadbill.
Long-tailed Broadbill
The long-tailed broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) is a bird species found in the Himalayas, extending east through Northeastern India to Southeast Asia and Malaysia. It is the only bird in the genus Psarisomus. The long-tailed broadbill is about 25 cm (10 inches) in length and weighs between 50 and 60 grams.
The long-tailed broadbill displays yellow plumage on the throat, and blueish-green plumage on the belly, back, and wings. It is a forest bird that lives on insects, while it is very sociable and normally travels in large, noisy parties except during the mating season.
The broadbill builds a pear-shaped nest in a tree, usually seen hanging on a branch; hence at Fraser’s Hill, there is one area where the broadbill has been nesting for three years now, moving from different trees yearly.
Because of the location of the nest, hoards of bird photographers come here from as far as Singapore just to get a shot of the long-tailed broadbill, hopefully feeding or for the bird in flight.
For more information and photos, you can also read our other articles on the birds of Fraser’s Hill – Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, which is a three part special series highlighting the popular and star birds here.
And you can also join our open Malaysia Birdwatching Group on Facebook as we have a small community there shating photos and information about birds in Malaysia. We also share information about birding events, expos and fairs there.
Conclusion
The long-tailed broadbills are commonly found in broad-leaved evergreen forests, ranging in altitudes from 150 to 2500 meters, and their natural habitats include forests, streams and creeks, tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, tropical and subtropical moist mountain forests.
Just to share that we do not support providing exact birding locations therefore you can always ask the locals about the Long-tailed Broadbill in Fraser’s Hill when you are there.
