In early February 2026, two other friends and I were fortunate enough to be invited to visit the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia for a few days of birding. Besides the usual paddyfield and forest birding, we would also be going shorebird watching in Penang. Specifically, shorebird watching by boat along the Teluk Air Tawar – Kuala Muda IBA. I had birding experience by boat at the same site a few years back and remember it fondly. Needless to say, I was quite excited to be going back.

Shorebird Watching in Penang – Trip Report

Our shorebird watching in Penang trip was not going to be all fun and games, though, as it was part of the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC). The AWC is a citizen science programme to monitor waterbird numbers (including shorebirds) in Asia. Therefore, we were going to be doing a lot of counting.

The trip was arranged by Malaysia Nature Society (MNS) Penang branch secretary Mr Tan Choo Eng, who is also the chairman of the MNS Bird Conservation Council. He conducts similar surveys along the IBA regularly and was kind enough to invite us to the February count.

Teluk Air Tawar – Kuala Muda IBA

Firstly, a primer on the Teluk Air Tawar – Kuala Muda IBA. This site lies on the coastal part of mainland Penang, just a few kilometres north of Butterworth. It is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA; MY-003) by Birdlife International. The IBA comprises a rich coastal ecosystem formed by mangrove forests and vast tidal mudflats. The southern border of the IBA is the Sungai Abdul rivermouth, while the northern border is the Muda river estuary. This entire strip of land is roughly 10 km long and supports a vast array of flora and fauna, including several globally endangered shorebirds such as the Great Knot and Nordmann’s Greenshank.

Cast Off

We departed at 9 am from our set-off point, the Sungai Tembus fishing jetty. Our boat was a modified fibreglass fishing motorboat, with makeshift seating and black netting for shade. Our boatman is primarily a fisherman by trade, but has been trained (by Mr Choo Eng) to recognize some key shorebird species. The aim is for him (and other fishermen) to gain the skills to earn a secondary income by offering ecotourism boat cruises and birdwatching trips along the coast. 

Start counting!

As we exited the rivermouth, it was immediately apparent that counting the shorebirds was going to be challenging. The mudflats were vast, and unfortunately for us, the tides were not favourable. This meant the boat couldn’t get close to the water’s edge where the shorebirds were foraging. The best we could do was maybe 50 metres away, as getting any closer would strand our boat on the mud. So, we made use of the best tool for this situation – our cameras! We photographed the flocks and identified the species using the zoomed-in images. Counting was done the usual way, by estimating the numbers of birds in ‘blocks’ of 10 (or 50).

Nevertheless, these large flocks of shorebirds occasionally do fly past our boat. We use photographs to identify the contents of these flocks. They include many common shorebirds such as Pacific Golden Plovers, Red-necked Stints, Sand-plovers, and Curlew Sandpipers. We also saw the uncommon Asian Dowitcher this way. Every time one of these flocks passes by, I eagerly check my photos in the hope of uncovering any rarity hidden within. 

Lovely Larids

In contrast to the shorebirds, viewing and counting the gulls and terns were much easier. Large numbers of these elegant birds were easily seen perched on the numerous concrete poles used by the fishermen to cultivate shellfish. They’re quite used to boats, so we were able to get really close to them. This is normally not possible when birding from shore. 

Additionally, many of them were attracted to our boat, looking for an easy meal. They use their unsurpassed flying abilities to skillfully pick up the small fish and shrimp stunned by our boat’s propellers. It was truly a mesmerising sight!

Summary of our experience

At the end of our 3-hour boat trip, we estimated the total number of shorebirds to be roughly 9000 birds. Additionally, we estimate around 800 gulls and terns. This number may seem a lot, but according to Mr Choo Eng, this count was less than what he was expecting. 

Shorebird watching by boat is a very different experience from the land-based counts that I’m used to back in Selangor. For one thing, the shorebirds were very far away, making identification challenging. Then there are boat movements to contend with. This meant that spotting scopes (an essential tool for shorebirding) were effectively useless, and digital photography became much more crucial. 

Despite these challenges, we thoroughly enjoyed our session and will hopefully be able to join more shorebird-watching boat trips in Penang in the near future.

Birds seen on our trip

We recorded a total of 49 species of birds (all types, not just shorebirds) during our session. Highlights include:

Gulls

Unlike in my home state of Selangor, gulls are quite common in Penang.

1. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus). We saw at least 3, likely more. These gulls are quite similar to the Brown-headed Gull, but are smaller and have a finer bill and a rounder head. One bird was in its breeding plumage.

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3. Brown-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus). Much more numerous than the previous species. We estimated about 50 of them. The adult birds were easy for us to identify since they have robust red bills and striking white eyes. The immature ones are quite similar to immature Black-headed Gulls, though.

   

Terns

1. Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii). Large, handsome birds with a robust yellow bill and shaggy crest. They were quite numerous and easily seen perched on the concrete poles. One bird had rings on its legs – one ring was green with the inscription BH1. According to experts in the Facebook group ‘Shorebird leg-flag sightings in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF)’,  this particular bird was ringed in Xiangshan, China in July 2022.

   

2. Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis). Another attractive tern, quite similar in appearance to the previous species. Compared to the Great Crested Tern, the Lesser Crested is slightly smaller and has an orange (vs yellow) bill. Interestingly, in Penang, this species is much less numerous than the Great Crested. Conversely, in Selangor, this species far outnumber its larger cousin.

   

Shorebirds

1. Asian Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus). A globally rare shorebird endemic to the East Asian Australasian Flyway. They resemble snipes on steroids. We saw several in a flock that flew past our boat.
2. Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris). It’s hard to fathom that such a numerous shorebird in Malaysia is actually an endangered species. They are as common here in Penang as they are in Selangor. The mudflats of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia are definitely important wintering and staging areas for this species. 
3. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). Always a delight to see these attractive shorebirds. A flock of them was seen perched on the concrete poles, with their rusty plumage blending in well with the shellfish-encrusted structures. They were so confident with their camouflage that our boat was able to get really close, something that is not usually possible when birding from shore.

   

Our full bird list may be seen at the link below:

More photos of birds seen during our trip

Conclusion

Our boat-based shorebird-watching experience in Penang was memorable. It felt really fulfilling to contribute to science and conservation, yet we simultaneously had boatloads of fun doing it. Special thanks to Mr Tan Choo Eng for making this trip happen.

And finally, if you’re interested in experiencing shorebird watching in Penang by boat, simply give us a shout, and we will put you in touch with our contacts in Penang.

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I will end this report with a photo from an unforgettable encounter with a pod of dolphins during my previous boat trip to the Teluk Air Tawar IBA in 2022. Who knows, you may be lucky enough to spot these magical mammals on your visit!