Birds

Ospreys

An osprey seen at Kuala Baram Wetlands

Ospreys, also called fish hawk, are large raptors reaching more than 60 cm in length and 180 cm across the wings. They are a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey that live along seacoasts, lakes and waterways. They are brown on the upperparts and predominantly white on the underparts, with some white on their heads and distinctive black eye stripes that go down the ...

Read More »

Oriental Darters

An oriental darter at Kuala Baram Wetlands

The Oriental darter or Indian darter (Anhinga melanogaster) is a cormorant-like waterbird with a long, slender, snakelike neck, and a straight, pointed bill. It can be found in tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. With its body submerged in water, it hunts for fish, darting its neck to impale the fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and juggling it before ...

Read More »

Oriental White-Eye

Oriental white-eye

The oriental white-eye (灰腹绣眼鸟) is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. Known as Kelicap Kacamata Biasa in Malay, they are easily identified by the distinctive white eye-ring and overall yellowish upper parts. It is a resident breeder in open woodland in tropical Asia east from India to China and Indonesia. This bird is small (about 8–11 cm long) with yellowish olive upper ...

Read More »

Black- Winged Kites Aka Black-Shouldered Kites

A real beauty!

The black-winged kite is an elegant, streamlined white, grey and black raptor with owl-like forward facing eyes. Also known as the black-shouldered kite, it has large eyes with blackish eye-patch, black bill and yellow legs and feet. Once quite scarce in Borneo, it is now a common lowland resident throughout Borneo. It is the only kite that hovers like a kestrel. ...

Read More »

The Spectacular Peregrine Falcon

A peregrine falcon seen at Kuala Baram Wetlands

Regarded as one of the noblest and most spectacular of all birds of prey, the peregrine falcon is reputed to be the world’s fastest bird as well as the fastest member of the animal kingdom, capable of reaching 200 miles per hour with its continuous powerful wingbeats. Its speed makes it a formidable hunter that preys on other birds in ...

Read More »

Crested Honey Buzzard

A crested honey buzzard in flight seen at Piasau Nature Reserve

The crested honey buzzard is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites. eagles, and harriers.  It is also known as the Oriental honey buzzard. It is long-necked with a small head (resembling that of a pigeon), and soars on flat wings. The head lacks a strong supraciliary ridge giving it a very un-raptor-like facial appearance. It ...

Read More »

Pied Triller

A lovely pied triller seen at Piasau Nature Reserve

The pied triller is a smallish black and white bird in the Campephagidae family that is widespread and very common lowland resident  in Brunei, India, Indonesia, the Philiipines, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. It feeds on insects and worms. Though this is a very common bird, I have only encountered it three or four times during my bird photography outings.

Read More »