Fraser's Hill is a perfect destination for bird watchers (in this blog I will use the term "birder"). Birders can start spotting birds from the Gap and all the way up to the hill station. We have heard some birders saying that Fraser's Hill is one of the best birding sites in Asia.

Fire-tufted Barbet, Marbled Wren-babbler, Black Laughingthrush and Malayan Whistling-thrush are among some of the species to look for while visiting Fraser's Hill. Other highlights for Fraser's Hill and the Gap are Blyth's Hawk-eagle, Yellow-vented Pigeon, Wedge-tailed Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Little Cuckoo Dove, Large Hawk-cuckoo, Green-billed Malkoha, Red-billed Malkoha, Collared Owlet, Brown Wood Owl, Mountain Scops Owl, White-bellied Swiftlet (Glossy Swiftlet), Orange-breasted Trogon, Red-headed Trogon, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Red-throated Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Black-browed Barbet, Speckled Piculet, Greater Yellownape, Lesser Yellownape, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, Grey-capped Woodpecker, Bay Woodpecker, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Long-tailed Broadbill, Grey-chinned Minivet, Javan Cuckoo-shrike (Malayan Cuckoo-shrike), Orange-bellied Leafbird, Black-crested Bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Bronzed Drongo, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Black-and-Crimson Oriole, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Common Green Magpie, Blue Nuthatch, Buff-breasted Babbler, Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler, Streaked Wren-babbler, Pygmy Wren-babbler, Golden Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush (Spectacled Laughingthrush), Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Malayan Laughingthrush), Silver-eared Mesia, Cutia, White-hooded Babbler, Blue-winged Minla (Blue-winged Siva), White-tailed Robin, Slaty-backed Forktail, Verditer Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Pygmy Blue Flycatcher, White-throated Fantail, Black-throated Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Buff-bellied Flowerpecker (Fire-breasted Flowerpecker), Everett's White-eye, Brown Bullfinch, and many more!

Swallow, Swift, Swiftlet and Treeswift

I must admit. With so many beautiful species up on this highland, many birders would rather pay less attention to those fast flying and less colorful birds in the sky. However, I still need to include them on this blog. I make things easier so that I lumped all the swallows, swifts, swiftlets and treeswifts under 1 posting. These include Barn Swallow, Pacific Swallow, Rufous-bellied Swallow, Asian House Martin, Edible-nest Swiftlet, Himalayan Swiftlet, White-bellied Swiftlet / Glossy Swiftlet, White-throated Needletail, Silver-backed Needletail, Brown-backed Needletail, Silver-rumped Needletail, Fork-tailed Swift, House Swift, and Grey-rumped Treeswift. In total, there is about 14 species.

Pacific Swallow
Hirundo tahitica 
Resident

Flowerpecker

In total so far, there are 7 species of flowerpeckers namely Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker and the more commonly encountered Fire-breasted (also known as Buff-bellied) Flowerpecker at the hill station.

Fire-breasted Flowepecker (Buff-bellied Flowerpecker)
Dicaeum ignipectus
Resident


Trogon

Our record shows that there are 2 species of trogons inhabit the forest around Fraser's Hill and the Gap. The Orange-breasted Trogon can be found at the lower elevation while Red-headed Trogon can be found almost the same elevation as the former and also at the hill station.

* Update 26th March 2016 - There is rumour saying that Red-naped Trogon can be found here as well. I will try to reconfirm this sighting. Keeping my fingers cross.

















Red-headed Trogon
Harpactes erythrocephalus
Resident

 
Red-headed Trogon
Harpactes erythrocephalus
Resident

Orange-breasted Trogon
Harpactes oreskios
Resident

Broadbill

Long-tailed Broadbill
Psarisomus dalhousiae
Resident

Raptors

It would be easier for me to just compile all the species of raptors under 1 post. Well, there are a few notable species up in Fraser's Hill and The Gap but over the years, I believe there are more species that need to be included in the official checklist.

During migration season, a birder would expect Oriental Honey Buzzard but it seems that even the Black Baza and Eurasian Kestrel are among the raptors up here. Other species include Bat Hawk, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black Eagle, Rufous-beliied Eagle, Blyth's Hawk-eagle, Black-thighed Falconet and Peregrine Falcon.

















Blyth's Hawk-eagle (juvenile)
Nisaetus alboniger (earlier treated as Spizaetus)
Resident

Sunbird

There are 3 sunbirds recorded in Fraser's Hill and The Gap which includes Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Purple-naped and the most abundant Black-throated Sunbird.

Black-throated Sunbird (male) 
Aethopyga saturata
Resident 

Flycatcher

There are 13 resident and migratory flycatchers recorded in Fraser's Hill and The Gap. These flycatchers include Dark-sided Flycatcher, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Ferruginous Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Pygmy Blue Flycatcher, and Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher.

Mugimaki Flycatcher
Ficedula mugimaki
Migrant











Rufous-browed Flycatcher
Ficedula solitaris
Resident







Little Pied Flycatcher (male)
Ficedula westermanni
Resident