Panti Bird Sanctuary
Last Updated on 14 August 2024
Situated near the charming town of Kota Tinggi in Johor, Malaysia, the Panti Bird Sanctuary is a popular hotspot for birdwatchers, especially birders from Singapore who keep coming back for more. With an impressive lineup of endemic and globally threatened species using Panti forest as their secret hideout, it’s no surprise that this spot lures bird lovers and nature buffs from every corner of the globe.
After we’ve pretty much checked off all the cool highland escapes in Malaysia (Fraser’s Hill, Cameron Highlands, Bukit Tinggi, Kinabalu Park, Gunung Alab) — mainly as an excuse to flee Singapore’s relentless heat — we finally decided to venture into the lowlands to see if Panti’s legendary birdlife is more than just a tale told by twitchers!
The Panti Bird Sanctuary is tucked within the sprawling Panti Forest Reserve, a lowland dipterocarp paradise that is basically the luxury resort for over 300 bird species. Among the star-studded residents are those with names like Malayan Banded Pitta, Garnet Pitta, Malayan Rail-Babbler, White-crowned Hornbill, Crested Fireback and Great Argus – birds that we’ll have to keep coming back, again and again, to hopefully encounter one day.
Before venturing into this forest reserve, securing a permit from the Johor Forestry Department is a must. The rangers patrol the area like hawks, keeping an eye out for any permit-less wanderers. We learned this firsthand when we got flagged down for a little permit inspection of our own!
We began our bird quest at the Panti Bird Sanctuary Visitor Centre, where a bunch of White-rumped Shamas (Copsychus malabaricus) were behaving all friendly and bouncing around on the ground like they owned the place. For us, spotting these uncommon birds strutting their stuff so boldly was a rare treat indeed!
At one corner of the visitor centre stood a birdwatching tower – naturally we couldn’t resist the urge to scurry up for that prime birds-eye-view of the treetops and their feathered residents. A pair of Cream-vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus simplex) were the first to join the party, chirruping loudly as they swooped around the tower.
Confusing us with their similar looks, the Buff-vented Bulbuls (Iole crypta) were also loitering nearby. Both bulbuls had those googly eyes, like someone had stuck a couple of sock puppet eyes on their heads for a laugh!
In the trees behind the visitor centre, a family of Malaysian Lar Gibbons (Hylobates lar lar) were chilling out. An endangered primate species, the Malaysian Lar Gibbon is endemic to Malaysia and Thailand. These gibbons are champion swingers – the youngest of the family eagerly showed off his agile acrobatic skills while mummy and daddy watched. The Lar Gibbons also have an impressive vocal range – their hoots echoed through the forest sounding like a mix between a cat’s yowl and your next-door-neighbour’s karaoke performance.
Stepping into the forest, we hit the dirt trail and began our woodland hike. At the trail entrance, we bumped into a bunch of friendly Singaporean birders, who graciously let us to tag along. With their vast birding experience at Panti, spotting and identifying birds looked as effortless as a casual Saturday morning stroll.
The first bird to make an appearance was the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris). It’s like the Chestnut-bellied Malkoha we know back home decided to switch things up with a chestnut-coloured breast instead of belly. These quirky cuckoo birds certainly have a knack for keeping their wardrobe choices interesting!
Just around the corner, a couple of Raffles Malkohas (Rhinortha chlorophaea) were making a scene as they clambered about the branches, hunting for beetles, cicadas and crickets for their morning feast. With their extravagant tails and flashy demeanor, these birds are hard to miss in the forest.
Our first woodpecker sighting of the day was the Checker-throated Woodpecker (Chrysophlegma mentale). While it is one of the more common woodpeckers in Panti forest, we were still super stoked to see one.
Needless to say, spotting our second woodpecker – the Buff-rumped Woodpecker (Meiglyptes grammithorax) – had us practically quivering with excitement. We were totally enchanted watching him probe his sleek black bill into every nook and cranny like he was on an insect treasure hunt.
Deeper down the trail, a chubby lemon-yellow beauty flitted into view. It was none other than the Yellow-bellied Bulbul (Alophoixus phaeocephalus), standing out in the dreary forest with his bright yellow outfit.
The seasoned birders we were with had the inside scoop on where to find the elusive Rufous-collared Kingfisher. So we got into our cars and embarked on a bumpy ride down the Bunker Trail – a dusty, truck-ridden road that stretches 8 kilometres to a palm plantation.
As we made our way, we were greeted by a monkey traffic jam – an entire gang of Long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and one lone Southern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina) had taken over the road. A car ahead of us was playing snack fairy, tossing bread out the window. Once the monkeys were satisfied with their handouts and the car finally drove off, we were free to continue our journey.
About halfway down the 8-km road, we pulled over and embarked on our quest to locate the kingfisher gem of the forest. From deep within the forest, we could faintly hear the gentle whistle of the kingfisher, but spotting it felt like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Suddenly, I spotted a tiny flash of bright orange peeking through a tiny gap in the dense foliage. Aiming my zoom lens at the spot, it turned out to be our elusive feathered friend – the Rufous-collared Kingfisher (Actenoides concretus) – looking as surprised to see me as I was to see him!
We wrapped up our morning’s expedition around noon and made our way back to Kota Tinggi for a bite at the Laughing Canteen and a quick recharge at the Rest Inn Hotel. By 4 pm, we were back on the trail in Panti, ready for another round of bird-spotting.
Waiting to greet us at the trail was a family of Fluffy-backed Tit-Babblers (Macronus ptilosus) we had encountered earlier that morning. They had been camera-shy then, but with the afternoon light on our side, I finally managed to snap a few usable shots.
Visiting the forest in July – right in the middle of breeding season – meant that the forest was bustling with bird families and their newborns in tow, like this juvenile Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler eagerly waiting for its next meal.
The types of bulbuls that one can find in the forests of Johor are about as many as the leeches in Panti. One of the most common (and I’m talking bulbuls here) is the Hairy-backed Bulbul (Tricholestes criniger), who seemed to pop up at every turn. We couldn’t help but wonder how it got its name. Well, the only way to find out would be to take one in hand and check out that back – something I’d really love to do one day.
Trundling along the trail, a tiny bright orange nugget caught my eye. I was thrilled to see that it was the Rufous Piculet (Sasia abnormis)! The name “piculet” means “small woodpecker”, and this little guy definitely lives up to it. This adorable little charmer was perched on the branch for ages, looking left and right, up and down, giving us plenty of time to admire his cute rufous ensemble.
Right after that enjoyable time with the piculet, we were hit by raindrops as suddenly as a bird taking off before you could snap its picture. With no internet signal in the forest, we missed out on any rain alerts – our convenient excuse for the soggy predicament we found ourselves in. About 2 km from our car, we had no choice but to speed-walk back, with the rain enthusiastically cheering us on with every pelting drop.
Early the next morning at 6am, we rolled into Kota Tinggi Food Centre for a breakfast of kolo mee so satisfying it almost made us forget we were about to trek through the jungle. After fueling up, we headed back to Panti for our final bird expedition. We drove up the Bunker Trail, parked near the Gunung Panti trailhead, and set off on a hike up the main road, ready to unearth the forest’s hidden gems. The jungle trail leading to the peak of Gunung Panti looked incredibly tempting, but we decided to save that adventure for next time – when we are armed with proper leech socks!
Instead, we strolled along the main road, listening out for bird calls as we went. The first early riser to greet us was the Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea).
As we trudged along the uneven sandy road, a sudden movement in the dense foliage snapped us to attention. A search through a narrow gap revealed the female Banded Kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella), one of the forest’s dazzling jewels. The female is decked out in tiger-like stripes, while the male – whom I’m eager to see one day – is brilliant blue with an orange face.
Our next distraction came in the form of a woodpecker, busily hammering away at the holes and crevices of the tree trunks. I initially shrugged it off as the Checker-throated Woodpecker that we’d seen the previous day, but to my surprise, it was actually the Crimson-winged Woodpecker (Picus puniceus) – another new bird to add to the list!
A ruckus in the bushes stopped us on our tracks – a male Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker (Prionochilus percussus) had shown up, two hungry juveniles in tow.
The little ones were eagerly hanging around, waiting for their next meal. Every time dad showed up with food in his beak, the juveniles would start chirping up a storm to make sure they got noticed!
About 2-km in, a cacophony of bird calls brought us to a screeching halt. Amidst the forest symphony, we could make out the high-pitched whistles of the Black-and-yellow Broadbill (Eurylaimus ochromalus), one of the birds on our target list. A quick scan of the towering trees revealed several broadbills dressed in their unmistakable bright yellow and pink costume. Looking at them made us suddenly crave for paddle-pop ice cream.
At that same spot, a bird wave party was in full swing. Along with the broadbills, a family of Red-crowned Barbets was chilling high up in the canopy. We also spotted a pair of Fiery Minivets – the male’s bright red and the female’s sunny yellow just barely visible through the leaves. Meanwhile, a bunch of leafbirds were hopping from bush to bush, savouring the sweet fruits of the Koster’s Curse (Clidemia hirta). Among them were the Blue-winged Leafbirds (Chloropsis moluccensis)…
…the Greater Green Leafbirds (Chloropsis sonnerati)…
…and the Lesser Green Leafbirds (Chloropsis cyanopogon), all joining in on the fruity fun.
As we made our way back to the car, a bunch of bulbuls accompanied us along the way. We saw the Puff-backed Bulbul, Hairy-backed Bulbul, Buff-vented Bulbul, Cream-vented Bulbul, Olive-winged Bulbul, and a pair of friendly Spectacled Bulbuls (Rubigula erythropthalmos) who weren’t shy to pose for the camera.
Besides the birds, the air was buzzing with butterflies fluttering around the vegetation. Among the fluttery beauties we spotted included the Tawny Rajah (Charaxes bernardus)…
…the Malayan Zebra (Graphium delessertii)…
…the Smooth-eyed Bushbrown (Orsotriaena medus)…
…and the Great Marquis (Bassarona dunya).
They say that every visit to Panti forest uncovers something new. Looks like we’ll have to keep coming back – because apparently, the forest is a treasure trove of surprises that just won’t reveal themselves all at once!
Check out our ebird trip report here:
https://ebird.org/tripreport/265113?view=photos