Sunda Scimitar-Babbler

Sunda Scimitar-Babbler

Pomatorhinus bornensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Danum Valley Conservation Area

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%

133 Verified sightings at Danum Valley Conservation Area From 2019 to 2026
323 In all 5 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Sunda Scimitar-Babbler

The Sunda scimitar babbler (Pomatorhinus bornensis) is a species of bird in the family Timaliidae. It is endemic to Sumatra, Borneo, and Malaysia. The Sunda scimitar babbler and the Javan scimitar babbler were previously grouped together as the chestnut-backed scimitar babbler. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
2 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
3 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
4 Kinabalu Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
5 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Sunda Scimitar-Babbler in Danum Valley Conservation Area?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Sunda Scimitar-Babbler sighting in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, based on 133 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 137th most-seen of the 258 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Sunda Scimitar-Babbler in Danum Valley Conservation Area?

September

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Sunda Scimitar-Babbler in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, against under 5% in February–March and November–December, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Sunda Scimitar-Babbler?

Between 6 and 9 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sunda Scimitar-Babbler sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Danum Valley Conservation Area the best place to see a Sunda Scimitar-Babbler?

Yes

Of the 5 parks where we can rate Sunda Scimitar-Babbler sightings, Danum Valley Conservation Area has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Way Kambas National Park (Indonesia, about 10%) and Taman Negara National Park (Malaysia, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Sunda Scimitar-Babbler live in Danum Valley Conservation Area?

Same family: Timaliidae

The closest relatives of the Sunda Scimitar-Babbler that you can see in Danum Valley Conservation Area (family Timaliidae, Tree-Babblers, Scimitar-Babblers, and Allies) are Bold-striped Tit-Babbler (about 40%), Chestnut-winged Babbler (about 40%) and Chestnut-rumped Babbler (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Sunda Scimitar-Babbler sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Sunda Scimitar-Babbler is recorded against all the birds logged in Danum Valley Conservation Area (133 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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