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Birdwatching at Malaysia’s Fraser’s Hill: Reflections of a Newbie Birder
July 30, 2026 | Cristina Alfonso, Haribon Member
The Frasier’s Hill International Bird Race 2026 was a major birdwatching event in Asia where people from all over the world gathered to observe and admire the huge diversity of birds in Malaysia. According to Birdwatching Asia, Frasier’s Hill hosts more than 250 bird species while Malaysia is home to more than 830 bird species. The Bird Race consisted of two competitions: the birdwatching contest in which participants were grouped into advanced, novice and student birders; and the bird photography contest in which participants took pictures of the birds and submitted them to the organizers for judging. Each registered team was composed of three people. The Philippine delegation was actually composed of several teams from different birdwatching organizations.
My participation in this event was enabled by my membership in Haribon Foundation, a nature conservation group in the Philippines. It was my first time to experience birdwatching in Malaysia and I was naturally excited and curious about it. Frasier’s Hill is a mountain resort town in Pahang surrounded by lush, green forests with a cool climate. In the morning, we were greeted by a radiant sunrise over a sea of clouds, illuminating the tall pine trees around us. A black and white Oriental Magpie Robin flew above us and perch on the roof seeming to welcome us. This bird is commonly seen around the area, similar to the Philippine Maya. At the town center, booths were set-up by vendors of branded cameras and binoculars, avian books and trinkets amidst a backdrop of charming, colonial buildings. Several teams from Cambodia, Indonesia, China and other nationalities congregate to take their photos at the iconic clock tower.Â
We had a typical Malaysian breakfast at a quaint cafe overlooking the dense forest and easily spotted the Yellow-vented Bulbul among the leafy trees. This bird is quite common and has adopted to human communities. Its name is derived from its strikingly yellow colored vent contrasting with its brown upper parts.
Our actual birdwatching was done on foot. The terrain of Fraser’s Hill is easy to navigate as the slopes are gently rising and falling. Birds can already be spotted along the main roads and can be seen even resting on the wires. Our team, the Haribon team, was able to spot and record 29 kinds of birds. Some of these are the Fire-tufted Barbet, Chestnut-capped Laughingtrash, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Red-headed Trogon, and Pacific Swallow. I commend my more experienced birder group mates, Heavenly Joy Garcia and Danah Garcia, in filling-up our impressive list. An unforgettable moment was when a Rufous-browed Flycatcher casually landed on the fence just in front of us and flitted about in the nearby trees. It has a distinctive white throat and an orange color on its brow. As expected, this very close sighting had excited the other birders and photographers who flocked around and watched the bird with silent admiration.Â
The program ended with a celebration of the camaraderie of the diverse nationalities present, bonded by our love of birds. Despite our dizzying descent from the mountain through steep, winding roads, many vowed to still return to Fraser’s Hill next year, completely captivated by the charm of this bird sanctuary.Â
This experience has made me realized that people around the world truly value environmental preservation and conservation. Participants were willing to travel long distances and even finance themselves to come to this event. Moreover, it shows that global cooperation on nature conservation does not happen by accident. It requires great effort, financing, planning and leadership.Â
Another takeaway is that the diversity of bird species in Malaysia and around the world are treasures that should be protected by supporting their habitat. Urbanization must not come at the cost of losing nature. In Fraser’s Hill, hotels and buildings were constructed alongside the forest. The thick vegetation has not been disturbed for years to allow the birds to make it their home. Sadly, the organizer noted that due to global warming some bird species have to climb to higher elevation where the climate is cooler and to find food. Â
Lastly, I realized that while our focus is protecting nature from some destructive man-made activities, nature has been healing and sustaining us all along. In Japan, researchers have found that Shinrin-yoku or forest-bathing have positive effects on human health. Forest environments can boost immune functions, reduce blood pressure and improve mental clarity. Personally, breathing in the fresh, mountain air, waking up to a beautiful sunrise, and being surrounded by green trees and singing birds have washed away my lingering stress and worries from everyday living. Â
In general, birdwatching, native tree walking and other nature activities raise awareness on biodiversity conservation and attract people to join conservation organizations. They enable us to fully experience nature in its own habitat as compared to seeing it only on our phones or computers. These events directly educate us on the multitude of plant and animal species in the planet by engaging our different senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.Â
I am grateful to the Haribon Foundation for introducing me to the birdwatching community and to active nature lovers. This is just my first year as a member but the experiences I have gained have enriched my appreciation of life itself. Human beings are part of nature and we must live in harmony with other life forms. I am now more inspired to continue my work on the clean energy transition to ensure that pollution and climate change do not harm this vision. I enjoined everyone to become a Haribon Foundation member so we can protect our beloved Earth, the only planet we have, together.
Haribon Member Spotlight: Dr. Cristina Alfonso
Dr. Cristina Alfonso is an economist and energy policy analyst with over 15 years of experience in Asian economic policy, regional cooperation, and energy transition. Her work spans climate change, renewable energy, cross-border infrastructure, and energy policy reforms, with experience in both regional and Philippine contexts. She holds a PhD in Economics specializing in energy economics from Curtin University in Australia. Through her work and research, she continues to support sustainable, inclusive, and resilient energy futures across the region.Â
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