Peninsular Wetland Birds

Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary

Kuala Gula its surrounding area is a sanctuary for nearly 200 species of birds. It lies at the northern end of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve in the state of Perak Adjacent to this fishing village are mangrove swamps, mudflats and estuaries while on its hinterland are extensive oil palm plantations. The mangrove forest and mudflats of Kuala Gula are particularly important for more than 60 species of water birds including egrets, herons, storks, rails, shore birds terns and gulls, as well as some wetland dependent raptors and kingfishers.

The flagship species of Kuala Gula is the globally threatened Milky Stork. Kuala Gula is currently the only known resident area for this vulnerable species in Malaysia. Another vulnerable stork species, the Lesser Adjutant can be found here easily. It covers an area of over 40,000 hectares of mangrove wetlands.

About 28 species of shorebirds over winter here or stop over while on passage. The most common ones are the Common Redshank, Terek Sandpiper, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint and Bar Tailed Godwit. The most common terns and gulls are the Brown headed Gull; White-winged Tern and Common Tern. Besides these, the common wetland dependent birds occurring here are the White bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite, and White throated, Stork billed and Collared Kingfisher. Besides waterbirds, Kuala Gula is also a sanctuary for many other bird species.

Kuala Selangor Nature Park

This reserve was established by the Malaysian Nature Society to protect these important wetlands for visiting waders, as well as the large number of resident birds and other wildlife. The reserve has a number of trails and hides as well as a visitors’ centre.

The Mangrove Forest at Kuala Selangor, we find Birds of Prey, Bee-eaters, Crows, Cuckoo-shrikes, Egrets, Flower-peckers, Flycatchers, Herons, Kingfishers, Owls, Pigeons, Pittas, Storks, Sunbirds, Swallows, Tit, Waders, White-eye and Woodpeckers.

South–West Johore Coast

Located South-West of the Johore coast and stretching between the Muar River and the tip Of Tanjung Piai is a habitat of mangrove forest and intertidal mudflats.It is famous as a feeding ground for Milky Stork, Lesser Adjutant, White-winged Tern migratory birds like the sandpipers, Wimbrel, Common Redshank, Greenshank and Grey Plover.

It has also been gazetted as a World Ramsar site. Besides migratory birds, it is also a haven for mangrove crabs, mudskippers and crab-eating macaques, otters, bearded pigs and dugongs.