Bornean Bristlehead
Pityriasis gymnocephala
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPityriaseidae
- GenusPityriasis
- SpeciesPityriasis gymnocephala (Bornean Bristlehead)
About the Bornean Bristlehead
The Bornean bristlehead (Pityriasis gymnocephala), also variously known as the bristled shrike, bald-headed crow or the bald-headed wood-shrike, is the only member of the passerine family Pityriasidae and genus Pityriasis. This enigmatic and vulnerable species is endemic to the southeast Asian island of Borneo, where it lives in small groups in the rainforest canopy.
The relationships of this species have been controversial. At times it has been placed in the Prionopidae, the Cracticidae, the Artamidae or the Corvidae. A more recent suggestion has been to include it in the Tephrodornithidae, a new family that includes Hemipus and Tephrodornis.
The Bornean bristlehead is a medium-sized bird, c. 25 cm (9.8 in) in length. It is mostly black, with bright red thighs, head, throat and neck, and grey ear-coverts. The featherless crown is deep yellow and covered in short, 3–4 mm long, bristle-like skin projections, giving it a bald appearance from afar. This gives the species its common name "bristlehead", genus name Pityriasis (from Greek, "having dandruff") and specific name gymnocephala (from Greek, "bald-headed"). Red flank patches are present in all females... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Sepilok
Ashy Tailorbird
Orthotomus ruficeps
Red-eyed Bulbul
Pycnonotus brunneus
Asian Glossy Starling
Aplonis panayensis
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus paradiseus
Black-and-yellow Broadbill
Eurylaimus ochromalus
Brown-throated Sunbird
Anthreptes malacensis
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Pycnonotus goiavier
Javan Myna
Acridotheres javanicus
Crimson Sunbird
Aethopyga siparaja
Lesser Green Leafbird
Chloropsis cyanopogon
Green Iora
Aegithina viridissima
Malaysian Pied-Fantail
Rhipidura javanica
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Tanjung Puting National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 5 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bornean Bristlehead in Sepilok?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bornean Bristlehead sighting in Sepilok, based on 254 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bornean Bristlehead in Sepilok?
January has the highest sighting rate for Bornean Bristlehead in Sepilok in our monthly data.