Bird watching in Sorong regency's Forest of Indonesia

Sorong is a city in West Papua province of Indonesia. It is also a regency that has got beautiful tropical forest. Tourists who go to Raja Ampat for snorkeling or scuba diving will need to fly to Sorong. 

There are forest areas, villages and town in the east of Sorong city that I and my clients like to visit for birdwatching and wildlife watching. Some of them include Mangrove forest of Sorong city, Ridge forest of Sorong, Sausapor town, Klabili village and Malagufuk village. They can be reached by cars. 

In Mangrove forest of Sorong city, we could see interesting birds such as White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Olive-backed Sunbird (now also called Sahul Sunbird) and Orange-fronted Fig Parrot (Cyclopsitta gulielmitertii). 

There is something interesting about the Orange-fronted Fig Parrot. The word Cyclop in Greek Mythology is a race of giants from Sicily having but one eye in the middle of their foreheads. The word psittakos in Greek means parrot. Second part of the name is Gulielmitertii. In Latin Gulielmus means William and Tertius mens The Third. According to wikipedia Gulielmus Tertius or William III (Dutch: Willem Alexander Paul Frederick Lodewijk) was King of the Netherlands and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1849 until his death in 1890.

Orange-breasted Fig Parrot

There, visitors can walk along the sides of the road, go hiking up the slopes or explore the forest of Klasouw calley to watch such birds as Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher Western-crowned Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Black Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Blyth's Hornbill, Blue and Black Kingfisher, Shining Flycatcher, Boyer's Cuckooshrike, Lowland Peltop, Red-bellied Pitta (now also called Papuan Pitta), Hooded Pitta, Hooded Butcherbird, Black Butcherbird,  Northern Cassowary, and a lot more. 

Blyth's Hornbill

There are also King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, and a few other species of birds of paradise which visitors can see if they explore the forest of Sausapor town or Klabili village thoroughly. 

Actually, Sausapor town, Klabili village and Gauksuak forest are not only attractive for bird watchers but also nature lovers. They can see various kinds of plants, and animals. There are insects, mammals, reptiles in the forest. Visitors can join local villagers who go to the forest to cut a sago tree for extracting its flour or do night walk to find wallaby, bats, possum and deer.

Mothers can show how to make sleeping matrass and bags using pandanus leaves or other natural fiber.

There are flights that connect Sorong and big cities in Indonesia including Manado, Ambon Makassar, Denpasar and Jakarta. They are served by Garuda, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, and Batik Air. 

Accommodation

Visitors can stay in homestays that are owned by villagers. It is a basic accommodation, so the price is affordable. Buying foods and drinks in Sorong city prior to the trip is highly recommended. But villagers can also enjoy local food such as sweet potatoes, bananas, and vegetables prepared by the villagers. 

After spending time in Sorong, Gauksuak, Klabili and Sausapor, visitors can go back to Sorong city to continue their trip to Raja Ampat or to North Sulawesi to enjoy snorkeling or another birdwatching trip. 

Activities in Sorong City

Returning to Sorong, visitors can stay in one of the many hotels and explore other attractions such as visiting traditional markets, going to Doom island,  having lunch and dinner in various eating houses in town, and etc.

BIRDWATCHING IN MINAHASA HIGHLAND

Visitors who want to continue their birdwatching tour can fly to Manado city and then enjoy birding in the highland of Minahasa. Flights between Manado city and Sorong city are available every day. They are served by Lion Air and TransNusa. 

Flying Route to Manado city

Some tropical birds in Sonder town of Minahasa Highland

Sonder town in Minahasa regency is the recommended base for the walking tours and birdwatching activities. There are a lot of birds that can be watched in and at the outskirts of Sonder town. Some of them include Chestnut Munia, Black-faced Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Finch-billed Myna, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Collared Kingfisher, Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo, Sulawesi Drongo, Slender-billed Crow, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Pale Blue Monarch, Black-naped Oriole, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-crowned White-eye, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot and etc.

In higher elevation forest of Sonder town, more birds could be watched. There are Crimson Sunbird, Black-faced Munia, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Mountain (Warbling) White-eye, White-faced Cuckoo Dove, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot and a lot more.

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birwatching tour in Sonder town of Minahasa Highland and in the forest around Sorong city and want me to organize your tour, please contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Related Posts:

• Walking, Sightseeing and Birdwatching Tour around Sorong city
• Birding and Sightseeing Tour in Sorong city
• Tourist Attractions in Sorong city
• Birding in Mangrove Forest in Sorong city

• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Minahasa
• Manado City: Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour

• Birding Tour in Tambrauw Mountains

Birdwatching in Indonesia

Indonesia has got thousands of big and small islands between Asia and Australia. These islands attract the attention of naturalists, biologists and birdwatchers to come and study the flora and fauna of this country. According to field guide book Birds of Indonesia by James Eaton, et al., there are 1,417 species of birds in Indonesia (not including New Guinea).

BIRDWATCHING IN MINAHASA OF NORTH SULAWESI

As the island with the highest endemism of avifauna, Sulawesi is a highly recommended destination for birdwatching visitors. Some of the unique birds which can be watched include:

Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo, Warbling White-eye, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Collared Kingfisher

• Ashy Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fulvus)
• Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker (Picoides temminckii)
• Gray-sided Flowerpecker 
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Citrine Canary Flycatcher
• Turquoise Warbling Flycatcher 
• Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove (Macropygia albicapilla)
• White-faced Cuckoo Dove
• Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon
• Green Imperial Pigeon
• Rock Pigeon
• Black-naped Fruit Dove
• Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove
• White-rumped Triller
• Sulawesi Scops Owl 
• Speckled Boobook
• Barred Rail
• Ruddy-breasted Crake
• Isabeline Bush Hen
• White-browed Crake
• Eastern Yellow Wagtail
• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Black-crowned White-eye
• Mountain (Warbling) White-eye
• Pale Blue Monarch
• Eastern Cattle Egret
• Little Egret
• Great-billed Heron
• Gray Heron
• Pacific Reef Heron
• Purple Heron
• Purple-winged Roller
• Sulawesi-crested Myna
• Finch-billed Myna
• White-browed Crake 
• Chestnut Munia, 
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Black-faced Munia
• Sahul Sunbird 
• Crimson Sunbird
• Brown-throated Sunbird
• Rusty-backed Thrush
• Collared Kingfisher
• Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher
• Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher
• Scaly-breasted Kingfisher
• Ruddy Kingfisher 
• Green-backed Kingfisher
• Great-billed Kingfisher
• Brush Cuckoo
• Sulawesi Pygmy Hornbill
• Knobbed Hornbill
• Blue-tailed Bee-eater
• Slender-billed Crow
• Gray-rumped Treeswift
• Pale Blue Monarch
• Black-naped Oriole
• Black-crowned White-eye
• Mountain (Warbling) White-eye
• White-breasted Woodswallow
• White-nest Swiftlet
• Sunda Teal
• and etc.

Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi Pymy Woodpecker, Pale Blue Monarch, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove

Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove (Macropygia albicapilla)

Purple Heron, Collared Kingfisher, Brown-throated Kingfisher, Zebra Dove, Hair-crested Drongo, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Finch-billed Myna

Flight Route

The entry point for birdwatching in Minahasa highland is Manado city. Visitors need to fly from their country to one of the major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and after that they could continue by domestic flight to Manado city. 

There are direct flights from Singapore to Manado city served by Scoot Airlines. There are also flight from Guangzhou China to Manado city served by China Southern Airlines. 

Car route from Manado to Minahasa highland

Accommodation

Hotels are available in Tomohon town. They can be booked through booking.com or traveloka.com

Booking

If you are interested in traveling to Indonesia to enjoy nature, birdwatching, and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Also read:

• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Manado City: Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder Town of Minahasa Highland

Birding in West Papua

For birds in New Guinea region, readers can study them by reading such field guide books as Birds of New Guinea by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler, et al.; and Birds of New Guinea (including Bismarck Archipelago and Bougainville) by Phil Gregory who said that there are 943 species of birds that are known to occur in New Guinea. Key highlights include: Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Red Bird of Paradise, Hooded Butcherbird, Palm Cockatoo, Yellow-faced Myna, Black Lory, Orange-breasted Fig Parrot, Large Fig Parrot, Hooded Pitta, Papuan Pitta and a lot more. For birding sites, Sausapor town, Klabili village, Gauksuak beach as well as Waigeo island in Raja Ampat are the ones that can easily be accessed from Sorong city. 

With this abundant species of birds, Indonesia has now become the most important destination for birding visitors. From all the islands in this archipelago, I highly recommend 2 destinations, i.e. Sulawesi and West Papua. Sulawesi island is located in the transitional zone between the continents of Australia and Asia. The endemicity of birds in Sulawesi is the highest in Indonesia. For West Papua, the main attractions for visitors will be its Birds of Paradise. 

Although most of the islands in Indonesia have got birds that are different from New Guinea, for the islands such as Halmahera and Seram that are closer to West Papua province, they share some species with New Guinea. Some of them include Eclectus Parrot, Beach Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Great Cuckoo Dove, Blyth's Hornbill, and the migratory ones such as - Rainbow Bee-eater and Common Dollarbird.

I personally have guided tourists to visit some interesting rainforest sites in Mount Kerinci and Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra,  for Sulawesi island: Ramang-Ramang, Karaenta, Lore Lindu, Tangkoko, Mount Mahawu, Mount Ambang, and Tambun. Islands further to the east that include Ternate and Halmahera are also good destinations for birding. 

Inter-insular Trading and Introduced Bird Species

Inter-insular trading in Indonesia allows ships to carry people and goods between the islands. Birds are originally from Java, Sumatra, Borneo and the Malayan peninsula such as White-rumped Shama and Spotted Dove have now reached cities in West Papua. Some birds escape to the nearby forest. Black-capped Lory, Coconut Lorikeet from West Papua have also reached Sulawesi and Java. However, they will not survive innthe forest because much of the forests in Java have been badly damaged. The introduced birds from West Papua may not be able to compete with local birds in Java in finding food inside the ever shrinking forest of the island. 

Birding in West Papua

Birding in West Papua is more challenging than birding in other islands of Indonesia. The birding sites in West Papua are often located in remote forest far from cities. Most often, birdwatchers need to use 4WD pick-up cars to reach them. Birdwatchers do not have a lot of choices for accommodation either. That's why, on the average, the cost of birding tours in West Papua is higher than in other islands of Indonesia. The target birds include Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Large Fig Parrot, Orange-breasted Fig Parrot, Amboyna Cuckoo Dove, Palm Cockatoo, White-bellied Cuckooshrike and a lot more. 

Palm Cockatoo