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Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Birding in Higher Elevation Forest of Minahasa

The higher elevation forest of Minahasa is an interesting site to visit for birwatching visitors. Mount Mahawu is the famous destination because visitors could enjoy birding along the slope of the volcano. There are Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Sulawesi Myzomela, Superb Fruit Dove, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Uniform Swiftlet, Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove, Sulawesi Leafwarbler, Purple Needletail, Japanese Goshawk, Gray-rumped Treeswift and etc.

Birdwatching in Mount Mahawu
Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Superb Fruit Dove, Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove

More birds could be watched early in the mornings between 06:00 to 09:00. However, sometimes around 06:00 A.M. fog still covers the canopy of the forest especially near the top of the crater area of the volcano. As a matter of fact, the highland of Minahasa is surrounded by volcanoes. This makes the land fertile. 

Agriculture develops well in this regency. Farmers grow rice, corn, potato, sweet potato, banana, cabbage, mustard green, carrot, spring onion, chilli, lemon grass, papaya, durian, rambutan, aren tree that produce nectar for making palm sugar, vanilla, clove. They sell their produce to cities and towns in eastern and central region of Indonesia including Sorong, Ambon, Gorontalo, and Balikpapan. 

Volcanic crater of Mount Mahawu
Volcanic crater of Mount Mahawu in Minahasa highland of Indonesia

The next high elevation forest can be explored in Subdistrict Sonder. This is the site for watching Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Warbling White-eye, White-faced Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Sulawesi Drongo, Black-faced Munia, Collared Kingfisher, and etc. Another site that is also interesting is Kanonang hill. 

Sulawesi Fantail, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker
Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Sulawesi Fantail, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker

This tour to higher elevation forest of Minahasa can be combined with walking tour and birdwatching in lower elevation forest and farmland to see Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Black-naped Orile, Sahul Sunbird, Black-crowned White-eye, Finch-billed Myna and a lot more. 

Farmland Tour

While watching birds and enjoy sightseeing in the highland of Minahasa. Visitors could walk through the farmland to see various kinds of agricultural produce which farmers grow such as rice, corn, tomatoes, chilli, aubergine, kangkung (also called water spinach), papaya flower, mustard green, sweet potatoes, cabbage, vanilla, coconut, clove, and etc. These agricultural produce are supplied to towns in Minahasa regency such as Tomohon, Tondano, Langowan, Sonder, Kawangkoan, Amurang, Bitung and Manado city.

agricultural produce in Sonder
Corn, vanilla, clove, rice and papaya

Palm sugar, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, chilli, brenebon bean (Dutch: bruinen bonen for kidney bean), eggs, tilapia fish, pork are exported to cities in central and eastern region of Indonesia including Gorontalo, Balikpapan, Sorong, Manokwari and Jayapura. 

Contact

If you are interested in taking sightseeing, birdwatching and farmland tours in Minahasa highland of Indonesia and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

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