Tangkoko Nature Reserve is a great destination for birding/ wildlife watching. A lot of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects could be watched there. Visitors who want to go there need to fly to Manado city. After that, they could go by car from Sam Ratulangi International Airport of Manado to Tangkoko. It takes around 1 hour 30 minutes or more depending on the traffic.
For birders, it is the place for finding Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Green-backed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Great-billed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pitta, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Green Imperial Pigeon, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Finch-billed Myna, White-necked Myna, Sulawesi-crested Myna, and a lot more.
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| Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher |
Usually birders want to do night walk to find nocturnal birds. Tangkoko's forest is also a great site for finding such birds as Speckled Boobook, Sulawesi Scops Owl.
In addition to birding inside Tangkoko's forest, birders can also enjoy birding at the edge of the nature reserve especially in Temboan Hill to look for such birds as Black-naped Oriole, Black-billed Koel, Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail (also called Minahasa Racquet-tail), Golden-mantled Racquet-tail, Blue-backed Parrot, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, and Sulawesi Serpent Eagle and etc.
Most birders spend 4 days/ 3 nights of birding in Tangkoko. After that they will continue their trip to Minahasa Highland.
Birding in Minahasa Highland
Minahasa Highland is a beautiful destination for birdwatching. It is the destination for watching birds that live in higher elevation forest such as Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Sulawesi Pitta, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Superb Fruit-dove, Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Black Sunbird, Sahul Sunbird, Crimson Sunbird, and etc.
Minahasa Highland has got lakes and wetland paddy fields. They are the natural habitat of a lot of sea birds. In the paddy fields of Subdistrict Sonder, visitors could watch such birds as Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Javan Pond Heron, Cinnamon Bittern, White-browed Crake, Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail and Isabelline Bush-Hen. There are also Collared Kingfisher, White-breasted Woodswallow, Scaly-breasted Munia, Chestnut Munia, Black-faced Munia, Pacific Swallow, Barn Swallow, White-nest Swiftlet, and Glossy Swiftlet. Sooty-headed Bulbul is quite common in both highland and lowland region.
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| Yellow-billed Malkoha in Sonder Farm Forest of Minahasa Highland |
The farm forest between Tomohon town and Subdistrict Sonder is the habitat of Bay Coucal, Black-billed Koel, Hair-crested Drongo (White-eye), Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Woodpecker and etc.
For night birding, Minahasa-masked Owl, Speckled Boobook, Ochre-bellied Boobook, Sulawesi Scops Owl can also be found in the farmland areas.
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| Sulawesi Hanging Parrot in Sonder's Farm Forest |
Accommodation
Visitors who take birding tour in Minahasa highland can stay in homestays in Subdistrict Sonder. They could also stay in Tomohon town where there are more hotels, homestays and mountain resorts.
Marine Tour in Bunaken National Marine Park
The National Park of Bunaken has been famous as destination for marine tourism. Visitors go there to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Birdwatching can also be carried out in Bunaken to see coastal and sea birds such as White-bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Osprey, Collared Kingfisher, Whimbrel, Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser Frigatebird, Greater Frigatebird, Black-naped Tern and etc.
Booking
If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Minahasa Highland and Bunaken National Park, and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180
Also read:
- Birding and Photo Tour in North Sulawesi
- Tangkoko Nature Reserve: A Wildlife Haven in North Sulawesi
- Birding and Wildlife Tour in Tangkoko
- For more info, please, also visit: birdingsulawesi.com
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