The Province of North Sulawesi is a highly recommended destination for visitors who love birding and walking in nature. There are a number of birding sites that tourists can explore. Some are listed below:
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| Sulawesi Hanging Parrot |
- Subdistrict Sonder in Minahasa Highland - This small town is surrounded by water streams. They allow villagers to open farmlands that supply foods to towns and cities in North Sulawesi and other region of East Indonesia. Its high elevation forest and vegetable garden is the habitat of such birds as:
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| Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher |
- Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker
- Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
- Gray-sided Flowerpecker
- Citrine Canary Flycatcher
- Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher
- Snowy-browed Flycatcher
- Turquoise Flycatcher
- Crimson Sunbird
- Brown-throated Sunbird
- Sahul Sunbird
- Warbling White-eye
- Black-faced Munia
- Sulawesi Drongo
- White-faced Cuckoo-dove
- Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove
- Superb Fruit-dove
- Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker
- Pygmy Hanging Parrot
- Sulawesi Bush Warbler
- Sulawesi Myzomela
- Sulawesi Malkoha
- Sulawesi Pitta
- Sulawesi Cicadabird
- Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo
- Black-billed Koel
- Bay Coucal
- Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia doreya albicapilla) - a subspecies of Sultan's Cuckoo-dove
- Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon
- Green Imperial Pigeon
- Sulawesi Goshawk
- Black Kite
- and etc.
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| Crimson Sunbird |
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| Sulawesi Scops Owl at a farmland in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa regency |
Sonder has got farmland and paddy fields which are the habitat of such birds as:
- Black-naped Oriole,
- Pale Blue Monarch,
- Gray-sided Flowerpecker,
- Yellow-sided Flowerpecker,
- Sulawesi Hanging Parrot,
- Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo
- Sulawesi Crow
- Sahul Sunbird,
- Brown-throated Sunbird,
- Black Sunbird
- White-breasted Woodswallow
- Barred Rail,
- Buff-banded Rail,
- White-browed Crake,
- Isabelline Bush-hen
- Cattle Egret,
- Little Egret,
- Purple Heron
- Javan Pond Heron
- Cinnamon Bittern,
- Finch-billed Myna,
- Rock Pigeon,
- Zebra Dove,
- Collared Kingfisher,
- Lesser Fish Eagle,
- Chestnut Munia
- Scaly-breasted Munia
- Black-faced Munia, and etc.
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| Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo, Collared Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Warbling White-eye |
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Black-naped Oriole
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- Talawaan Forest - This birding site is located near Sam Ratulangi International Airport. This birding tour to the outskirt forest of Manado city is suitable for visitors who have just arrived. This is a perfect activity for scuba divers who have just completed their diving holiday in Bunaken, Siladen and Lembeh Strait but still cannot fly back to their countries. Birds that can be found in this area include Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Crow, Collared Kingfisher, Barred Rail, Cattle Egret, White-rumped Triller, Sahul Sunbird and etc.
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| Black-naped Fruit-dove |
- Mount Mahawu - Most tourists go there to look for Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Sulawesi Myzomela, Red-eared Fruit Dove, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Warbling White-eye, and etc.
- Lake Linow - This is a site for sightseeing as well as birdwatching. Visitors could watch Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Sunda Teal, Collared Kingfisher, Barn Swallow and etc.
- Pine Forest - This is a small forest that is located in Lahendong village. The trees grow around the sulphuric pond. Birds such as Sooty-headed Bulbul, Gray-rumped Treeswift, Sunda Teal, Cattle Egret, and Little Egret could be seen in this pine forest.
- Tangkoko Nature Reserve - This is a recommended destination for watching tropical birds of Sulawesi and other animals such as insects, reptiles, and mammals. Birdwatchers could find such birds as Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Hornbill, Sulawesi-crested Myna, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Finch-billed Myna, Purple-winged Roller, Red-backed Thrush, Green-backed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher, Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove, Black-naped Fruit Dove, Ruddy Kingfisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pitta, Great-billed Kingfisher, Blue-backed Parrot, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail (also called Minahasa Racquet-tail), Golden-mantled Racquet-tail, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Isabelline Bush-hen, Gray-rumped Treeswift, and a lot more.
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| Black-crowned White-eye in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa regency |
Prices:
The cost of birding and photography tour in North Sulawesi depends on the number of participants and duration of the tour. In general, the average all inclusive price for one week birding tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland is around 2,000 US dollars for a couple.
If you are interested in visiting North Sulawesi to enjoy birding in the highland and lowland of Minahasa and want an English speaking guide to accompany you, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.
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