Watching Twelve-wired and King Bird of Paradise in Tambrauw

Recently I guided a European couple in Tambrauw regency. We visited Klabili village and District town of Sausapor. We spent 3 days/ 2 nights exploring tropical rainforest. We watched birds including the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise and King Bird of Paradise as well as South Papuan Pitta, Forest Bittern, New Guinea Vulturine Parrot and Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher. 

Tropical Birds in Tambrauw Regency of Indonesia

During the tour, we also did night walk to look for nocturnal bird. We saw Papuan Frogmouth and Northern Tree Snake (Dendrelapis calligaster).

To watch the paradise birds in Klabili village, we had to wake up early at 04:00. We made preparation, and had some tea and coffee with some biscuits. At 04:30, we left our homestay for the site of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus). It took around 1 hour of walking to reach it. It was down when we arrived. Minutes later, the male Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise began to call his mating partner. 

When the female Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise came, she landed on a lower tree trunk. Local villagers called it "stick." The male flew to that stick and began his courtship dance performance which lasted for more than 1 hour. 

After watching the dance performance, we continued rainforest tour that morning to the site of Forest Bittern. Along the path we saw other birds such as Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, and Blyth's Hornbill. The Forest Bittern was sitting on his nest. We watched it using a spotting scope from a distant in order not to disturb the bird.

We continued our walking tour in the forest to King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius) at around 09:45. The bird was sitting on a branch of a tall ficus tree. It was very difficult to find it. 

We still do general birding to see Yellow-faced Myna, Red-cheeked Parrot, Helmeted Friarbird, and Black Lory. 

There was a hide behind Klabili village. We entered it before lunch time. We put some worms and played their sounds. The Hooded Pitta landed shortly. He was there for only a few seconds. The Southern Papuan Pitta came later and stayed for around 15 minutes until it started to rain. 

At 14:00, we continued our next adventure to Sausapor. We saw Brush Cuckoo, Sahul Sunbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Blyth's Hornbill, Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove and Hoodee Butcherbird. The forest at the outskirt of Sausapor is the habitat of birds of prey including White-bellied Sea Eagle, Gurney's Eagle, Long-tailed Honey Buzzard, Brahminy Kite and etc.

If you are interested in taking a bird of paradise watching tour in West Papua of Indonesia and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Birding Paradise: Exploring North Sulawesi from Manado to Minahasa Highland
• Birds in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching Tour in the Farmland and Forest of Minahasa Highland
• Manado City Tour: Birdwatching and Sightseeing
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder Town
• Collared Kingfisher
• Birding in Minahasa of North Sulawesi
• Birding in Higher Elevation Forest of Minahasa
• Birding in the Paddy Fields of Subdistrict Sonder
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Watching King Bird of Paradise with 5 German Tourists

I guided 5 German tourists today in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari. We went there to watch King Bird of Paradise that usually dances in the mornings and in the afternoons before sunset time. Their tour organizer was Irawan Halir from the North Sulawesi. We left by a chartered vehicle at 04.30 for the forest. 

Arriving at the entrance site, we got off the vehicle and started hiking to our basecamp. We needed around 1 hour to reach it. It was around 06.30 when we arrived. Because the King Bird of Paradise showed up later, we decided to go to the blind of Magnificent Riflebird. Thirty minutes later, we continued our morning walk to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise. We watched the birds for around 30 minutes and then returned to our basecamp to have our morning tea or coffee. We enjoyed hot tea, coffee and milk with some biscuits and rambutans. 

King Bird of Paradise

Fifteen minutes later, we continued our tour in the rainforest by hiking to the watching site of King Bird of Paradise. When we reached, the bird had not shown up. But we could hear his calls. We sat on the ground with binoculars and camera in our hands. I also prepared my spotting scope which I aimed at the vines where the King Paradise Bird usually sits while waiting for his female counterpart. Minutes later, he flew to the vines and started jumping among them several times. He sat on a hanging liana under a left branch above our heads. The German tourists began taking pictures of the bird. We watched the bird for around 1 hour. We saw the female one too. She showed up later. Other birds that we saw were Frilled Monarch. The calls of Magnificent riflebird, Northern Variable Pitohui, Papuan Pitta, Hooded Butcherbird and Long-tailed Buzzard could also be heard inside the forest. 

We went back to our basecamp and had lunch. The ingredients consist of rice, kangkung (vegetables), fried tuna, sliced ham, and noodle soup.

German tourists with local guides

We walked back to the main road at 13.30 and then headed to the village where we stayed to write the guestbook and saw how local villager made fire using traditional match made of bamboo, palm fiber and granite stone. Villagers gave us rambutan, and soursop.

Our car showed up later. We returned to Manokwari city at around 3 p.m. It was a nice adventure tour.
Here is my contact number: +6281332245180. You could send whatsapp message to book your trip to this forest of Manokwari.

This was written by Charles Roring

Also read:

• Birds in North Sulawesi
• Birding in High Elevation Forest of Minahasa
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland
• Manado City Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching and butterflywatching in Sonder
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com